Crispies' Pickles
Submitted by singlelady
Old-fashioned sweet crispy pickles brined for 14 days then finished in a cinnamon-clove vinegar syrup. A heritage canning recipe that rewards patience with the crunchiest, sweetest pickles you’ll ever jar.
YIELD
1 batchPREP
30 minCOOK
2 hrsREADY
15 daysThese aren’t your quick-fridge pickles. These are the real deal, the kind your grandmother made when canning season meant business.
Thinly sliced cucumbers soak in a salt brine for a full 14 days, then get an alum bath for extra crunch before being packed into jars with a sweet, spiced syrup of vinegar, sugar, cinnamon, and cloves. The syrup gets reheated and poured over the pickles for three consecutive days to build layers of flavor.
Yes, it takes nearly three weeks from start to finish. Yes, they are absolutely worth the wait.
Kitchen Tips
- Weight the pickles down with a plate and something heavy so they stay fully submerged in the brine. Exposed cucumbers get soft and slimy.
- Wash thoroughly after the alum soak. Alum firms the texture but too much residue leaves a bitter, metallic taste.
- Use a very light hand with the oil of cloves. More than ⅛ teaspoon overpowers everything and turns medicinal fast.
- Reheating the syrup daily is what builds the sweet-tart intensity and drives flavor deep into each slice.
Ingredients
Directions
Thinly slice cucumbers and soak in a salt brine of the coarse salt and warm water for 14 days.
Place a saucer over the pickles and weight down.
On the 14th day, wash the pickles 3 times in cold water.
Add the alum with enough cold water to cover; replace the saucer and weights; let stand for 1 day.
Next day, wash thoroughly and make a syrup of the remaining ingredients, being very careful to add no more than ⅛ tea- spoon oil of cloves.
Bring this syrup to a boil and pour over the pickles.
Drain the syrup off each day for 3 days; reheat and pour over the pickles.
The last day, pack the pickles in jars and heat the syrup boiling hot and add green coloring.
Seal and store.
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