Recipe By : USDA Agriculture Information Bulletin #539, 1994
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Pickles
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
4 lb Pickling cucumbers (2 to 5") *
3/4 c Canning or pickling salt --
- separated in 1/3rds
2 ts Celery seed
2 tb Mixed pickling spices
5 1/2 c Sugar
4 c Vinegar (5%)
* If packed whole, use cucumbers of uniform size.
Can be canned whole, in strips, or in slices.
Wash cucumbers. Cut 1/16" slice off blossom end and discard, but
leave 1/4" of stem attached. Place whole cucumbers in suitable
1 gallon container. Add 1/4 cup canning or pickling salt to 2 qt
water and bring to a boil. Pour over cucumbers. Add suitable cover
and weight. Place clean towel over container and keep the
temperature at about 70°F.
On the 3rd and 5th days, drain salt water and discard. Rinse
cucumbers and rescald cover and weight. Return cucumbers to
container. Add 1/4 cup salt to 2 qt fresh water and boil. Pour over
cucumbers. Replace cover and weight, and re-cover with clean towel.
On the 7th day, drain salt water and discard. Rinse cucumbers and
rescald containers, cover, and weight. Slice or strip cucumbers, if
desired, and return to container. Place celery seed and pickling
spices in small cheesecloth bag. Combine 2 cups sugar and 4 cups
vinegar in a saucepan. Add spice bag, bring to a boil and pour
pickling solution over cucumbers. Add cover and weight, and
re-cover with clean towel.
On each of the next 6 days, drain syrup and spice bag and save. Add
1/2 cup sugar each day and bring to a boil in a saucepan. Remove
cucumbers and rinse. Scald container, cover, and weight daily.
Return cucumbers to container, add boiled syrup, cover, weight, and
re-cover with towel.
On the 14th day, drain syrup into saucepan. Fill sterile pint jars
(for more information see "Jars and Lids") or clean quart jars,
leaving 1/2" headspace. Add 1/2 cup sugar to syrup and bring to
boil. Remove spice bag. Pour hot syrup over cucumbers, leaving 1/2"
headspace. Adjust lids and process according to the recommendations
in Table 1 or use low-temperature pasteurization treatment. For
more information see "Low-Temperature Pasteurization Treatment".
Table 1.
Recommended process time for 14-day Sweet Pickles in a
boiling-water canner.
