Grand Mammy's Carolina Sharps
How To Make Dill Pickles

This 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.

Also check out Andra's Craven County Sweet Pickles recipe.

Grand Mammy's Carolina Sharps

Cucumbers, wash and cut into 1/2-inch slices
Water
Pickling salt
Alum*
Cider vinegar
Sugar
Pickling spices

*Alum = aluminum potassium sulfate = ammonium aluminum sulphate = potassium aluminum phosphate. Alum can be found in most grocery
 

DAY 1 - Place cucumbers into a large container and cover with boiling water and pickling salt mixture (1 1/2 cups pickling salt to 1 gallon water).

DAY 2 & 3 - Repeat the day one process by pouring off the salt water and recovering with fresh salt water.

DAY 4 - Pour off water. Cover cucumbers with fresh boiling water with alum (2 1/2 tablespoons alum to 1 gallon water).

DAY 5 & 6 - Repeat the Day four process by pouring off the alum water and recovering with fresh alum water.

DAY 7 - Pour off water. Cover with equal parts cider vinegar and water. This mixture should be boiling.

DAY 8 - Pour off vinegar solution. Pack cucumbers in jars and fill with equal parts cider vinegar and sugar. Add 1 tablespoon pickling spices and 1 extra tablespoon sugar in each jar before sealing.