Sweet and Crunchy Pickles

 

 

My mother in law  would make the most fabulous sweet pickles. Every summer my father in law would plant cucumbers and mom would make crunchy sweet pickles.

Here is the information she has given me on making pickles and this is how I make my pickles



Choose pickles that are grown for pickling

Pickling cucumbers are not smooth green like salad cukes they have a prickly skin

Sweet Pickles are best when sliced into rounds and not spears

Do not peel cukes just wash thoroughly and slice by hand about 1/8" thick

Soak cucumbers in a large plastic food grade container with pickling lime mixture
I use Mrs. Wages Pickling Lime

mix 1 cup of lime to 2 gallons of cold water in the plastic container and add cucumbers

let cucumbers soak in mixture for 2 hours or overnight

Next remove cucumbers from lime water and discard lime water

Rinse cucumbers in fresh cold water 3 times

Soak cucumbers in fresh ice water for 3 hours

Mix the following items together in a non reactive pan ( I use my enamel canning pot that I purchased from Amazon)

8 cups white vinegar
8 cups sugar
1/2 jar pickling spice (McCormick brand is best)

Bring to a boil and add cucumbers (be sure to drain off all water) to vinegar mixture

Bring back to a boil and turn off heat
Let sit in vinegar mixture for 5 to 6 hours or can be left overnight

Pack pickles in sterilized jars and process in boiling water bath for 10 to 15 minutes

Pickles are ready to eat or can be stored for 2 years or longer. Be sure lids sealed by removing ring and checking each seal -- dry the jar around the seal and replace the ring

I have tried several bread and butter pickle recipes but I love the crunch of this sweet pickle.

 These pickles are great chopped and added to potato salad or tuna salad.  R likes these pickles on hamburgers and sandwiches.  Alone as a side dish or added to a salad or sandwich this is one sweet eat.  I hope you will try this pickle recipe and let me know how you like it.