Craven County Sweet Pickles, Sweet Pickle Recipe

Craven County Sweet Pickles

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.

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.

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). Pour cider vinegar and spices 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.

Yield: 35 pounds of cucumbers yielded approximately 18 quarts of sweet pickles.

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.