Sweet gherkin pickles
Ingredients: Yields 6 to 7 pints
7 lb cucumbers (11
⁄2 inch or less)
1
⁄2 cup canning or pickling salt
6 cups vinegar (5%)
8 cups sugar
3
⁄4 tsp turmeric
2 tsp celery seeds
2 tsp whole mixed pickling spice (optional)
2 cinnamon sticks
1
⁄2 tsp fennel (optional)
2 tsp vanilla (optional)
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, drain and cover with 6 quarts
of fresh boiling water containing 1
⁄4 cup salt.
Repeat on the second day.
On the third day, drain and prick cucumbers with a table fork. Combine
and bring to boil 3 cups vinegar, 3 cups sugar, 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 reheat to boiling.
Pour over
pickles.
On the fourth day, drain and save syrup. Add another 2 cups sugar and
1 cup vinegar.
Heat syrup to boiling and pour over pickles. Let sit 6 to 8 hours
and then drain, saving the pickling syrup.
Add 1 cup sugar and 2 teaspoons
vanilla and heat to boiling.
Fill pint jars with pickles and cover with hot syrup,
leaving 1
⁄2-inch headspace.
Remove air bubbles. Wipe rims of jars and put on lids and bands. Tighten finger tight.
Process in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes. Adjust time for your elevation.
Process time (minutes)
at altitudes of
1,000 ft
or less process 5 minutes
1,001–
3,000 ft process 10 minutes
3,001–
6,000 ft process 10 minutes
Above
6,000 ft process 15 minutes
Reference: Oregon State University County Extension
