Old South Cucumber Lime Pickles - cooking recipe

Ingredients

7 lb. cucumbers, cut crosswise
1 c. pickling lime
2 gal. water
8 c. distilled white vinegar (5% acidity)
8 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. salt
2 tsp. mixed pickling spices

Preparation

Soak cucumbers in water and lime mixture in crockery or enamel ware for 12 hours or overnight.
Do not use aluminum ware.
Remove sliced cucumbers from lime water.
Discard lime water.
Rinse three times in fresh cold water.
Soak 3 hours in fresh ice water. Combine vinegar, sugar, salt and mixed pickling spices in a large pot.
Bring to a low boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.
Remove syrup from heat.
Add sliced cucumbers.
Soak 5 to 6 hours or overnight.
Boil slices 35 minutes.
Fill sterilized jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.
Cap each jar.
Process pints 10 minutes, quarts 15 minutes in a boiling water bath.
If pickles, jars and tops are boiling hot, they will seal without processing.