Ingredients
6-8 kirby cucumbers, about 2 cups, cut into thin slices cross-wise
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups Heinz Pepper Vinegar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoons salt
3-4 dried chile de arbol (depending on your heat preference)
2 teaspoons white and black peppercorns
Directions
In a small sauce pan, bring vinegar, water, sugar and salt to a boil. Simmer until the sugar has dissolved and then turn off the heat. Let cool completely.
While the mixture is heating, work on your spices. Reserve one whole chili for each of the two jars and using a pair of scissors, cut the remaining two into small bits, discarding the seeds. Place chilis (both the whole and the pieces) in a small bowl and put a couple of tablespoons of the heated vinegar mixture in the bowl. Split the peppercorns between your two canning jars.
Clean the pickles and make sure that any blemishes are cut off. Cut thin slices vertically (I used a mandolin to get uniform thickness). Stuff cucumbers into jars, filling almost to the top. Really fill them in there (sort of like a puzzle). Split the now-softened chilis between the two jars.
When the vinegar mixture is cooled, using a ladle and a funnel (or a ladle with pour spout), fill the jars with the vinegar mixture completely to the top. Add a remaining whole chili to the jar and seal. Refrigerate for at least 2 days before serving. Pickles will retain their texture and flavor for about two weeks.
