Ingredients
7 lbs cucumbers (1-1/2 inch or less)
1/2 cup canning or pickling salt
8 cups sugar
6 cups white vinegar (5 percent)
3/4 teaspoons turmeric
2 teaspoons celery seeds
2 teaspoons whole mixed pickling spice
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 teaspoon fennel (optional)
2 teaspoons vanilla (optional)
You will need to cut a 1/16-inch slice off the blossom end of the cucumbers and discard, but you can leave the stem end and 1/4-inch of the stem attached, or slice it off, as you prefer. Then cut the cukes into 3/16-inch slices, cross-wise.
Put cucumbers in a large bowl.
Day 1 - Place cucumbers in large container and cover with boiling water. Six to 8 hours later
Day 2 - drain and cover with 6 quarts of fresh boiling water containing 1/4-cup salt. If you do this late in the evening, then you can cover it, set on the counter and return in the morning. If it will be longer than 8 hours, let it cool to room temp, then store in the fridge.
Day 3 morning - Drain and re-fill
The next morning (or 6 to 8 hours later), drain and cover with 6 quarts of fresh boiling water containing 1/4-cup salt. If it will be sitting for longer than 8 hours, let it cool to room temp, then store in the fridge.
Day 4 morning - Drain and fork
On the third day, drain and prick cucumbers with a table fork
Combine the other ingredients in a separate pot and boil
Combine
3 cups vinegar,
3 cups sugar,
3/4 teaspoons turmeric
2 teaspoons celery seeds
2 teaspoons whole mixed pickling spice
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 teaspoon fennel (optional)
in a large pot and bring to boil
#1 Pour over cucumbers and let it rest for 6 to 8 hours, on the counter
Six to 8 hours later, drain and save the pickling syrup.
#2 Heat the drained liquid to a boil. Add another 2 cups of sugar and 2 cups of vinegar and reheat to boil.
Pour the liquid over the pickles.
Day 5 morning - Drain and save the liquid
#3 On the firth day, drain and save syrup. Add another 2 cups sugar and 1 cup vinegar. Heat to boiling and pour over pickles. Let it stand for 6 to 8 hours (yes, again!)
Day 5 afternoon -(Yep, again)
#4 Drain and save pickling syrup 6 to 8 hours later. Add 1 cup sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla and heat to boiling.
Day 6 Fill the jars (FINALLY!)
Fill sterile pint jars, with pickles and cover with hot syrup, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. (Note: the photo shows large pickles, not gherkins - just to illustrate filling)
https://pickyourown.org/sweet_pickled_gherkins_recipe.php
