The Mountain Laurel
The Journal of Mountain Life

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Pickle Recipes

By Susan M. Thigpen © 1990

Issue: August, 1990

August is the month that your garden is about to play out and you've already canned and frozen about all you will need. But the garden is still producing, so you have to get a little more creative about what to do with what's left.

Below are a few recipes for pickles and such. They are all tried and true and will taste great when the garden is long gone and winter has set in.

Squash Relish
(By this time of year, you can't even find people who will take squash.)

6 large squash
4 medium onions
2 medium sweet peppers
1/4 cup salt
2 1/4 cups sugar
2 1/4 cups vinegar
2 teaspoons celery seeds
1 teaspoons turmeric

Do not peel squash, chop squash, onions, and green pepper. Add 1/4 cup salt, cover with cold water. Let stand for one hour, use ice to keep cool. Combine sugar, vinegar, celery seed and turmeric. Boil ingredients for three minutes, stirring occasionally, then add drained squash mixture. Simmer for three more minutes. Pack in hot water bath. Makes about 4 or 5 pints, double if you want more.

Onion Pickles

3 cups vinegar
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup salt
Boil these four ingredients for 5 minutes.

Add whole cukes until hot. Pack in jars, add slice of onion and fill jar with liquid. Seal.

Dill Pickles

Put all in jars:
1 head fresh dill
2 cloves garlic
1 pinch fresh red pepper
1/4 teaspoon alum
Whole small or sliced larger cucumbers

Bring to a boil:
2 quarts water
1 quart vinegar
1 cup non-iodized salt

Pour liquid into jars, over cucumbers, etc. Seal.

Old Time Sweet Pickles

1 gallon cukes
1 quart vinegar
2 Tablespoons salt
3 cups sugar
1 Tablespoon turmeric
1 Tablespoon ginger
1 Tablespoon celery seed
1 Teaspoon ground mustard

Slice cukes. Put salt in vinegar and pour over cukes. Let stand 3 hours. Pour off vinegar in kettle, put in spices, cukes and sugar. Let boil. Put in jars and can.