Sweet chunk pickles

Yield: 6 Servings

Ingredients:

1/2 c Salt
1/4 c Vinegar
2 qt Water
2 Dozen 3 to 4 inch cucumbers Water
1 Stick cinnamon
1 1/2 ts Whole cloves
1 1/2 ts Mixed pickling spices
3 c Vinegar
6 c Sugar

Instructions:

Wash and dry cucumbers. Put cucumbers in a stone jar or stainless steel container. Add salt and 1/2 cup vinegar to 2 quarts water; bring to boiling; cool. Pour over cucumbers. Cover with dinner plate or glass pie plate. Fill Ball jar with water and use to hold plate under brine. Cover and let stand 2 weeks in a cool place. (If scum forms remove it each day.) Drain discarding brine and cut cucumbers into 1-inch chunks. Cover with cold water; let stand 24 hours. Rinse well and drain. Tie spices in a cheesecloth bag; add to remaining ingredients. Bring to boiling; pour over cucumbers. Let stand 24 hours. Drain reserving sirup. Heat surup to boiling and pour over pickles. Let stand 24 hours. Repeat the last step three times. Pack pickles into hot Ball jars leaving 1/4 inch head space. Remove spice bag. Bring sirup to boiling. Pour boiling hot over pickles leaving 1/4 inch head space. Adjust caps. Process pints and quarts 10 minutes in boiling water bath. Yield: About 3 pints. From: The Ball Blue Book Shared By: Pat Stockett