Christmas Pickles

Title:
Christmas Pickles

Yield:
8 Servings

Categories:
Holidays,
Pickles




Ingredients:




------------------------------SOAKING
SOLUTION------------------------------


     9    Large cucumbers; (8 to 10)


     2 c  Pickling lime


     2 ga Water





------------------------------BOILING
SOLUTION------------------------------


     1 c  Vinegar


     1    Bottle Red Food Coloring


          (Shilling's is prettiest)


     1 tb Alum



-----------------------------------SYRUP-----------------------------------


     2 c  Vinegar


    10 c  Sugar; (5 pounds)


     2 c  Water


    14 oz Red hots; (12-14 oz.)


     8    Cinnamon sticks; l per jar


     2 ts Salt


     8 pt Canning jars





 1. Peel and remove seeds from 8 to 10 large cucumbers. Seeds can be removed


 with an apple corer. Slice into 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide rings. Soak overnight


 in lime and water in a porcelain container (use non-aluminum).


 


 2. Wash, drain; soak in clear water and covered with ice cubes for 3 hours.


 Drain. 3. Put in large pot. Cover with water and other ingredients for the


 boiling solution. Boil for 1 hour; then drain. 4. Make syrup and bring to


 boil to dissolve sugar. Use one cinnamon stick for each jar you think you


 will have. Pour syrup over cucumbers and let stand overnight. 5. Drain


 syrup from cucumbers into separate pan and bring to a boil. Pour back over


 cucumbers. After cool, cover with Saran wrap. 6. Repeat step 5 for 3 days.


 7. On the fourth morning, heat syrup again. While heating, pack cucumbers


 in sterilized pint jars (larger jars can be used) with cinnamon stick. Pour


 heated juice into jars to fill up almost to top. If you don't have enough,


 make more juice of water and red food coloring. Seal jars. Putting in water


 bath is optional.


 


 From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini