Ina'S 11 Day Pickles - cooking recipe

Ingredients

8 lb. cucumbers
1 1/4 c. pickling salt
4 1/2 pt. vinegar
3 Tbsp. alum
7 lb. sugar
1 large stick cinnamon
1 heaping Tbsp. whole cloves

Preparation

Soak whole cucumbers in salt brine in crock (1 1/4 cups salt and cold water to cover). Let stand 3 days. On days 4 to 6, rinse daily with clear water. On the seventh day, cut in very thin slices and boil in a solution of 5 cups water, 3 tablespoons alum and 2 1/2 cups vinegar. Drain and cover with hot spiced vinegar made as follows: 3 pints vinegar and 7 pounds sugar and tie cinnamon and cloves in cheesecloth bag. Drop in solution. On days 8 to 10, reheat vinegar and pour over pickles. On eleventh day, seal in jars, covering with hot spiced vinegar. Makes 10 to 12 pints.