Canning season in Idaho brings lots of vegetables and fruits so I decided to post my favorite "Never Fail Sweet Pickle" recipe. I have shared this recipe with over 300 people the past 39 years. (Oops! I'm giving you a clue on my age.) People always ask if I'm bringing my homemade sweet pickles to a church dinner or family event. They are really crisp and worth the time it takes to make them.
Never-Fail Sweet Chunk Pickles
Step 1: Select firm cucumbers, three to four inches long. Estimate how many cucumbers will be needed to fill six to eight quart bottles. Allow for some shrinkage in the finished pickle.
Wash thoroughly and put in a brine of 1 cup noniodized salt and 1 gallon water. I use hard water and keep mixing the brine until I have enough to cover the cucumbers. Place them in a crock or bucket, just don't use aluminum. You may have to invert a dinner plate over the cucumbers to keep them down in the brine. Let stand for three days in a cool, dark place covered with a towel. Stir twice daily with a wooden spoon.
Step 2: Drain, rinse and cover with cold water. Let stand for three more days in a cool, dark place covered with a towel.
Step 3: Drain; cut into 1/2-inch chunks or slice. Put them in a weak vinegar water solution made of 1 cup vinegar with 5% acidity, 2 quarts water and 1 tsp. powdered alum. Put the cucumbers in the vinegar water solution and heat thoroughly. Return to crock or container and let stand in a cool, dark place covered for three days. After three days, drain.
Step 4: Boil the Syrup for three minutes: 6 cups granulated sugar, 1 pint white vinegar, 1 stick cinnamon, 1 tbsp whole cloves, 1 tbsp whole mustard seed, 1 tsp. allspice. Double the recipe if you don't have enough syrup to cover the cucumbers.
Step 5: Each morning for three days, drain off the syrup and bring it to a boil, then pour over the pickles again and cover.
Step 6: On the fourth morning again drain off the syrup. Pack the pickles in hot steriliaed jars. Bring the syrup to a boil and pour over the pickles to within one-fourth inch from the top of the jar. Seal with hot lids and water bath for 15 minutes.
I only make the amount of sweet pickles we can eat in a year as the seals don't last much longer that a year
Have fun making sweet pickles and enjoy the wonderful flavor.
Brenda Bailey
email: brenda.bailey.1@hotmail.com
Never-Fail Sweet Chunk Pickles
Step 1: Select firm cucumbers, three to four inches long. Estimate how many cucumbers will be needed to fill six to eight quart bottles. Allow for some shrinkage in the finished pickle.
Wash thoroughly and put in a brine of 1 cup noniodized salt and 1 gallon water. I use hard water and keep mixing the brine until I have enough to cover the cucumbers. Place them in a crock or bucket, just don't use aluminum. You may have to invert a dinner plate over the cucumbers to keep them down in the brine. Let stand for three days in a cool, dark place covered with a towel. Stir twice daily with a wooden spoon.
Step 2: Drain, rinse and cover with cold water. Let stand for three more days in a cool, dark place covered with a towel.
Step 3: Drain; cut into 1/2-inch chunks or slice. Put them in a weak vinegar water solution made of 1 cup vinegar with 5% acidity, 2 quarts water and 1 tsp. powdered alum. Put the cucumbers in the vinegar water solution and heat thoroughly. Return to crock or container and let stand in a cool, dark place covered for three days. After three days, drain.
Step 4: Boil the Syrup for three minutes: 6 cups granulated sugar, 1 pint white vinegar, 1 stick cinnamon, 1 tbsp whole cloves, 1 tbsp whole mustard seed, 1 tsp. allspice. Double the recipe if you don't have enough syrup to cover the cucumbers.
Step 5: Each morning for three days, drain off the syrup and bring it to a boil, then pour over the pickles again and cover.
Step 6: On the fourth morning again drain off the syrup. Pack the pickles in hot steriliaed jars. Bring the syrup to a boil and pour over the pickles to within one-fourth inch from the top of the jar. Seal with hot lids and water bath for 15 minutes.
I only make the amount of sweet pickles we can eat in a year as the seals don't last much longer that a year
Have fun making sweet pickles and enjoy the wonderful flavor.
Brenda Bailey
email: brenda.bailey.1@hotmail.com
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