Pour the brine into the jar, leaving ½ inch headspace. Add 1/8 teaspoon of pickle crisp per jar, if using. (Headspace (how much brine is in the jars) is very important. Too little and it can impact the quality of the pickles. Too much and the jars can leak during processing.)
Pickles can be stored in a cool, dry place for up to a year.
Wash jars and inspect for any cracks. Place a rack or silicone liner in the bottom of a large pot. Place empty jars in the pot. Fill with water. (Water should cover the empty jars by 1-inch.
Bring the water to a simmer. Heat jars for 10 minutes. This prevents the jars from cracking when you ladle hot liquid into them.
Fill jars as directed
Return jars to pot. Check that there is one to two inches of water covering the jars.
Cover pot. Increase heat and bring water to a boil. When the water reaches a boil, start your timer. Process (boil) the jars for the directed processing time. Maintain a rolling boil for the processing time.
After processing time completes, turn off the heat. Remove the lid from the pot. Allow the jars to sit in the pot for 2 to 5 minutes. Then lift jars out of the canner and place on a dry towel.