John 19:40 Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.

Mark 16:1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.

Pickling season is here …. all we need now is cucumbers!

And it won’t be long before our vines are bursting with the delightful fruit.

Did you know that a cucumber is consider a fruit?  Why, you ask? Because fruits have seeds whereas vegetables do not.

Some other fruits that are commonly mistaken for vegetables are tomatoes, squash, peppers and corn.  I know, right, corn, can you believe it?

Carrots, potatoes, broccoli and beets, among others, would fall into the vegetable category.

Anyway, back to the sweet pickles.

Here’s what you will need

Sterile jars

Lids and Bands

1 to 1 1/2 gallons pickling cucumbers, depending on the size of the cucumbers

Sterile crock jar or sterile plastic bucket.  I use a plastic bucket

Water

Alum

Canning Salt

Pickling Spice

Wash cucumbers thoroughly and place in crock or bucket.

Bring 1 gallon of water and 2 cups canning salt to a boil and pour over cucumbers

Cover with a dish towel and let set 4 days (96 hours)

After 96 hours, drain and rinse cucumbers.

NOTE:  You can rinse out your bucket but DO NOT wash it!

Place cucumbers back into the bucket

Bring 1 gallon of water and 1 tablespoon alum to a boil and pour over cucumbers

Cover with a dish towel, let set for 2 days (48 hours)

After 48 hours, drain and rinse cucumbers

Place cucumbers back into the bucket

Repeat the water and alum mixture

Cover with a dish towel, let set for 2 days (48 hours)

After 48 hours, drain and rinse cucumbers

At this point you can cut any larger cucumbers into chunks

Pack cucumbers into sterile jars

Place 1 teaspoon pickling spice into each jar on top of cucumbers, set aside

In a large stock pot bring 1 quart distilled vinegar and 2 cups sugar to a boil

Also, prepare lids by placing them in a small sauce pan of boiling water

Ladle mixture over cucumbers leaving 1 inch head space.

Using a dampened wash cloth, clean around tops of jars to remove any residue.

Place a heated lid on each jar and secure with band and wait for the popping (sealing) to begin

That’s it, your all done.

Any jars that don’t seal just place them in the refrigerator and eat within 2 to 3 weeks

TIP:  If you don’t want your bucket stolen and used by certain people who might steal buckets for their own use, we won’t mention any names, make sure to write FOOD USE ONLY FOR SWEET PICKLES in permanent maker on the side of the bucket.

NOTE:  More pics to come!