Candace in the Kitchen

Archive for the ‘Canning’ Category

 

After three long days the pickles are done. Kidding, it was three days, but they weren’t that bad. Most of the time is hands off. These are sweet pickles. I use them in chicken salad, potato salad and chopped up as relish for burgers and hot dogs. They’re not bad eaten straight from the jar, either.

Ingredients:

10 lbs small pickling cucumbers

2 cups picking lime

7.5 lbs sugar

6 pints apple cider vinegar

handful of pickling spice (I use Sauer’s)

Equipment:

One large stock pot

Sterilized glass canning jars, quart size

Sterilized lids and rings for jars

Canning funnel- Don’t attempt ANY canning without one

Tea ball – only because I don’t like the floating spices in the finished product. If you don’t mind you can skip this.

Large, long handled spoon

Directions:

Day One:

(I usually start this on a Friday afternoon, after work)

Wash cucumbers and thinly slice, remove and discard ends.

Place cucumbers in large pot.

Add pickling lime and cover with cold water.

Stir occasionally for the rest of the evening.

Let sit overnight, covered.

Day Two:

(I start this process in the early afternoon, about 1PM)

Drain cucumbers and rinse well.

Thoroughly wash pot and put rinsed cucumbers back inside.

Cover with cold water and let sit for one hour.

Repeat rinsing and soaking every hour for four hours.

On the last rinse leave cucumbers in colander and wash pot well.

Combine vinegar and sugar in the empty pot stir until sugar starts to dissolve.

Put cucumbers into sugar/vinegar mixture and stir well. Add tea ball filled with about a handful of pickling spices. (If you aren’t using the tea ball, just throw the spices in)

Cover and let sit overnight.

Day 3:

( I start this step around noon)

Slowly bring cucumbers and syrup mixture to a boil over medium heat. (It takes a while)

Let boil for one hour, stirring occasionally.

While the pickles (This is when I start to consider them pickles) are boiling sterilize your jars.

I just put mine in the dishwasher (alone) with no detergent on the high heat wash and dry.

Remove from dishwasher and set them near the pot of pickles. (This is where the flat top stove comes in handy). Don’t forget your funnel!

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil and add the lids and rings.

Fill the jars as much as you can- take a smaller spoon and squish them down. Then add syrup until you reach the neck of the jar.

Get a lid and ring out of the boiling water and put it on the jar. Twist to tighten.

(If you have a few pickles that won’t filla jar just put them into a container and put them in the fridge. It won’t hurt them, you just can’t leave them sitting in the pantry like the sealed jars.)

Set the jars aside and you should start hearing the seals pop soon.

Enjoy!