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| Homemade Pickles Packed Various Ways |
In the back of the children’s book Mr. Pickle Goes to Pickle Island,
I note learning activities that parents may want to do with their children
after reading the book together. One
such activity is to make pickles from fresh cucumbers themselves. I am creating this post to provide two of my
grandmother’s pickle recipes so the pickle lovers out there can re-create these
delectable food items during the summer produce season. These recipes appeared in the 1979 edition of
“A Book of Favorite Recipes” by ladies of Coppell First Assembly of God Church.
Fresh
Pack Dill Pickles Recipe
Ingredients:
7 quarts whole cucumbers, 3-5 inches
long (approximately 17-18 pounds)
2 gallons of 5% Brine (see recipe
below)
6 cups vinegar
¼ cup sugar
9 cups water
2 Tablespoons whole mixed pickling
spice, tied into small cheesecloth bag.
Add-ins
Per Jar:
Mustard seed
Garlic
Dill
Directions:
1. Wash cucumbers thoroughly. Cover with 5% Brine and let stand overnight
in ice box (aka refrigerator).
2. Next day, drain cucumbers.
3. Combine vinegar, salt, sugar, water, and pickling
spice bag in pot. Heat to boiling and
let stand while packing cucumbers into quart jars.
4. After packing in cucumbers, add 2 teaspoons mustard
seed, 1 glove garlic, and 3 heads dill to each jar
5. Cover with boiling spice liquid to about ¼ inch
of top of jar.
6. Wipe tops and seal jars.
7. Process in boiling water 20 minutes.
View Canning
Homemade No Fail Dill Pickles video on packing and boiling jars, which
starts at step 3 above. This video contains
another grandmother’s recipe, so you can use the above or use that one. You can
tell by the look of the cucumbers he already did the overnight soak and drain
in steps 1-2.
Five
Percent Brine Recipe
Ingredients:
2 gallons of water
Directions:
1. Heat water to boil. Dissolve salt in water.
2. Cool brine mixture to room temperature before
using.
Bread
and Butter Pickles Recipe
Ingredients:
25-30 medium cucumbers, sliced thin
(NOTE: Grandma said zucchini squash may be used instead of cucumbers if you like.)
8 large onions
2 large bell peppers
5 cups cider vinegar
5 cups sugar (approximately 2 ½ pounds)
2 Tablespoons mustard seed
1 teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon cloves
Directions:
1. Wash cucumbers and slice thin.
2. Chop all remaining vegetables into cucumbers and
add salt with enough cold water to cover.
3. Let stand for 3 hours and then drain well.
4. Combine vinegar, sugar, and spices in large kettle
(aka pot).
5. Bring to a boil, then add the drained vegetables
and heat thoroughly. Do not boil again.
6. Pack into hot sterilized jars.
7. Seal and place in boiling water bath for 5
minutes.
8. Remove jars and cool.
View Depression Style Bread and Butter Pickles
video on slicing and prepping the pickles a little differently from above
recipe. This video uses hot peppers and
garlic to make them spicier but it does not include measurements, however it is
very entertaining
Tracy Wainwright's writing style is easy-to-read and her storytelling is interesting. Hearing Whispers will get you personally involved with Sarah's journey. Although I will not tell you too much of the story, as it can spoil the readers fun, I can highly recommend adding this book to your reading list this summer. This book will take you through Sarah moving from bitterness to a healed soul that is open to experiencing new friendships and true love, as well as growing in a spiritual relationship with God. I give it 5 stars!
