Amish Lime Pickle Recipe

🧂 Ingredients

• 7 pounds cucumbers

  cut into chunks
• 2 tsp pickling spice
• 1 tsp celery seed
• 2 gallons water
• 8 cups granulated sugar
• 1 drop food coloring

  optional
• 1 tbsp mixed spices or cassia buds
• 2 cups pickling lime
• 6 cups cold vinegar
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp whole cloves

Instructions

• 1 Firstly, I mix 2 gallons of water and 2 cups of pickling lime together in a
  large bowl. Then, I add 7 pounds of cucumbers, cut into manageable chunks, and
  let them soak in the lime solution, stirring occasionally, for a full 24 hours.
• 2 After 24 hours of soaking, I drain the cucumbers and give them a thorough rinse
  under cold water to remove any excess lime.
• 3 Next, I fill a large bowl with ice water and soak the cucumbers in it for 3
  hours. This helps to crisp them up and remove any remaining lime residue. After
  soaking, I drain the cucumbers once again.
• 4 In a large pot, I pour in 6 cups of cold vinegar. Then, I mix in 8 cups of
  granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons of pickling spice, 1 teaspoon of celery seed, 1
  teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of whole cloves, 1 tablespoon mixed spices and 1
  drop of food coloring if desired. I stir until all the ingredients are dissolved
  into the vinegar.
• 5 Once the vinegar mixture is ready, I add the drained cucumbers and let them sit
  in the solution for 8 hours overnight, allowing the flavors to meld together.
• 6 When ready, I bring the cucumber mixture to a boil in the pot. Once it reaches a
  boil, I remove the pot from the heat.
• 7 While the cucumber mixture is boiling, I sterilize the jars and lids by boiling
  them in water for at least 5 minutes.
• 8 Carefully, I pack the hot, sterilized jars with the cucumber mixture, filling
  them to within ¼ inch of the top. I use a clean knife or spatula to remove any
  air bubbles and wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to ensure a
  clean seal.
• 9 I top each jar with a lid and screw on the rings securely.
• 10 In a large stockpot, I place a rack in the bottom and fill it halfway with
  water. Then, I bring the water to a boil and carefully lower the filled jars
  into the boiling water using a holder, making sure there’s at least a 2-inch
  space between them. I pour in more boiling water if needed to ensure the jars
  are covered by at least 1 inch of water.
• 11 Once the water reaches a rolling boil, I cover the pot and process the jars for
  15 minutes.
• 12 After processing, I carefully remove the jars from the stockpot and place them
  onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, spaced several inches apart, until they
  are completely cool. Once cooled, I check the seals by pressing the top of each
  lid to ensure they are tight and secure.
• 13 Finally, I store the sealed jars of Amish lime pickle in a cool, dark area until
  ready to enjoy!

Nutrition Info