Title: Sweet Gherkin Pickles
Categories: Pickle Canning
Yield: 6 Pints

7	lb	Cucumbers - (1-1/2 inch or less)
1/2	c	Canning or pickling salt
8	c	Sugar
6	c	Vinegar (5 percent)
3/4	ts	Turmeric
2	ts	Celery seeds
2	ts	Whole mixed pickling spice
2		Cinnamon sticks
1/2	ts	Fennel (optional)
2	ts	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.

======================================================= === * USDA Agriculture Information Bulletin No. 539 (rev. 1994) * Meal-Master format courtesy of Karen Mintzias

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