Sweet Fig Pickles

Sweet Fig Pickles

Ingredients

(1 servings)

4 qt Firm, ripe figs (about 30)
5 c Sugar; divided
2 qt Water
2 Sticks cinnamon
1 tb Whole allspice
1 tb Whole cloves
3 c Vinegar

Instructions

Peel figs. (If unpeeled are preferred, pour boiling water over figs and let stand until cool; drain.) Add 3 cups sugar to water and cook until sugar dissolves. Add figs and cook slowly for 30 minutes. Add 2 cups sugar and vinegar. Tie spices in a cheesecloth bag; add to figs. Cook gently until figs are clear. Cover and let stand 12-24 hours in a cool place. Remove spice bag. Bring to simmer; pack hot into hot jars, leaving 1/4″ head space. Remove air bubbles. Adjust caps. Process pints and wuarts 15 minutes in boiling water bath.
Yield: about 8 pints

Candied Cucumber Pickles

Candied Cucumber Pickles
7 pounds large, yellow cucumbers
1 cup pickling lime
1 gallon water
3 cups vinegar, divided
1 small bottle red food coloring
1 tablespoon alum
10 cups granulated sugar
8 cinnamon sticks
1 (10 ounce) package red hot candies

Peel, then de-seed the cucumbers. Using a small spoon, scoop out the seeds and discard. If necessary, cut the cucumber in half so you can reach and readily remove all the seeds. Slice the hollowed-out cucumbers into about 1/2-inch wide rings. Soak the cucumber rings in the pickling lime and water for at least 24 hours. Make sure to use a nonporous, ceramic stock pot or a 1-gallon glass jar, as the liquid will pit non-coated aluminum stockpots.

Discard the pickling lime and water mixture and soak the cucumber rings in ice water for about 3 hours.

In a small bowl, mix 1 cup of the vinegar with food coloring and alum, and add some water. Pour this mixture over the top of the cucumbers and add more water to cover. Set on the range over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and continue to simmer for about 2 hours. Pour off the liquid when cool enough to handle easily, then discard.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the remaining 2 cups vinegar, 2 cups water, sugar, cinnamon sticks and red hot candies. Bring the mixture to a hard, rolling boil for about 1 minute, making sure to stir constantly. Pour the mixture over the cooked cucumbers and let stand for 24 hours.

Pour off the liquid, but reserve and reheat it in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the liquid to the boil again. Place cucumber rings in 6 to 8 sterilized pint jars and pour the hot pickling liquid over the top of the cucumbers. Make sure to use self-sealing lids that have also been sterilized with the rings. Leave on the counter overnight to seal, then store in a dry, dark pantry. Serve straight from the pint jar.

A British Classic – Pan Yan Pickle – the Real Thing!

A British Classic – Pan Yan Pickle – the Real Thing!

4 days 15 min prep 1 lb bramley apples, peeled, cored and minced

1 lb dates, minced

1 lb sultanas, minced

3/4 pint malt vinegar

1 lb soft brown sugar

2-3 teaspoons Madras curry powder

salt and pepper

Stir all the ingedients together and leave for 24 hours.

Put in clean and sterilised jars.

Tastes better after 2 weeks storage in a cool dry place and makes about 7 x 1/2 lb jars.

Add more curry powder to taste – it’s the curry powder that makes this pickle The Real Pan Yan Pickle!

Quick Sweet Pickles

Quick Sweet Pickles

Quick Sweet Pickles 8 pounds of 3- to 4-inch pickling cucumbers 1/3 cup canning or pickling salt Crushed or cubed ice 4 1/2 cups sugar 3 1/2 cups vinegar (5% acidity) 2 teaspoons celery seed 1 tablespoon whole allspice 2 tablespoons mustard seed Yield: 7 to 9 pints Procedure: Wash cucumbers. Cut 1/16 inch off blossom end and discard. Cut cucumbers into slices or strips. Place in large bowl and sprinkle with 1/3 cup salt. Cover with 2 inches of crushed or cubed ice. Refrigerate 3 to 4 hours. Add more ice as needed. Combine sugar, vinegar, celery seed, allspice and mustard seed in 6-quart saucepot. Heat to boiling. Drain cucumbers and pack without heating into clean jars, leaving 1/2-inch head space. Fill jars to 1/2 inch from top with hot pickling liquid. Remove any air bubbles with a plastic spatula. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids. Add two slices of raw onion to each jar before filling, if desired. Process in a boiling water bath: pints for 15 minutes at 6,000 feet or below, 20 minutes above 6,000 feet; quarts for 20 minutes at 6,000 feet or below, 25 minutes above 6,000 feet. After processing and cooling, store jars four to five weeks to allow flavor to develop.

Quick Fresh-Pack Whole Dill Pickles

Quick Fresh-Pack Whole Dill Pickles
8 pounds of 3- to 5-inch pickling cucumbers
1 1/4 cups canning or pickling salt (divided)
2 gallons cold water
1 1/2 quarts vinegar (5% acidity)
1/4 cup sugar
2 quarts water
2 tablespoons whole mixed pickling spices
3 (about) tablespoons whole mustard seed (1 teaspoon per pint jar)
14 heads of fresh dill or 4 1/2 tablespoons dill seed

Yield: 7 to 9 pints or 4 quarts

Procedure: Wash cucumbers. Cut 1/16-inch slice from blossom end and discard. Leave 1/4 inch of stem attached. Dissolve 3/4 cup salt in 2 gallons water. Pour over cucumbers and let stand 12 hours. Drain. Combine vinegar, 1/2 cup salt, sugar and 2 quarts water. Add mixed pickling spices tied in a clean white cloth. Heat to boiling. Fill jars with cucumbers. Add 1 teaspoon mustard seed and 1 1/2 heads fresh dill (or 1 1/2 teaspoon dill seed) to each pint. Use twice the amount for quarts. Cover with boiling pickling solution, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids. Process in a boiling water bath: pints for 15 minutes at 6,000 feet or less, 20 minutes above 6,000 feet; quarts for 20 minutes at 6,000 feet or below, 25 minutes above 6,000 feet.

Pickled Sweet Green Tomatoes

Pickled Sweet Green Tomatoes
10 to 11 pounds of green tomatoes (16 cups sliced 1/4-inch thick)
2 cups thinly sliced onions
1/4 cup canning or pickling salt
3 cups brown sugar
4 cups vinegar (5% acidity)
1 tablespoon each mustard seed, allspice, celery seed and whole cloves

Yield: about 9 pints or 4 1/2 quarts

Procedure: Wash and slice tomatoes and onions. Place in bowl, sprinkle with 1/4 cup salt, and let stand 4 to 6 hours. Drain. Heat and stir sugar in vinegar until dissolved. Tie mustard seed, allspice, celery seed and cloves in a spice bag. Add to vinegar with tomatoes and onions. If needed, add minimum water to cover pieces. Bring to boil and simmer 30 minutes, stirring as needed to prevent burning. Tomatoes should be tender and transparent when properly cooked. Remove spice bag. Fill jars and cover with hot pickling solution, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids. Process in a boiling water bath: pints for 15 minutes at 6,000 feet or below, 20 minutes above 6,000 feet; quarts for 20 minutes at 6,000 feet or below, 25 minutes above 6,000 feet.