Christmas Red Pickles Recipes

CHRISTMAS PICKLES

Steps:

• Drain pickles, reserving juice; set juice aside. Cut pickles into 1/2-in. slices; set aside. In a large stockpot, combine sugar, vinegar, mustard seed, cloves, peppers, garlic, cinnamon sticks and pickle juice. , Cook over medium heat sugar is dissolved, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Discard cinnamon sticks. , In a large bowl, combine cherries, onions and pickle slices. Pour liquid over pickle mixture. Stir in oil., Cover and refrigerate for 48 hours, stirring occasionally. Divide mixture among jars. Cover and store in the refrigerator up to 1 month.

CHRISTMAS RED PICKLES

Steps:

• Peel cucumbers, halve lengthwise, and scrape out the seeds with a spoon. Cut the cucumber into 1/4 inch half circles, and place into a glass or ceramic crock. Dissolve the pickling lime in about 1 quart of room temperature water, pour over the cucumbers, then add additional water until the cucumbers are covered by 1/2 inch. Let stand at room temperature 24 hours.
• Drain the cucumbers and rinse well with cold water. Place into a large stockpot, and cover with cold water. Allow to stand for 3 hours, then drain and rinse again.
• Return the cucumbers to the pot, add the food coloring, alum, 1 cup vinegar, and enough water to cover by 1/2 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to a simmer, and cook 2 hours. Once the cucumbers have cooked for 2 hours, drain and allow to cool a bit before placing into the glass or ceramic jar.
• Stir together sugar, 2 cups vinegar, 2 cups water, cinnamon red hot candies, and cinnamon sticks in a saucepan over medium heat until the sugar and candies dissolve. Pour this mixture over the warm cucumbers, cover, and let stand overnight.
• Pack pickles into pint jars, and process in a hot water bath for 15 to 20 minutes. Refrigerate any jars that do not seal.

RED-HOT CINNAMON PICKLES

Steps:

• Put cucumber spears in a large container. Stir pickling lime into 1 gallon water in a large pitcher until the lime is dissolved; pour over the cucumbers. Refrigerate for 24 hours.
• Drain cucumbers and rinse well; return to large container. Pour enough cold water over the drained cucumbers to cover. Soak at least 3 hours; drain. Transfer cucumbers to a large pot.
• Stir 1 1/4 cup vinegar and 1 1/4 cup water together in a bowl; add cinnamon red hot candies. Set aside to soak, stirring occasionally.
• Stir 1/2 cup vinegar, red food coloring, and alum together in a bowl until alum is dissolved; pour over the cucumbers. Put a lid on the pot, place the pot over medium heat, and bring the water to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 hours; drain and return cucumbers to the pot.
• Pour cinnamon candy mixture into a saucepan; add sugar and cinnamon sticks. Bring the mixture to a boil; cook and stir until the candies and sugar are dissolved completely into a syrupy liquid. Pour the liquid over the drained cucumbers. Refrigerate 8 hours to overnight.
• Drain liquid from the cucumbers into a heavy saucepan; bring to a boil and pour again over the cucumbers. Refrigerate 24 hours.
• Drain liquid again from the cucumbers into a heavy saucepan; bring to a boil and pour again over the cucumbers. Refrigerate another 24 hours.
• Heat cucumbers and syrup to a boil.
• Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack cucumbers into the hot, sterilized jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids and screw on rings. Refrigerate until chilled before serving.

GRANDMA LAVONNE'S CHRISTMAS PICKLES

Steps:

• Day 1: Wash cucumbers and place in a crock.
• Cover with boiling water 2 times a day for 2 days.
• Day 3: Rinse in warm water. Cut into 1/2 inch chunks and cover with boiling water. Add alum.
• Day 4: Drain, rinse and cover with boiling syrup: Vinegar, sugar, spices food coloring (If using red, add cinnamon sticks).
• Cover with this syrup for four days. Reboil two times a day.
• Day 8: Pack chunks into canning jars, cover with boiling syrup and seal. Pickles are ready to eat now. Extra syrup may be saved and added to another batch.

SPICY CHRISTMAS PICKLES (NO COOK)

Steps:

• Drain pickles and rinse gallon jar.
• Slice pickles into 3/4" or 1" rounds, drain again.
• Into jar layer sliced pickles, peeled garlic, and sugar; add NO liquid.
• Pour on the whole bottle of tabasco sauce, NOTE: I have used the 2oz size when I wanted a less spicy pickle and I think tabasco is the only brand of hot sauce to use in this recipe.
• Add bottle of red OR green food coloring if desired.
• Cap jar and shake.
• Store in icebox and shake it daily to mix the ingredients and dissolve the sugar.
• In about a week you will have brightly colored,spicy pickles!
• Note: as these marinate over the week they shrink, so the yield will be less than a gallon.