Pickles

My mom has been making these for years and they are delicious!  Best served on a ham or turkey sandwich.  But really they are tasty just to nibble on too.  Pat had been interested in making his own for a while and so my Mom gave him this recipe and some pickling spices in his stocking last year. 

 

Pat got around to making them over the holidays. He was very good about flipping his pickles, turning the jar upside down each day so the spices, sugar and everthing are evenly distributed.

I usually rinse off all the spices.  Pat usually just wipes the majority off. 

Tasty!  Let me know if you want the recipe - actually I just added it below.

Nice work Pat! :)

Ingredients:
Kosher Dill Pickles

Sugar, About 2 lbs. white sugar more or less
Pickling Spice, 1 small container
Vinegar (to top)
Alum (it's sold in one of those tiny spice jars, but you don't have to use this)

Note: My mom uses a 46 fl. oz jar of kosher dills (I think Pat and I used 32 oz since we couldn't fine 46 oz)

Directions:
Slice sour pickles, cutting off and discarding ends. Let stand in ice water for 45 minutes. Pour off all ice and water. Place layers of pickles in jar (the one the pickles came in), sprinkle with sugar and spice. Continue layers of pickles, sugar, and spices until all ingredients are used. Pour vinegar over pickles and turn jar top to bottom every day for at least 8 days. The secret of the pickles is in the constant turning of the jar. After pickling, add a pinch of alum.  Add a pinch more if pickles are not crisp enough. (that's what the alum does, gives them a good crunch)

Once you open them I suggest storing in the fridge. And when they are in the pickling process, I suggest a cool, dark place. If you don't have a basement, maybe a cabinet or pantry.