3cupsorganic cane sugar(or your granulated sugar of choice)
4tbspmustard seed
2tspcelery seed
2tspred pepper flakes
1tspground ginger(ground cloves can be substituted)
1/2tspground turmeric
Instructions
Combine your sliced cucumbers, bell peppers and onions into a large pot/bowl. Sprinkle with pickling salt and mix well. Store in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours (up to 12 hours). This will help to draw out as much liquid from the vegetables as possible.
After the vegetables are done sitting in the salt, rinse and drain them and set them aside.
If you plan on canning your pickles, prepare your jars and lids now. Please see the above note for the new canning sterilization guidelines that came out in 2015.
In a large pot combine your vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, celery seeds, red pepper flakes, ginger and turmeric. Heat over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.
Once the sugar dissolves increase the heat to high and bring the brine to a boil. Once boiling add your drained and rinsed vegetables to the brine, combining them well. Cook your vegetables until they are heat all the way through (about five minutes or so).
If you are making refrigerator pickles you can skip the instructions below. Place your pickles in the jar of your choice, cover with brine and once cooled place them in the fridge. Consume within 30 days.
Using tongs, fill your cleaned/sterilized jars with the vegetables. Once they are all full, using a ladle, cover your vegetables/pickles with the brine leaving 1/2 inch of headspace (12mm).
Using a wooden chopstick (or other non-metal utensil), stir your veggies and brine around a bit to loosen any trapped air bubbles. Wipe the rim of the jars using a clean cloth and place your lids and rings on the jar (fingertip tight). Process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes.