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 Andra
Cook of Raleigh,
North Carolina
Andra's Notes:
I used 35 pounds of fresh pickling cucumbers and yielded 18 quarts of sweet pickles.
Cucumbers were anywhere from 4 to 6 inches long (good size for these
pickles).
This method of
making pickles keeps the sugar on the cucumbers and
the sugar does not settle to the bottom of the jars. When you apply the sugar to the
cucumbers at this stage, there will begin to form a syrup (the sugar will "draw
out" the vinegar and become very sweet and sticky). You now have pickles. It is very
important that the syrup covers the pickles in the jar (those that are not covered will
not be crisp - although they are still good, but just not crisp).
Hot
Water Bath Processing
- This is not necessary with cucumbers. Your
processes of salt/water, alum/water, and vinegar (all of which are
boiling when poured onto the cucumbers) have "cooked" them already. You
do not have the problems that you do with tomatoes and string beans
which have to be processed in a hot water bath in order for the jars to
seal. These jars are not sealed, although some lids may stick to the top
of the jar.
Also
check out Andra's wonderful
Grand Mammy's Carolina Sharps
pickle recipe.
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This
fantastic sweet pickle recipe was shared with me
by my friend, Andra Cook of Raleigh, North Carolina. The recipe also appears in our
cookbook called
What's Cooking America
which was co-authored by Andra.
The Craven County Sweet Pickle
recipes has
become a very popular recipe with cooks coming to my web site. Since I get many questions
on this recipe, Andra has graciously updated and added some comments on making these
wonderful sweet pickles.
Craven County Sweet Pickles
Fresh pickling cucumbers (approximately 4 to 6 inches
long), washed and cut into 1/4-inch slices*
Water
Pickling salt
Alum**
Cider vinegar
Pickling spices***
Sugar
*Use a mandoline slicer for a consistent 1/4-inch slice.
Also much faster than using a knife.
**Alum = aluminum
potassium sulfate = ammonium aluminum sulphate = potassium aluminum
phosphate. Alum can be found in most grocery stores in the spice aisle.
This powder is what gives pickles their crunch!
***Pickling spices are
usually found where herbs, spices, salt, and pepper are found in your
local grocery store.
DAY 1:
- Place sliced cucumbers
in a large container and cover with boiling water.
DAY 2:
- Drain off water
and cover with fresh boiling water and pickling salt mixture
(Pickling salt mixture = 1 1/2 cups pickling salt to 1 gallon boiling
water).
DAY 3:
- Drain off water
and cover with boiling water and alum mixture
(Alum mixture = 2 1/2
tablespoons alum to 1 gallon boiling water).
DAY 4:
- Drain off alum
water; discard. Boil together enough cider vinegar and pickling spices to cover cucumber slices
(1 gallon cider vinegar and 3 tablespoons pickling spices wrapped in
cheese cloth).
- After boiling together the cider
vinegar and pickling spices, I dispose of the spice sack. I do not
put the spices into my pickles. I am sure it would be okay if you
did but I do not like having the spices in my pickles.
- Pour cider vinegar over cucumbers.
DAY 5, 6 & 7:
- Let stand either covered or uncovered.
DAY 8:
-
 Take cucumbers
out of cider vinegar; discard cider vinegar. When ready to put into jars,
mix 5
cups of cucumbers and two cups of sugar in a bowl
(you want to thoroughly
cover the cucumbers as you would if you were flouring a piece of chicken to deep fry).
Pack into jars.
When I pack the jars - I put maybe
a dozen slices of pickles then a 1/4 cup of sugar sprinkled around
on the slices...then another dozen or so pickles slices and another
1/4 cup of sugar until you have filled up the jar. You will end up
with about one (1) cup of sugar per quart jar.
As the
sugar dissolves it "pulls out" the vinegar from the pickles and
makes a sweet light syrup. When the sugar has dissolved if you do
not have syrup high enough in the jar to cover all of the pickles
just add more sugar. I like to let my pickles age for a week and
then refrigerate...they are fantastic cold.
NOTE: The
sugar sometimes does just sit on the bottom. I turn my jars upside
down from time to time so the sugar will travel from the bottom to
the top (which is now in the lower position). As you do this, the
sugar will dissolve and draw the vinegar out of the pickles and make
a syrup that will cover them. I turn the jars until the sugar has
completely dissolved. It may takes a few turns; however, you can
also hold the jar in your hand and turn it back and forth to speed
up the process.
Yield: 35 pounds of cucumbers yielded
approximately 18 quarts of sweet pickles.
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Question:
I just picked cucumbers from my S.
Florida garden and only have 10 pounds. If you cut the Craven
County. Pickle recipe down, do you still use the same amount of
alum/salt/vinegar? Thanks, can't wait to make the pickles.
Answer:
When I make this recipe, I use a one
(1) gallon container to measure the water for boiling water. As long
as you have the one (1) gallon of boiling water and the proper
measure of either salt or alum then you should be okay. You can
gauge how much to make by when you have made enough to cover the
cucumbers. So if you make a smaller batch you simply have to make
fewer gallons of mixtures. As far as the vinegar goes you would use
the same as with covering with the water bath.
Question:
I am in the process of making
the Craven County Sweet Pickles. I was wondering if you
could make these pickles using zucchini and some onions, or
does this only work with cucumbers?
Answer:
Thanks for your question.
I have only used cucumbers to make these pickles. The
resulting pickle is very sweet but you could certainly
try them using zucchini and onions. My other recipe,
Grand Mammy's Carolina
Sharps,
is less sweet and more tart - don't know if it would be
better. I just don't know if the zucchini would hold up
in the processing.
Question:
I used your recipe for Craven County
Sweet Pickles and put them in jars today. I am wondering about the
sealing process. No hot water bath? How do these pickles keep in the
pantry with out sealing with hot water?
Answer:
Thanks for your question about the
sweet pickles. The pickles will be fine for an indefinite period of time
in the pantry. When you process the cucumbers in the salt/boiling water,
alum/boiling water, and vinegar liquids the cucumbers are preserved in
such a way that they will keep in the vinegar/sugar liquid that forms
and covers them. Cucumbers do not have the same properties as tomatoes
and green beans so bacteria does not grow after the processing. You
should make sure the pickles are covered with the vinegar/sugar liquid
or your top cucumbers will turn darker. They are still edible but just
not as good as the ones in the liquid.
Question:
I'm in the midst of
making sweet pickles using your Craven County Sweet Pickles recipe (day
5!). When you coat the cucumbers with the sugar and put them in the
jars, the recipe indicates they will form a syrup. What happens if the
liquid does not cover the cucumbers - should you add water or some of
the vinegar/pickling spice mixture??
Answer:
I have had this happen before - if you
add more sugar you will get more syrup out of the cucumbers. You
would not add vinegar because it would be too strong (not sweet) and
water would make them soggy. I turn the jars up side down so that
the cucumbers get covered with the syrup. If you still don't get
enough syrup to cover the pickles they will still be good just not
as sweet and crisp. (I use those pickles in my potato salad.)
Question:
I have three (3) questions about the sweet
pickles:
(1) Do you have to refrigerate the
cucumbers during the 5 day process
(2) Do you forcibly fill the jars to
remove all air space so the jar is closer to being vacuum
sealed.
(3) Do you refrigerate them or just set
them on the shelf.
Answer:
The cucumbers do not have to
be refrigerated during the five (5) day process. You want
the ingredients to be at room temperature and the water you
pour over them to be at the boiling point when you are
processing.
When you have finished with
these steps i.e., boiling water, salt, alum and vinegar,
etc., you will be on the last day of the processing. Then
simply put the pickles into the jar and put sugar over them.
The sugar will "draw out" a syrup (meaning the combination
of the sugar and the vinegar that is in the pickles already
will form a liquid syrup) which should cover the pickles. If
by chance you do not have enough syrup to cover the top
pickles add more sugar. After the syrup has formed you put a
lid with rim on the jars and put them on the shelf.
You do not have to do the
water bath with these pickles. The processing preserves the
cucumbers and they do not need to be stored in the
refrigerator until they are opened to use. They taste much
better for everyday use if they are cold.
Hope this helps. Good luck!
Enjoy!!!!!
Question:
Could you tell me how long the pickles
should stay in the jars before they are best to eat?
Answer:
Thanks for your inquiry
about the sweet pickles. You can eat them immediately
but are much better if they are allowed to sit in the
syrup for a week or so. I prefer my pickles cold -
straight from the refrigerator. They are a better taste
and texture I think.
Question:
Once we're done, How
long will the pickles last in the pantry? We made 10
Quarts and they are so good! We're going to make
more!!
Answer:
You can leave the
pickles in a cool, dark place for many years. I
am sure you will eat them faster than that but
they should be okay for sometime.
Question:
I
can pickles every year and sometimes some of
the jars are very cloudy and some are very
clear. Do you know why some get cloudy and
what I can do so they are not cloudy? Thank
you for your help.
Answer:
I have had this
happen also. It could be from the type of salt
used during pickling. If you use any other kind
of salt ~ table salt, etc., instead of pickling
salt you will end up with a cloudy liquid. It
could also be the particular type of pickling
salt used. I did not notice any difference in
the taste of my pickles and hope the same goes
for yours. Hope this has helped in some way.
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