Making Sweet Pickles

This recipe for the best sweet pickles I've ever tasted, had been lost for many years. I have searched for it many times, without any luck. It was my grandmother's recipe. My uncle finally found it for me. Thank you Uncle Ed!

MIMI'S SWEET PICKLES

DAY 1:
Wash and cut 1 gallon cucumbers (into chunks or thick slices)
Put into stone jar (crock), large glass or plastic container...no metal.

Dissolve 1 cup salt in 1/2 gallon boiling water and pour over them while hot. If this does not cover your pickles, make another batch of salted water. Weigh pickles down with saucer or such to keep cukes under water.

DAY 2:
Let stand

DAY 3:
Let stand

Day 4:
Drain and pour fresh boiling water and let stand overnight.

Day 5:
Pour 1/2 gallon boiling water with 1 tablespoon powered powdered alum over pickles and let stand 24 hours and drain.
(This makes them crisp)

DAY 6:
Pour fresh boiling water over them again and let stand overnight.

DAY 7:
For pickling mixture, combine 1 quart vinegar—boiling hot—3 cups sugar, 1/4 oz. celery seed, 1/2 oz. cinnamon sticks, 1 teaspoon ground ginger. Pour over pickles. (If you pour last nights water off your pickles, into a quart jar, you will be able to tell how many quarts of vinegar you need to cover your cukes.)

DAYS 8, 9, & 10:
Pour the liquid off the pickles and add 1/2 cup sugar each day and pour back onto pickles.

With last heating, on day 10, put pickles into sterilized jars and pour hot vinegar/spice mixture over pickles, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Run a non-metallic tool around the inside of the jar to release any trapped air bubbles. Wipe the rim of the jar with a clean, damp paper towel or cloth. Place hot seal on the jar and screw on hot band. Process in a boiling water bath. Allow water to return to a full rolling boil and process for 10 minutes. Remove from water bath and place on a towel. Do not disturb for 24 hours or until completely cool.

When jars are completely cool, remove the rings, wash jars, label, and store in a cool, dark place. The pickles do not need additional time to cure. They are ready to eat immediately.

Enjoy!

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[motherleeful]

I just wanted to give you an update on the pickles I made. They are amazing!!! My family loves them...and they are not sweet pickle fans! The 8# of pickles I was concerned about turned out to be 10pints!!! I am now on day 6 of the second batch. You have a gifting from above...you are wonderful teacher...thank you!! I only got a you tube account so I could post comments. I love all your friends as well...great information! Keep up the good work!!

[katzcradul]

@motherleeful O.k....now you've made my heart happy! I'm going to go make a video for you right now...watch for it...it will be about using pantry staples to make a quick, nutritious, no-cook snack. LOL Seriously, I'm so glad to hear that your pickles came out good. I think they're delicious. I'm on my third batch. Thank heavens my cucumbers have finally died because I'm SO tired of making pickles. I made 3 bathes of sweet and 1 big batch of dills...enough to last of for several years.

[dleachtam]

Hi katzcradul! My mom has made this pickles for years but she does not use ginger and cinnamon - she uses cinnamon sticks and whole cloves. She also does lengthwise quarters. The alum makes them crispy and they are delicious. Her recipe was titled 14 day crystal pickles.

[katzcradul]

@dleachtam My grandmother's recipe didn't call for ginger either, but I thought it sounded good, so I put just a pinch in. I too use cinnamon sticks and have thought of putting in a few cloves. In fact, I thought I remembered that my grandmother put clove in as well, and was surprised when I got the old recipe from my uncle and cloves weren't included in the list of ingredients. I have another batch in the crock right now...I might just throw a few whole cloves in. Thanks for commenting.

[motherleeful]

Help! I am such a newbie...when you said 8# of pickles I bought 8# of pickles. I have been reading in the Ball Blue book and have figured out...I have a ton of pickles! lol Anyway, today is the 4th day and I measured them...21cups of pickles! Ok, so...how do I make sure the recipe covers that amount? Also, what does going to seed or making seed mean? I have a beautiful basil plant and the little flowers on are turning brown. Should I harvest the rest of the basil?

[katzcradul]

@motherleeful The best way to know how much of the vinegar brine to make is to pour off all the extra water until your pickles are covered with about 1" of water. Then pour that water off into a measuring cup. That's how much brine you'll need. When a plant thinks it's done producing for the season, it 'goes to seed' or 'sets seed'. You can delay this by picking fruit continually, and by pinching off flowers on herbs. You should pinch the basil flowers immediately if you want more basil.

[motherleeful]

LOL!!! You are too funny! I just love your stuff! Everytime I see one of your videos it makes me think...I can do this. You are so creative and knowledgable! You help me make my family happier. Blessings :)

[bigken462]

Thanks for the video. I may have overlooked it, but I can't seem to find where you posted the recipe. Is it possible you could post it or send it to: mydiveforums@bellsouth(dot)net

Your friend Noreen referred me to your site. Presently I've got a few quarts of peeled cucumber speers soaking in saltwater and will be ready to do something with by at least Thursday. I'm attempting to make Ice sickle (sp) pickles with them.

Thanks for your help.

Kenny Taylor

Cullman, Alabama

[katzcradul]

@mrscrowsvenom As long as the cukes have not been sliced.