Hot-sweet Cucumber Lime Pickles - 3 Day

Total Time: 3 hrs Preparation Time: 2 hrs Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• 1 gallon water
• 7 1/2 lbs sliced cucumbers
• 1 cup pickling lime
• 2 quarts vinegar (distilled) or 2 quarts apple cider vinegar (5% acidity)
• 4 1/2 lbs granulated sugar (9 cups)
• 3/8 ounce pickling spices
• 1 tablespoon salt (not iodized)

Recipe

• 1 day 1: soak cucumbers in soaking solution of lime and water for 24 hours, making sure all cucumber slices are covered.
• 2 place a plate on top and weight it with a heavy, clean object, such as a gallon of water.
• 3 day 2: remove cucumbers, wash well until water runs clear.
• 4 soak in clear water for 3 hours.
• 5 drain cucumbers and wash again.
• 6 place cucumbers in the pickling solution and leave overnight.
• 7 day 3: after soaking cucumbers in the pickling solution overnight, pour the pickling solution (reserving the cucumbers) into a very large pot.
• 8 bring to a boil.
• 9 add cucumbers and bring to a boil again.
• 10 boil 35 minutes.
• 11 seal in hot, sterilized, pint or quart canning jars.
• 12 let jars cool and dry.
• 13 label and store.
• 14 chill before serving.
• 15 house specialty appetizers: serve chilled, drained pickles slices in a small bowl.
• 16 surround with bowls of thinly sliced summer sausage, crackers, and thinly sliced cheeses (cheddar, swiss, havarti, etc).
• 17 to assemble, place summer sausage, pickle slice, and cheese on top of each cracker.
• 18 enjoy!