Grand Mammy's Carolina Sharps

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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.