Eight-Day Icicle Pickles

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Description

When I was in Grade 3, my teacher had our class make these…my mom copied the recipe, and I have hung on to it ever since!

Ingredients

  • 10 pounds cucumbers with peel – ends trimmed, halved, seeded, and cut into chunks
  • 2 cups pickling salt
  • 16 cups water
  • 16 cups water
  • 1 ½ teaspoons alum
  • 16 cups water
  • 16 cups water
  • 12 cups white sugar
  • 2 tablespoons pickling spice
  • 6 cups white vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon green food coloring
  • 16 cups water
  • 8 1-quart canning jars with lids and rings

Instructions

  1. Day 1: Place the cucumbers into a large (10-quart) jar or pickle crock. Stir the pickling salt and 16 cups of water (or as needed to cover the cucumbers) into a large pot
  2. and bring to a boil over medium heat
  3. stirring until the salt is dissolved. Pour the boiling salt mixture over the cucumbers
  4. and cover the crock with a cover or dinner plate.
  5. Days 2 and 3: Stir the pickles and brine once each day. Cover the crock each time.
  6. Day 4: Pour off the brine. Bring 16 more cups of water to a boil
  7. and pour the boiling water over the pickles. Cover.
  8. Day 5: Pour off the water from the pickles again
  9. and bring alum and 16 cups of water to a boil. Stir until the alum is completely dissolved. Pour the boiling water-alum mixture over the pickles. Cover.
  10. Day 6: In a large pot
  11. boil 16 more cups of water with the sugar
  12. pickling spice
  13. vinegar
  14. and food coloring. Pour the water-alum mixture from the pickles and discard
  15. and pour the boiling sugar mixture over the pickles. Cover.
  16. Day 7: Pour off the syrup from the pickles
  17. but retain the syrup. Transfer the syrup into a large pot
  18. bring to a boil again
  19. and pour over the pickles. Cover.
  20. Day 8: Pour off and retain the syrup again
  21. and transfer into a large pot. Reboil the syrup over medium heat. Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack the pickles into the hot
  22. sterilized jars
  23. and pour the boiling syrup in
  24. filling the jars to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids
  25. and screw on rings.
  26. Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil over high heat
  27. then carefully lower the jars into the pot using a holder. Leave a 2 inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary until the water level is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a full boil
  28. cover the pot
  29. and process for 15 minutes.
  30. Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface
  31. several inches apart
  32. until cool. Once cool
  33. press the top of each lid with a finger
  34. ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Store in a cool
  35. dark area.

Prep Time: 3 hrs

Cook Time: 1 hr

Total Time: 1 week

Servings: 128

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