SWEET GHERKINS RECIPES

Steps:

• Wash cucumbers, blossom, ends removed. Use the littlest ones you can find!
• FIRST DAY:
• In the afternoon, place cucumbers in large bowl and cover with boiling water; let stand 6 hours or overnight.
• SECOND DAY:.
• In the morning, drain cucumbers and cover with fresh boiling water. Let stand 6 hours.
• In the afternoon, drain cucumbers; add salt; cover with fresh boiling water.
• THIRD DAY:.
• In the morning, drain cucumbers; prick with fork. Combine 3 cups of the sugar, 3 cups of the vinegar, herbs, and spices (except vanilla extract) in a pan. Heat to the boiling point and pour over cucumbers.
• In the afternoon, drain syrup mixture into a large pan; add 2 cups of the sugar and 2 more cups of the vinegar. Heat to boiling and pour over cucumbers. Cover and let stand.
• FOURTH DAY:.
• In the morning, drain syrup mixture into a large pan; add 2 cups of the sugar and 1 cup of the vinegar. Heat to boiling and pour over pickles.
• In the afternoon, prepare jars. Drain syrup mixture off pickles into large pan; add remaining 1 cup of sugar and the vanilla extract (if using) to syrup; heat to boiling. Pack pickles into clean, hot jars. cover with hot syrup leaving 1/2 inch head space; seal. Process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Steps:

• 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.
• On the second day, drain and cover with 6 quarts of fresh boiling water containing 1/4-cup salt.
• 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 pickling syrup and reheat to boil. Pour over pickles.
• On the fourth day, drain and save syrup. Add another 2 cups sugar and 1 cup vinegar. Heat to boiling and pour over pickles. DRAIN AND SAVE pickling syrup 6 to 8 hours later.
• Add 1 cup sugar and 2 tsp vanilla to the pickling syrup and heat to boiling.
• Fill 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 link provided above).