Don's Sugar-Free Garlic Dills

9 cups trimmed and sliced (Æ-inch thick) kirby or pickling cucumbers

1½ cups organic apple cider vinegar

2½ cups water (bottled spring water, preferred)

4 tablespoons pickling or canning salt (I used fine-grain Himalayan pink salt)

2 tablespoons pickling spice (cloves removed)

3 packets natural sugar substitute (such as organic stevia)

2½ tablespoons (12 grams) dill seeds

2 tablespoons mustard seeds

1½ teaspoons crushed red pepper

1¼ teaspoons (8 grams) whole black peppercorns

6 large garlic cloves, halved

Place sliced cucumbers in a large stainless steel or glass bowl. Set aside.

Place a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and to it add vinegar, water, salt, clove-free pickling spice and natural sugar substitute. Stir until salt dissolves and the water comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and gently simmer for 10 minutes.

While the pickling liquid simmers, divide the dill seeds, mustard seeds, peppercorns and garlic between two clean quart bottles.

Pour the simmered pickling liquid through a wire mesh strainer over the cucumbers, cover with waxed paper and set aside for about 30 minutes until cooled.

Using tongs, transfer cucumbers to the quart jars filling them to within a ½-inch of the top. Pour pickling liquid over cucumber so that the liquid covers the cucumbers. Screw on a clean top and refrigerate. Turning the bottles; mixing the spices well from time to time. Start tasting after two days.

Makes 2 quarts.

Note: As are most commercial pickles, these pickles are high in sodium. That's the beauty of making your own; if you want, you can use less salt in making these and reduce the sodium content significantly. Doing so will change the flavor profile, though.

Nutrition values per ½ cup (about 10 slices) serving: 8 calories (11 percent from fat), 0.1 g fat (0.01 g saturated fat), 2 g carbohydrates, 0.9 g sugars, 0.3 g fiber, 0.3 g protein, 0 mg cholesterol, 678 mg sodium.

Based on a recipe from "Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving (Robert Rose, 2006)