• Prepare the cucumbers and onions. Place the peeled, seeded, and cubed cucumbers in a very large non-reactive bowl (glass or stainless steel), along with the onions. Stir well to combine, then sprinkle with ¼ cup of pickling or canning salt, and stir once again.
• Rest. Cover the bowl and allow it to rest at room temperature for 1 hour. This will pull excess water from the vegetables. Meanwhile, prepare your equipment and canning jars.
• Prepare equipment. Wash all canning supplies, jars, lids, and rings in hot soapy water. Sterilize if needed.
• Prepare the Jars and Lids. Fill the canner about ⅔ of the way with water and bring to a boil. Add 5-6 pint jars filled with hot water and bring to a boil, holding the boil for at least 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave in the canner until needed. Add the jar lids and rings to a pot of gently simmering water and keep warm over low heat during the canning process.
• Drain. Working in batches if needed, transfer the cucumbers and onions to a large colander set over the sink to drain thoroughly.
• Prepare the brine. Add the sugar to a very large stainless steel stock pot. Add the dry mustard powder, ClearJel (if using), ground ginger, and ground turmeric. Whisk to combine. Then, add the water a little at a time, whisking to incorporate it. Finally, add the vinegar and chopped red pepper and stir well.
• Heat the brine. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently to ensure the sugar dissolves and the mixture heats evenly. Once a boil is reached, reduce the heat to a gentle boil (medium heat works well) for about 5 minutes, or until thickened. Be sure to stir often.
• Add the cucumbers and onions. Once the brine has thickened, add the drained cucumbers and onions and fold them in. Increase the heat to medium-high and return to a boil.

Water Bath Canning (Optional**)

• Ladle into jars. Once the mixture returns to a boil, ladle the hot mixture into jars, leaving a generous ½” headspace.
• Prepare each jar. Remove any air bubbles using a clean butter knife or debubbling tool; adjust the headspace if needed. Then wipe the rim of the jar with a damp paper towel, center a warm lid on the jar, and secure a canning ring just until fingertip tight. Transfer the jar to the boiling water canner.
• Process the jars. Once all of the jars are filled, ensure they are placed in the canner and covered with at least 1-2 inches of water. Place the lid on the canner and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat. Once a boil has been reached, start the processing time. Process for 10 minutes.
• Removing the jars. When the 10 minutes are up, turn off the heat and remove the canner from the element. Remove the lid, and wait 5 minutes.
• After the 5 minutes are up, remove the jars with a jar lifter and place them on a thick kitchen towel. Leave them completely undisturbed for 24 hours.
• Storing. After 24 hours, check the seals and remove the canning rings. Wipe down the jars and label them. Any jars that have not been sealed should be moved to the fridge to be eaten right away.