Sweet Gherkin Pickles

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