Wash the chiles and pierce the flesh of each one with a knife point. Place the chiles in a large noncorrodible bowl, crock or pot. Pour 3 to 4 quarts of water and 2 cups of salt over them and stir; weight them with a plate or lid so that the chiles are totally submerged. Let them stand at cool room temperature or refrigerate for 24 hours.

Drain the chiles, rinse them well in fresh water, and drain them again. In a large noncorrodible pot, combine the vinegar, 2 cups water, and 2 teaspoons of salt. Tie the pickling spices in cheesecloth or a muslin bag and add to the pot. Bring the ingredients to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the chiles to the pot and cook them for 3 minutes after the liquid has begun to boil. Divide the garlic cloves equally among hot sterilized canning jars. With a ladle or large spoon, pack the peppers tightly into the jars up to the bottom of the screw band. Ladle the hot pickling liquid into the jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.

Seal the jars with hot scalded lids and rings. Process the jars in a boiling water bath according to manufacturer's instructions. Cool jars away from drafts. Refrigerate any jars that do not seal and use them within 2 weeks.

Syd.Bigger@salata. Com (Syd Bigger)

From the Chile-Heads recipe list. Downloaded from Glen's Mm Recipe Archive, http://www. Erols. Com/hosey.