Skeptics Crispy Sweet Pickles Recipes

CRISP SWEET PICKLE RECIPE

Steps:

• Day 1: Clean cucumbers and soak in ice cold water bath for 30 minutes. Drain cucumbers, trim ends, then cut into thick chunks. Pack cucumbers in a gallon sized food safe jar. Cover with boiling water. Let sit 24 hours.
• Day 2: Drain water from cucumber slices. Add salt. Pour boiling water over top of cucumbers and salt. Cover and let sit 24 hours.
• Day 3: Drain cucumbers. Add alum. Pour boiling water over cucumbers to cover. Cover and let sit 24 hours.
• Day 4: Drain cucumbers. Place pickling spice in cheesecloth tied with string to form purse. Place in jar with cucumbers. Bring cider vinegar to a boil. Pour over cucumbers.
• Day 5 and Day 6: Do nothing.
• Day 7: Drain cucumbers reserving juice. Remove cheesecloth with pickling spices and discard. Place cucumbers in large mixing bowl. Pour sugar over top of cucumbers and toss to coat. Let sit at least 2 hours.
• Heat reserved cucumber juice until scalding. Pack pickles into hot sterilized jars. Pour hot cucumber juice over top of pickles. Cover and seal.

SWEET PICKLES

Steps:

• Slice cucumbers, by hand or (very carefully) with mandolin
• Add cucumbers and salt to bowl. Toss to coat all cucumber slices with salt.
• Cover bowl and stand on counter, or in refrigerator overnight.
• Next morning, place in bowl and rinse salt off of cucumbers. Rinse the cucumbers well or they will be salty! Allow to drain.
• In a sauce pan, add sugar, vinegar, water and spices. Bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.
• Reduce heat and high simmer or low boil, for about 30 minutes.
• Sterilize jars in canning pot.
• Remove hot jars, one at a time and drain water. Cut open black tea bag and add 1 bag per pint jar.
• Pack cucumber slices into hot jars, within a 1/2 inch of top of jar.
• Pour hot canning liquid into jar leaving ½" headspace.
• Wipe rim of jar with wet towel. Attach hot lids and tighten bands finger tight. Return to canning pot.
• Process jars for 15 minutes per pint, adjusting for altitude. Allow to rest in hot water 5 minutes after turning heat off.
• Remove jars from canning pot and let sit on counter overnight.
• Check seal in the morning, if lids flex up and down, when pressed in center, jar is not properly sealed. Store any that didn't seal in refrigerator.

OLD FASHIONED SWEET NINE DAY PICKLES

Steps:

• STEP ONE: Cut cucumbers in 1/2 inch pieces or a little larger and place in a crock or large glass container. Bring the soaking brine to a boil, pour over cut cucumbers, cover with a clean cloth and weigh down with a plate. Cover crock with a clean tea towel.
• Let stand three days.
• STEP TWO: Drain, put back in crock and cover with fresh water. There is no salt added to this.
• Let stand two days.
• STEP THREE: Drain and place back in crock.
• Bring the pickle solution with the alum to a boil and simmer two minutes pour over.
• Stand overnight.
• STEP FOUR: Drain and place back in crock. Make Sweet Pickle brine, bring to a boil and pour over. For three days drain this syrup into a large pot and bring to a boil. Pour back over the cucumber slices. The third day once again bring the syrup to a boil. Put pickles into sterilized jars, pour hot brine over and seal.
• I often replace some of the cucumber pieces with cauliflower chunks, making for a mixed sweet pickle.
• Makes about eight pints.

CRISP SWEET PICKLES

Steps:

• Cut pickles into 1/2-in. slices; return to the jar. Add the remaining ingredients. Cover and shake until coated. Refrigerate for at least 1 week, shaking occasionally. Serve with a slotted spoon.

CRISP SWEET PICKLES

Steps:

• Cut pickles into 1/2 inch slices and return to the jar.
• Add the remaining ingredients.
• Cover and shake until coated.
• Refrigerate for at least 1 week, shaking occasionally. Serve with a slotted spoon.