Granny Mae made pickles every summer. I learned a lot about cooking from her. She also taught me how to can fresh vegetables, jams and jellies.
This takes a bit of time, and it's a lesson in patience...
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup pickling salt
- 1 gallon cold water
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 2 tablespoons mixed spices (pickling spices are now available but 40 years ago we made our own)
- 4 pounds firm pickling cucumbers, washed and cut into ½ inch thick
- 4 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 quart white vinegar
Instructions:
Wash and dry canning jars.
Dissolve pickling salt in water (brine) and stir well.
Place the brine in a non reactive pan, add cukes and soak at room temperature in brine overnight.
Remove the cukes; wash, and rinse 3 times.
Put the spice in cloth bag and tie.
Place the spice bag in a pot with cukes and pour vinegar mixture over them and soak overnight, refrigerated.
Next morning cook them on medium heat for 15 minutes until boiling.
Put the hot pickles with vinegar mixture into jars and seal.
Allow to cool. Check for seal.
If the jar lids did not seal process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.