• Wash 7 pint jars in hot soapy water or in dishwasher.
• Rinse asparagus and snap off woody ends. Cut spears to fit in jars and fill tightly. Lay spears upright and fit leftover pieces without tips in the centre for best appearance.
• Prepare brine by combining water, pickling vinegar and salt in pot. Heat to boiling.
• Bring a very large pot or canner to a boil. Fill with enough water to cover jars when inserted.

For Dill and Garlic Pickled Asparagus

• Put a frond of dill and a clove of garlic in the bottom of each jar. Fill tightly with asparagus and top with more dill.
• Pour hot brine into each jar, leaving about ¼ inch space at the top.

For Sweet and Hot Asparagus

• Add sugar and pickling spice to brine mixture. Return to boil until sugar dissolves.
• Add a clove of garlic and a hot pepper to each jar. Fill with asparagus, arranging as above in upright position for best appearance.
• Pour hot brine into jars leaving ¼ inch of space. Try to get similar amounts of pickling spice in each jar.

For All Jars

• While waiting for canner pot to come to a boil, wipe each jar rim to ensure nothing is on it to interfere with tight seal.
• Dip new seals into hot water for about 10 seconds. Carefully place on top of jars. Add rings and tighten, being careful not to over tighten.
• Using rack or by placing a kitchen towel in the bottom of the pot, carefully lower jars into boiling water, ensuring entire jar is covered. Cover pot and boil for 12 minutes. You may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your pot.
• Remove jars carefully and cool on counter. Seals will "pop" as they invert during the cooling process. Any jars that don't seal properly can be stored in the refrigerator.
• Pickles can be opened in a few weeks but are best left at least a month and last for ages in the pantry.