Craven County Sweet Pickles Recipes

SWEET PICKLES

Steps:

• Slice cucumbers, by hand or (very carefully) with mandolin
• Add cucumbers and salt to bowl. Toss to coat all cucumber slices with salt.
• Cover bowl and stand on counter, or in refrigerator overnight.
• Next morning, place in bowl and rinse salt off of cucumbers. Rinse the cucumbers well or they will be salty! Allow to drain.
• In a sauce pan, add sugar, vinegar, water and spices. Bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.
• Reduce heat and high simmer or low boil, for about 30 minutes.
• Sterilize jars in canning pot.
• Remove hot jars, one at a time and drain water. Cut open black tea bag and add 1 bag per pint jar.
• Pack cucumber slices into hot jars, within a 1/2 inch of top of jar.
• Pour hot canning liquid into jar leaving ½" headspace.
• Wipe rim of jar with wet towel. Attach hot lids and tighten bands finger tight. Return to canning pot.
• Process jars for 15 minutes per pint, adjusting for altitude. Allow to rest in hot water 5 minutes after turning heat off.
• Remove jars from canning pot and let sit on counter overnight.
• Check seal in the morning, if lids flex up and down, when pressed in center, jar is not properly sealed. Store any that didn't seal in refrigerator.

SUMMERTIME SWEET PICKLES

Steps:

• In a small saucepan at medium-high heat, combine cider vinegar, salt, sugar, tumeric and mustard seed. Bring to a boil and let cook for 5 more minutes.
• Meanwhile, slice cucumbers and onion. Loosely pack the vegetables in a 1-quart canning jar or other similarly sized container. Pour hot liquid over the vegetables in the container. Refrigerate for 24 hours and enjoy! Keep refrigerated.

SWEET PICKLES FROM RIPE CUCUMBERS

Steps:

• Cut cucumbers into large strips or pieces.
• Combine salt and 8 cups of water in a large stock pot. Stir until salt dissolves.
• Add the cucumbers. Let stand at least 12 hours.
• Drain and rinse cucumbers.
• In a large pot, combine sugar, vinegar, 1½ cups water, cinnamon and cloves. Bring to a boil.
• Add drained cucumbers.Gently boil until cucumbers begin to look transparent. You may have to do this in two separate batches if your pot is too small.
• Pack into clean pint jars.Cover with the vinegar syrup.
• Top with 2 piece canning covers. Process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes.
• Remove from canner and let sit on counter overnight.
• Pickles will improve with age, so let sit at least 3 weeks before serving.