Sweet Pickles Quick Process Pickle Mix

Sweet quick-process pickle seasoning with clove and cinnamon notes.

Sweet pickle seasoning

This dry mix seasons the sweet cucumber pickle recipe. Clove and cinnamon give it a warm flavor, while the remaining herbs and spices round out the brine. The pouch is combined with vinegar and other recipe ingredients, so it is not a ready-to-pour liquid. Keep the ingredients and instructions together as you work.

Match the format to the batch

The 5.3-ounce packet is the quick-process version, sized for the larger recipe printed for this flavor. A separate refrigerator mix may have a similar name but uses a different preparation and storage method. Check that the pouch says Quick Process before setting out cucumbers and jars. The stated yield is useful when deciding how much produce and canning space to prepare.

Prepare before mixing

Read the recipe through and gather the cucumbers, vinegar, sugar, water and jars it calls for. The quick-process directions specify how the cucumbers are cut and how the hot liquid is prepared. Keep this flavor separate from dill and spicy mixes if making more than one batch. A labeled pan or work area helps prevent the wrong brine from going into a jar.

Use the recipe as written

Follow the full package instructions for ingredient amounts, headspace, jar handling and processing. Do not use this seasoning as a substitute for a tested relish recipe or adjust acidity by taste. If preserving the pickles for pantry storage, use the stated water-bath method and altitude adjustment. Let finished jars cool as directed, check the seals and store them according to the recipe.

A practical fit

Sweet pickles are often served cold as a side or added to sandwiches for a crisp, sweet note. Once the batch is made, chill the jar before serving if the recipe calls for it. Labeling the flavor and date is handy when several pickle styles share the same shelf. Keep any opened seasoning dry and use it according to its label.

For the pantry

The clove and cinnamon character pairs naturally with a cold plate or sandwich. Keep this sweet version labeled so it does not get mistaken for the similarly named refrigerator mix.

SWEET PICKLES Makes 7 Quarts

Makes 7 Quarts

YOU WILL NEED

• 9-11 lbs of pickling cucumbers (about 50–3 to 4 inches)
• 4 ⅔ cups Mrs. Wages® White Distilled Vinegar (5% acidity)
• 2 cups water
• 7 cups sugar
• 1 pouch Mrs. Wages® Sweet Pickles Mix

DIRECTIONS

PREPARE & PROCESS home canning jars and lids according to manufacturer’s instructions for sterilized jars. Keep jars hot.

WASH cucumbers and drain. Cut a 1/16-inch slice off blossom end and discard. Cut cucumbers into thin slices. WHOLE CUCUMBERS NOT RECOMMENDED.

COMBINE Mrs. Wages® White Distilled Vinegar, water, sugar and Mrs. Wages® Sweet Pickles Mix into a large non-reactive saucepan. Do not use aluminum. Bring mixture just to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture dissolves. Remove from heat.

PACK cucumbers into sterilized hot jars, leaving ½-inch headspace. Evenly divide hot pickling liquid among the packed jars, leaving ½-inch headspace. Unused brine may be stored in a non-reactive container up to 1 week in refrigerator. Remove air bubbles, wipe rim and cap each jar as it is filled. If more liquid is needed for proper headspace, add a mix of 1 part hot vinegar and 2 parts hot water.

PROCESS pints 10 minutes**, quarts 15 minutes**, in a boiling water bath canner. Turn off heat, carefully remove canner lid, and let jars stand for 5 minutes in canner. Remove jars. Let jars sit undisturbed to cool at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours. Test jars for airtight seals according to manufacturer’s directions. If jars do not completely seal, refrigerate and consume within 1 week.

Product is ready to eat after 24 hours. Before serving, chill to enhance flavor and crispness. Store properly processed shelf-stable product in a cool place, and use within 1 year.

**Processing time listed is for altitudes less than 1000 feet. At Altitudes of 1000 feet or more, increase processing time 1 minute for each 1000 feet of altitude.