Delicious homemade pickles that are worth the seven-day wait.
Seven-Day Pickles
These pickles are perfect for adding a tangy crunch to your meals. These pickles take a week to prepare, but the result is a tangy and delicious side that can be enjoyed with any meal. The recipe is from the Fountain Avenue Kitchen, where they believe in the power of homemade pickles.
Ingredients
- 4 pounds of small cucumbers
- Water to cover
- 1 quart white vinegar
- 8 cups sugar (don’t worry, this is just for the brining liquid; you don’t eat it all!)
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons mixed pickle spices (wrap in cheese cloth for easy removal)
Directions
- Wash the cucumbers, drain well, and place them in a large, non-reactive bowl (this means ceramic, enamel or glass as opposed to metal). Pour boiling water over the cucumbers to cover. Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours. (Placing a dinner plate on top will help keep the cucumbers fully submerged.) The next day, drain and rinse the cucumbers. Place the cucumbers back in the bowl, and repeat this step each day for the first 4 days.
- On the fifth day, drain and rinse the cucumbers, and then cut into approximately 1/4-inch coins. (Adjust thickness according to your preference; see notes.) Put them back into the bowl.
- In a large pot (still on the fifth day), combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, and the wrapped spices. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then carefully pour over the cut cucumbers.
- Let stand for 24 more hours. On the sixth day, drain the syrup and bring it to a boil. Pour over the cucumbers.
- On the last day, drain the syrup again and bring to a boil. Add the cucumber slices and bring to the boiling point.
- Pack into clean canning jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Discard the bundle of spices. Process the jars for 10 minutes or store in the refrigerator.
- When slicing the cucumbers into coins, make sure to cut off and discard approximately 1/8-inch of the blossom end. It contains an enzyme that can cause the pickles to soften over time if not removed.