Mama started making these pickles this year and they were immediately everyone's favorite.  My niece likes them so much it’s all she wanted to eat for dinner. So they are 4 year old approved. These pickles are the crunchiest pickles ever!

 

Here is the recipe in her own words:

 

 

This is a modified old-ish recipe, 1975 Women’s Household magazine, found recently by me in a lately- acquired quilting magazine, slipped in loose, and I thought I’d give it a try; I did add turmeric---I like the color and its good for you, and cloves, as I like the added flavor; I also cut the sugar to a mere 5 cups, and they are plenty sweet;     and I like that I can dispose of a load of cucumbers for several days while they do their thing and all I have to do is go out to the garden and pick another pail and refrigerate them till I get a pot-full.

 

So, Following the Recipe:   

 

 

Day One:   Sometime early in the day, wash the cukes and place them in a nice big bowl or pot; boil a sufficient amount of water and pour it over them and weight them with a plate and a pickle-rock (or whatever suits you and holds the cukes down;

And that evening, drain off that water and  cover again with a new batch of boiled water, and weight it all down;

Day Two: In the morning, drain and pour new boiled water over, and weight them down;  and in the evening do the same;

 

 

Day Three:  Drain and slice; I then lay them out on tea towels, layers of them if need be ---there’s a lot of water in them and I want them to absorb all the pickling syrup fully;

 

While they wait patiently, make up a spice bag with the cinnamon, celery seed, pickling spice, and cloves; tie it up well; this will be placed in the brine/syrup

 

 

which is made by mixing together  the sugar, vinegar and salt, which is then brought to a boil, with the spice bag, and is then stirred and let to boil for about 10 minutes

 

 

Now get all those slices into a nice big pot or bowl; remove and reserve the spice bag;  and pour the syrup/brine over the slices and again weight them down

 

 

Sometimes 2 pickle-rocks are necessary

 

 

Day Four:  Drain the syrup/brine into a pot, add the reserved spice bag and bring to a boil; Remove and reserve the spice bag;  Pour over the slices and again weight them down;

 

Day Five:  Exactly as Day Four

 

Day Six:  Again pour off the syrup/brine and bring to boil with the reserved spice bag;  While that is simmering , start packing your prepared jars—I like wide-mouth pints as I can reach into them and really pack the slices so there are fewer floaters and so it also requires less syrup/brine per jar;

 

 

Keep the jars warm---a dishpan with hot water works for me

 

 

When you’ve got them all packed, start ladling the hot syrup/brine into each jar a bit at a time---a 2-ounce ladle is great if you’ve got one;  and wipe the rims, and

 

 

cover with the prepared lids.

These old-fashioned-looking jars do work just fine, if you can find them and the rubbers.

 

 

 

Place jars in hot canner and process for 10 minutes; 

Then remove jars and let cool undisturbed

Next day label and store

 

 

So pretty and really good and crunchy

 

 

Amazing Crystal Chip Pickles

ingredients

• 14 dill size cukes, leave whole
• 5 cups of sugar
• 1 quart vinegar, white or cider works equally well
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 2 Tbsp turmeric

Spice bag: 

• 4 sticks cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp celery seed
• 2 Tbsp mixed pickling spice
• 2 Tbsp whole cloves

 

Directions

• Day One:   Sometime early in the day, wash the cukes and place them in a nice big bowl or pot; boil a sufficient amount of water and pour it over them and weight them with a plate and a pickle-rock (or whatever suits you and holds the cukes down. That evening, drain off that water and  cover again with a new batch of boiled water, and weight it all down.
• Day Two: In the morning, drain and pour new boiled water over, and weight them down;  and in the evening do the same;
• Day Three:  Drain and slice; I then lay them out on tea towels, layers of them if need be ---there’s a lot of water in them and I want them to absorb all the pickling syrup fully; While they wait patiently, make up a spice bag with the cinnamon, celery seed, pickling spice, and cloves; tie it up well; this will be placed in the brine/syrup which is made by mixing together  the sugar, vinegar and salt, which is then brought to a boil, with the spice bag, and is then stirred and let to boil for about 10 minutes.  Now get all those slices into a nice big pot or bowl; remove and reserve the spice bag;  and pour the syrup/brine over the slices and again weight them down
• Day Four:  Drain the syrup/brine into a pot, add the reserved spice bag and bring to a boil; Remove and reserve the spice bag;  Pour over the slices and again weight them down;
• Day Five:  Exactly as Day Four.
• Day Six:  Again pour off the syrup/brine and bring to boil with the reserved spice bag;  While that is simmering , start packing your prepared jars—I like wide-mouth pints as I can reach into them and really pack the slices so there are fewer floaters and so it also requires less syrup/brine per jar; When you’ve got them all packed, start ladling the hot syrup/brine into each jar a bit at a time---a 2-ounce ladle is great if you’ve got one;  and wipe the rims, and
  cover with the prepared lids.   Place jars in hot canner and process for 10 minutes; 
  Then remove jars and let cool undisturbed
  Place jars in hot canner and process for 10 minutes; 
  Then remove jars and let cool undisturbed
  Next day label and store