Christmas Red Pickles

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 7 pounds large cucumbers
• 1 cup pickling lime (calcium hydroxide)
• 2 teaspoons red food coloring
• 1 teaspoon powdered alum
• 1 cup distilled white vinegar
• 7 cups white sugar
• 2 cups distilled white vinegar
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup cinnamon red hot candies
• 4 cinnamon sticks

Recipe

Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs 25 mins

Ready Time: 15 hrs 5 mins


• peel cucumbers, halve lengthwise, and scrape out the seeds with a spoon. cut the cucumber into 1/4 inch half circles, and place into a glass or ceramic crock. dissolve the pickling lime in about 1 quart of room temperature water, pour over the cucumbers, then add additional water until the cucumbers are covered by 1/2 inch. let stand at room temperature 24 hours.
• drain the cucumbers and rinse well with cold water. place into a large stockpot, and cover with cold water. allow to stand for 3 hours, then drain and rinse again.
• return the cucumbers to the pot, add the food coloring, alum, 1 cup vinegar, and enough water to cover by 1/2 inch. bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to a simmer, and cook 2 hours. once the cucumbers have cooked for 2 hours, drain and allow to cool a bit before placing into the glass or ceramic jar.
• stir together sugar, 2 cups vinegar, 2 cups water, cinnamon red hot candies, and cinnamon sticks in a saucepan over medium heat until the sugar and candies dissolve. pour this mixture over the warm cucumbers, cover, and let stand overnight.
• pack pickles into pint jars, and process in a hot water bath for 15 to 20 minutes. refrigerate any jars that do not seal.