When making your own pickles, use ripe pickling cucumbers, which are shorter and chunkier than regular eating cucumbers. Choose dark green, firm cucumbers with spiny bumps on the surface. Cucumbers with yellow or white spots may be overripe, resulting in mushy pickles. Make sure cucumbers have not been coated in wax, as the pickling brine cannot penetrate it.

Scrub fresh cucumbers well, and remove and discard a 1/4-inch slice from the blossom end. Blossoms may contain an enzyme that causes pickles to soften.

Quick pickles, also known as refrigerator pickles, should generally be eaten within a month.

Brined pickles use a fermenting process, and often an additional acid like vinegar, to preserve the pickles over an extended period of time. Quality is best if eaten within 6 months.

When making your own brined pickles, hard water may interfere with the formation of acid and prevent pickles from curing properly. Use distilled or soft water for best results.

Use non-iodized canning or pickling salt for fermented pickles, not table salt. Iodized table salt may impede the fermenting process.

Use a high-grade cider or white distilled vinegar of 5 percent acidity, which is the vinegar commonly sold in most stores. Do not use homemade vinegars or vinegars of unknown acidity.

For best flavor, always use fresh spices when making pickles.

The pot used for the brine should be stainless steel, anodized aluminum, glass, or enamelware that is free from chips.

When preparing brined pickles, the cucumbers must be kept submerged in the brine, usually by putting a weight like a plate on top of the pickles.

Never alter the ingredients or proportions in the brine recipe.

Glass canning jars should be free of chips or cracks. Do not reuse jars and lids from commercially-canned foods. For best results, use canning jars with two-piece lids that form a vacuum seal when processed.

Do not use copper, brass, low grade aluminum, galvanized or iron utensils when making homemade pickles. These metals can react with acids or salts and cause undesirable flavors and colors in the pickles.

To sterilize jars before filling with pickles, wash jars and lids with hot, soapy water. Rinse well and arrange jars and lids open sides up, without touching, on a tray. Boil the jars and lids in a large saucepan, covered with water, for 15 minutes.

Use tongs when removing jars from boiling water. Be sure tongs are sterilized by dipping the ends in boiling water for a few minutes.

After filling the jars to the recommended level, wipe the rims with a damp paper towel. Tap the jars to remove any air bubbles before screwing on the caps.

Process the sealed jars by placing them in a large pot of boiling water for the recommended time. (Check with your county extension agent for the recommended time for your area.) The boiling water in the pot should completely cover the top of the jars. After placing jars in the boiling water, always wait until the water returns to a full boil before counting the time required for the processing.

Store refrigerator pickles in the refrigerator. Fermented pickles should be labeled, dated, and stored in a cool, dark place.

Discard any home-preserved pickles with an off odor or color.