I'm In A Pickle.....And Loving It!

 

Homemade Sweet and Spicy Gherkins

 

I started bottling sweet and spicy gherkins in 2007, and it has been something that I have looked forward to every year since then.  We had quite a number of gherkins from the garden this year, so today I spent a good part of the day in my last step by step processing for the gherkins.  I have about 5 or 6 bottles now and that will do us well for the winter.  We won't be seeing any more gherkins from the garden until next summer now,but it has been great fun bottling them.  I have a recipe for bottling them which I found on the Internet several years back and it has seved us well.  I thought I would re-post the details from 2007 for those of you who will soon be in summer.  We are in autumn presently here in New Zealand.  So if you love sweet and spicy gherkins, get your garden plots ready to plant your gherkins.  The recipe for bottling them is very straightforward and you will be surprised how easy it is if you have never canned in your life.  Anyway here is my post again fro 2007 below.

 

Enjoy your Sweet and Spicies!

 

Patricia

 

 

 

Three months or so ago, while visiting with my wonderful In-Laws, my husband's father was kind enough to give us a nice bag full of gherkins from his lavish garden. My antennas went up and all that I could envision was making some Sweet Gherkin Pickles from our prized gift. The only thing was.... that although I have been in plenty of pickles of my own in my life....I had never made any for eating. Now I must admit I am a great lover of recipes from the Internet, many of which have become household favorites. So off to the computer I fled to find a recipe for making my pickles. I came across the following recipe from a wonderful website called Recipe Source and did not have to look any further as it appeared that this recipe presented itself as being very straightforward, and in fact the pickles were extremely easy to make, and no fuss. I guess it must have been in April or May that I had made them, but decided to let them soak in all the lovely juices for a couple of months before tempting to try them. Well today was the day for the unveiling. I was so pleased with the outcome that I just had to share this recipe today. The pickles were crisp and crunchy and ever so sweet with a very spicy flavoring. The pickling spices certainly do the trick and this is one recipe that I will be making again and again. Have a go with it if you enjoy pickles.....very straightforward and luscious to boot!

Note: This recipe can be found at the Recipe Source.Com website below and is adapted for MasterCook.

For more information about the MasterCook Software visit the link above.

SWEET GHERKIN PICKLES

Recipe Source.Com

Serving Size : 6

Ingredients:

7 lbs Cucumbers (1-1/2 inch or less)

1/2 c Canning or pickling salt

8 c Sugar

6 c Vinegar (5 percent)

3/4 tsp Turmeric

2 tsp Celery seeds

2 tsp Whole mixed pickling spice

2 Cinnamon sticks

1/2 tsp Fennel (optional)

2 tsp Vanilla (optional)

Yield: 6 to 7 pints

Procedure:

Wash cucumbers. Cut 1/16-inch slice off blossom end and discard, but leave 1/4-inch of stem attached.

Place cucumbers in large container and cover with boiling water.

Six to 8 hours later, and on the second day, drain and cover with 6 quarts of fresh boiling water containing 1/4-cup salt.

On the third day, drain and prick cucumbers with a table fork.

Combine and bring to boil 3 cups vinegar, 3 cups sugar, turmeric, and spices. Pour over cucumbers.

Six to 8 hours later, drain and save the pickling syrup. Add another 2 cups each of sugar and vinegar and reheat to boil. Pour over pickles. On the fourth day, drain and save syrup. Add another 2 cups sugar and 1 cup vinegar. Heat to boiling and pour over pickles. Drain and save pickling syrup 6 to 8 hours later. Add 1 cup sugar and 2 tsp vanilla and heat to boiling. Fill sterile pint jars, with pickles and cover with hot syrup, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. For more information on sterilizing jars see “Jars and Lids”. Adjust lids and process according to the recommendations in Table 1, or use the low-temperature pasteurization treatment.

(For more information see “Low-Temperature Pasteurization Treatment”.)
Table 1. Recommended process time for Sweet Gherkin Pickles in a boiling-water canner. Style of Pack: Raw. Jar Size: Pints. Process Time at Altitudes of 0 - 1,000 ft: 5 min. 1,001 - 6,000 ft: 10 min. Above 6,000 ft: 15 min.

This recipe can also be found at Recipe Source.Com right HERE.