House Made Spicy Garlic Pickles

YIELD: 25 lbs. (about 75 pickles)

24 lbs. fresh Kirby cucumubers

2 ½ cups kosher salt

1 cup light brown sugar

3 lbs. sliced yellow onions

25 fresh garlic cloves (chopped)

½ cup fennel seed

2 Tbsps. mustard seed

¾ gallon white wine vinegar

½ gallon rice wine vinegar

1 cup chile de arbol

2 bunches, fresh dill

½ cup red pepper flakes

1 ½ gallons, water

1.     To make the brine, heat up all ingredients except cucumbers and dill in a small kettle. Bring it to a simmer while mixing well, then cool down the brine.

2.     Add cucumbers and fresh dill to the brine, ensuring cucumbers are completely submerged. You may need to weigh them down, as some might float to the top.

3.     Keep pickles refrigerated and covered for 8 days in the brine, and they are then ready to use.

Recipe: Ryan Conklin, executive chef, Rex Health Care