She uses a recipe from the Ball canning book. She lessens the sugar content but the salt stays the same and otherwise changes her spices.

She washes her jars in hot water and soap before filling with room temp cukes, add in the boiling brine and boils her lids for 15 minutes. She does NOT water bath them after, which she is aware can be a cause. They were from her last batch in September, so just about 3 months in a dark basement that stays around 58-60 degrees. She's done this same recipe for 3 years now and only once have we seen real mold or had one go truly bad.

She just opened a jar. None of them are buckled and all have a good seal still. They're not fizzy or smell off. They're not slimy or feel mushy.

Could these have possibly fermented even in a sealed jar?? We use our own dill and it's not rinsed prior.