Charlene's Recipe

Cucumber Pickles

Category: Mountains

1/2 cup salt
24 small cucumbers
1 Tbsp turmeric
1 quart water
3 cups vinegar
2 cups white sugar
1 quart vinegar
1 cup water
1 Tbsp mustard seed
1 tsp whole cloves
1 piece ginger root
2 sticks cinnamon
2 cups light brown sugar, packed
1 tsp powdered alum

Sprinkle salt over cucumbers; mix thoroughly. Let stand 3 hours. Drain thoroughly.
Combine turmeric, vinegar and water; bring to boiling and pour over cucumbers. Let stand until cold; drain. (Taste cucumbers, if too salty, rinse thoroughly, drain.)
Add white sugar to vinegar and water. Tie spices in cheesecloth bag. Add to vinegar mixture and simmer 15 minutes; pour over cucumbers. Let stand 12-24 hours in a cool place. Remove spice bag. Drain syrup into pot. Add brown sugar and heat to boiling. Add cucumbers; simmer 10 minutes.
Pack cucumbers (hot) into sterilized jars, leaving 1/2 inch heat space. Add alum into syrup and heat to boiling. Pour syrup over cucumbers leaving 1/8 inch headspace. Adjust caps.