eight-day icicle pickles

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 10 pounds cucumbers with peel - ends trimmed, halved, seeded, and cut into chunks
• 2 cups pickling salt
• 16 cups water
• 16 cups water
• 1 1/2 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

Recipe

Cook Time: 1 hr

Ready Time: 5 hrs


• 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, and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the salt is dissolved. pour the boiling salt mixture over the cucumbers, and cover the crock with a cover or dinner plate.
• days 2 and 3: stir the pickles and brine once each day. cover the crock each time.
• day 4: pour off the brine. bring 16 more cups of water to a boil, and pour the boiling water over the pickles. cover.
• day 5: pour off the water from the pickles again, 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.
• day 6: in a large pot, boil 16 more cups of water with the sugar, pickling spice, vinegar, and food coloring. pour the water-alum mixture from the pickles and discard, and pour the boiling sugar mixture over the pickles. cover.
• day 7: pour off the syrup from the pickles, but retain the syrup. transfer the syrup into a large pot, bring to a boil again, and pour over the pickles. cover.
• day 8: pour off and retain the syrup again, 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, sterilized jars, and pour the boiling syrup in, 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 . wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. top with lids, and screw on rings.
• place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. bring to a boil over high heat, 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, cover the pot, and process for 15 minutes.
• remove the jars from the stockpot and place a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). store in a cool, dark area.