These traditional 14-day sweet pickles offer a superior crispness and depth of flavor that quick-pickles simply cannot match. By slowly brining the cucumbers over two weeks, you draw out excess moisture while allowing the sweet vinegar syrup to penetrate deeply. The result is a pickle that is both crunchy and tender, with a perfect harmony of sugar, vinegar, celery seed, and pickling spices. Ideal for sandwiches, charcuterie boards, or as a bright side dish to rich meals, these homemade pickles are a rewarding project for any home canner.
Day Sweet Pickles
Description
These traditional 14-day sweet pickles offer a superior crispness and depth of flavor that quick-pickles simply cannot match. By slowly brining the cucumbers over two weeks, you draw out excess moisture while allowing the sweet vinegar syrup to penetrate deeply. The result is a pickle that is both crunchy and tender, with a perfect harmony of sugar, vinegar, celery seed, and pickling spices. Ideal for sandwiches, charcuterie boards, or as a bright side dish to rich meals, these homemade pickles are a rewarding project for any home canner.Ingredients
Directions
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Wash 4 pounds of 2- to 5-inch pickling cucumbers thoroughly.
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Cut a 1/16-inch slice off the blossom end of each cucumber and discard, leaving 1/4-inch of stem attached.
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Place whole cucumbers in a suitable 1-gallon non-metal container.
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In a large pot, dissolve 1/4 cup canning or pickling salt in 2 quarts of water and bring to a boil.
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Pour the hot salt water over the cucumbers in the container.
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Place a suitable cover on the cucumbers and weigh it down to keep them submerged.
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Cover the container with a clean towel and store at a steady temperature of about 70&# 194;°F.
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On the third day, drain the salt water and discard it.
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Rinse the cucumbers and scald the cover and weight with boiling water.
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Return cucumbers to the container.
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Bring 2 quarts of fresh water and 1/4 cup salt to a boil.
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Pour this fresh brine over the cucumbers.
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Replace the cover, weight, and towel.
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On the seventh day, drain the salt water and discard it.
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Rinse cucumbers and scald the container, cover, and weight.
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Slice or strip cucumbers if desired, then return them to the container.
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Place 2 teaspoons celery seed and 2 tablespoons mixed pickling spices into a small cheesecloth bag.
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Combine 2 cups sugar and 4 cups vinegar (5 percent acidity) in a saucepan.
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Add the spice bag to the saucepan, bring to a boil, and pour the hot syrup over the cucumbers.
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Replace the cover, weight, and towel.
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On each of the next six days (days 8 through 13), drain the syrup and spice bag and save them.
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Add 1/2 cup sugar to the saved syrup each day, bring to a boil, and set aside.
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Remove cucumbers from the container and rinse them briefly.
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Scald the container, cover, and weight daily with boiling water.
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Return cucumbers to the container, pour the day's boiled syrup over them, and replace cover, weight, and towel.
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On the 14th day, drain the syrup into a saucepan.
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Add 1/2 cup sugar to the syrup and bring to a boil, then remove the spice bag.
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Fill sterile pint or quart jars with the cucumbers, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.
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Pour the hot syrup over the cucumbers in the jars, maintaining 1/2-inch headspace.
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Adjust lids and process in a boiling-water canner: Pints for 5 minutes (0-1,000 ft), 10 minutes (1,001-6,000 ft), or 15 minutes (above 6,000 ft).
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For quart jars, process for 10 minutes (0-1,000 ft), 15 minutes (1,001-6,000 ft), or 20 minutes (above 6,000 ft).
Nutrition Facts
Servings 5
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 68.1kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 0.5g1%
- Saturated Fat 0.0g0%
- Cholesterol 0.0mg0%
- Sodium 9.1mg1%
- Total Carbohydrate 16.3g6%
- Dietary Fiber 2.3g10%
- Sugars 7.7g
- Protein 3.2g7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.