Sweet Gherkin Pickles

Sweet Gherkin Pickles

7 lbs cucumbers (1-1/2 inch or less)

1/2 cup canning or pickling salt

8 cups sugar

6 cups vinegar (5 percent)

3/4 tsp turmeric

2 tsp celery seeds

2 tsp whole mixed pickling spice

2 cinnamon sticks

1/2 tsp fennel (optional)

2 tsp vanilla (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Day 1

Wash the cucumbers and trim 1/16 of an inch off the blossom ends, but leave the stem ends intact.
Place the cucumbers in a large, heat-proof glass or ceramic bowl. Cover with boiling water, cover the bowl, and let sit for 6 to 8 hours (or overnight). 

Day 2

Drain the cucumbers and cover them with fresh boiling water. Let sit for another 6 hours.
Drain the water, sprinkle with 1/2 cup  pickling salt, and cover with fresh boiling water. Cover and let sit overnight. 

Day 3

Drain the cucumbers and prick them several times with a fork.
In a large pot, combine 3 cups of the sugar, 3 cups of the vinegar, turmeric, celery seed, pickling spices, and fennel seed. Heat to a boiling point, then pour the hot syrup over the cucumbers. Cover and let stand. 

Drain the syrup from the cucumbers back into the pot.
Add 2 more cups of sugar and 2 more cups of vinegar. Bring to a boil, pour over the cucumbers, and let stand. 

Day 5 & Canning

Drain the syrup into the pot one last time, add the remaining 3 cups of sugar, and bring to a boil.
Pack the cucumbers into hot, sterilized mason jars. Add a piece of cinnamon stick and 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract to each jar.
Pour the boiling syrup over the cucumbers, leaving 1/2 in of headspace.
Wipe rims clean, apply lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
Remove jars and let them cool completely on a towel before storing in a cool, dark place. 

*OR use this low-temperature pasteurization treatment:.

The following treatment results in a better product texture but must be carefully managed to avoid possible spoilage.

Place jars in a canner filled half way with warm (120º to 140ºF) water.

Then, add hot water to a level 1 inch above jars.

Heat the water enough to maintain 180 to 185ºF water temperature for 30 minutes.

Check with a candy or jelly thermometer to be certain that the water temperature is at least 180ºF during the entire 30 minutes. Temperatures higher than 185ºF may cause unnecessary softening of pickles.