Michigan State University Extension
Preserving Food Safely - 01600130
10/13/97
7 lb. cucumbers (1-1/2 inch or less) 1/2 cup canning or pickling salt 8 cups sugar 6 cups vinegar (5% acidity) 3/4 tsp. turmeric 2 tsp. celery seeds 2 tsp. whole mixed pickling spice 2 cinnamon sticks 1/2 tsp. fennel (optional) 2 tsp. vanilla (optional)
YIELD: 6 to 7 pints
PROCEDURE: Wash cucumbers. Cut 1/16-inch slice off
blossom end and discard, but leave 1/4-inch of stem
attached. Place cucumbers in large container and cover with
boiling water. Six to 8 hours later (on the second day)
drain and cover with fresh boiling water. On the third
day, drain and prick cucumbers with a table fork. Combine
and bring to boil 3 cups vinegar, 3 cups sugar, turmeric and
spices. Pour over cucumbers. Six to 8 hours later, drain
and save the pickling syrup. Add another 2 cups each of
sugar and vinegar to the syrup and heat to boiling. Pour
over pickles. On the fourth day, drain and save syrup. Add
another 2 cups sugar and 1 cup vinegar to the syrup. Heat
to boiling and pour over pickles. Drain and save pickling
syrup 6 to 8 hours later. Add 1 cup sugar and 2 teaspoons
vanilla to the syrup and heat to boiling. Fill hot sterile
pint jars with pickles and cover with hot syrup, leaving
1/2-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process as below, or
use the low-temperature pasteurization treatment ( see
directions following boiling water canner processing times).
RECOMMENDED PROCESS TIMES FOR SWEET GHERKIN
PICKLES IN A BOILING-WATER CANNER
Process Time at Altitudes of
Style of Jar 0- 1001- 6001- Pack Size 1000 ft. 6000 ft. 8000 ft.
Raw Pints 5 min. 10 min. 15 min.
Low-Temperature Pasteurization Treatment for Processing
CAUTION: USE ONLY WHEN RECIPE INDICATES.
The following treatment results in a better product texture, but must be carefully managed to avoid possible spoilage. Place jars in a canner filled half way with warm (120 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit) water. Then, add hot water to a level 1 inch above jars. Heat the water enough to maintain 180 to 185 degrees Fahrenheit water temperature for 30 minutes. Check with a candy or jelly thermometer to be certain that the water temperature is at least 180 degrees Fahrenheit during the entire 30 minutes. Temperatures higher than 185 degrees Fahrenheit may cause unnecessary softening of pickles.
STERILIZATION OF EMPTY JARS To sterilize empty jars, place them right side up on the rack in a boiling-water canner. Fill the canner and jars with hot (not boiling) water to 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Boil 10 minutes at altitudes of less than 1000 feet. At higher elevations, boil 1 additional minute for each additional 1000 feet elevation. Remove and drain hot sterilized jars one at a time as filled.