Open and pour all the dill pickle juice out of the gallon jar. Squeeze each pickle gently to remove as much brine as possible, and place them in a bowl to be rinsed and dried.
Measure and save the dill pickle juice to pour around acid-loving plants like Azaleas. Write down the amount of juice you poured off the pickles. Wash the gallon jar, and save it for another use.
Wash and allow to dry 6-7 pint canning jars or 3 wide-mouthed quart jars. You want to sterilize them just as you would for canning anything. Use new caps and good rings.
Measure the amount of apple-cider vinegar based on the amount you removed from the dill pickles and add it to a large enough non-reactive pot. Stainless steel works best for me. You can use enamel if you have it.
Add twice as much sugar as you needed of the apple cider vinegar and 2 heaping Tbsp. of whole dried allspice berries.
Bring to a boil and stir to dissolve the sugar.
While your vinegar is heating, cut up your whole dill pickles any way you like. We like them in 1 inch rounds or cut the pickle longways into fourths to make sticks. Feel free to cut them any way you like.
Pat them dry on paper towels and pack them into your jars. Do not pack tight. You can add some onion if you like. Pickled onion is a delicious addition, but not required.
When your vinegar is boiling, carefully pour it over the cut pickles in the jars and put the lids and rings on securely. Turn each jar upside down and leave them right there on the counter top overnight. I usually place them on a clean towel in a plastic dishpan, just in case of a leak. But I've never had a leak, so I'm not sure why I keep doing it. Sure as the world, if I didn't do it, I'd have heavy sugar juice all over the counter top. Murphy's Law.
The following day, drain all the juice out of each jar back into a pot leaving the pickles in the jars. Bring the sweet brine to a boil again, and again pour over the pickles. Add the lids and rings, turn them upside down, and leave overnight.
The following day, repeat Day 2's actions. Leave the jars of pickles upright until they are cool, then refrigerate. They'll be ready to eat in 7 days. You will never want any other sweet pickle.
I make up extra brine of apple-cider vinegar with sugar and whole allspice and keep it in quart jars in a cabinet to use to pickle good vidalia onions, canned beets, canned green or wax beans, carrots, bell peppers, or even a mixture of vegetables. Keep in the fridge for a week before serving. They make a wonderful addition to any meal.
Source: My dear precious friend Miss Etta who befriended us while we were in Michigan. She made these pickles every year just before their 4th of July celebration's picnic. She'd give them away to all of us when we went home from her party. That lady was one of the most wonderful people I've ever met, in more ways than I can tell you.
By Julia from Boca Raton, FL
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
Does any one know the recipe for tongue pickles (my gram called them)? I have also heard them called sweet cucumber pickles. These pickles are made from over ripe cucumbers, you scoop the seeds out let them set over night in salt water. I have moved and lost my pickle recipes and my cucumbers are all coming fast.
By Tina Louise Labor from South Ryegate, VT
My Mom makes bread and butter sweet pickles with the over ripe cucumbers. It has onions and sugar and a bunck of spices you could probably do an internet search for it.
"Balls" has an envelop pkg for bread & butter (sweet) pickles that is very simple; can be refrigerated or canned. I have used t he sweet pickle bread & butter recipe from the Ball Blue Book of canning which is simple also.
"Balls" has an envelop pkg for bread & butter (sweet) pickles that is very simple; can be refrigerated or canned. I have used t he sweet pickle bread & butter recipe from the Ball Blue Book of canning which is simple also. I will post recipe tomorrow night for you. Check back late Saturday to be sure.
I use to make ripe cucumber pickles, but I can't find my recipe. Go to the recipe zaar type in ripe cucumber pickles and I think you will find a recipe. Good luck.
I am looking for a recipe for sweet pickles that uses Splenda and no sugar. There is a commercial brand of pickles called Mt. Olive. One of their lines of pickles is sugar-free pickles (using Splenda) and they are really good.
Try these FREEZER bread and butter pickles
5 c. thinly sliced cukes(peel on) approx. 3 large
2 tbsp pickling salt.
Stir salt and cucumber slices together and let stand for at least 2 hours or overnight(I found overnight was better)
NOTE: FOR PEOPLE WHO DO NOT NEED TO USE SWEETNER, REPLACE IT WITH SAME AMOUNT OF WHITE SUGAR(INSTANT DISSOLVING IF U CAN FIND IT)
I buy cheap whole kosher pickles, then drain all the juices. I cut the pickles into chunks, put back into jar and then add a sweetner and let the pickles soak in the refrigerator for a few days. I shake the jar every day during this time. The amount of sweetner depends on how sweet you want the pickles. We like our pickles sweet so I use generic Equal and usually add about 10 packets to a medium size jar of kosher pickles. You can also add some raw onions, but I have never tried this. I have also read that you can buy the pickles you like but save the juice and then add kosher pickles. I have never tried this.
Drain 1 jar of regular dill pickles. Add the following in layers back to the jar: 1/4 of the pickles, 1/2 cup splenda, 1 clove miced garlic, 1-2 drops of tabasco. When you get to the top, add more splenda to bring it all the way up, close it and put it in the fridge. Shake it and flip it once a day. They should be done in 3-4 days for slices, 5-6 for baby dills and spears.
I am looking for sweet pickle recipes.
By Ruthann
I don't know if you want refrigerator pickle recipes or canning recipes but here are a couple tried & true ones that I make:
Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles
3 c. vinegar
4 c. sugar
1/4 c. canning salt
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. celery salt
1 tsp. mustard seed
1 tsp. pickling spice
1 tsp. alum
Cucumbers
Onions
Fill a gallon jar ¾ full of the onions and cucumbers.
Bring rest of ingredients for syrup to a boil and pour over veggies.
Let cool and refrigerate. Keep in refrigerator; they will keep a long time.
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Lime Sweet Pickles
7 lb (2 gallons) cucumbers, sliced 1/4" thick
2 cups hydrated lime
2 gallons cold water
Syrup:
5 lbs sugar
3 pints vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 tsp celery seed
1 T. salt
1 T. mixed pickling spices
Mix pickle ingredients together.
Soak for 24 hours.
Wash in clean water.
Let set 4 hours in clean water.
Mix ingredients for syrup.
Bring to a boil and pour over pickles.
Let stand over night.
Next day, bring all to a boil and simmer 30 - 35 minutes.
Add green food coloring and put in jars and seal.
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These are so easy and are really good!
Making Sweet Pickles From a Jar of Dills
Drain 1 gallon of whole dill pickles; slice fairly thick.
Put in large bowl and pour 8 cups sugar over pickle slices.
Cover and let set overnight (will make juice).
Stir several times.
Pour slices and juice back in jar. Refrigerate.