CRISP CUCUMBER PICKLES

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups pickling lime
Water (as directed)
7 pounds large cucumbers, peeled, seeded and sliced into long strips
4 ounces alum
2 quarts white vinegar
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons whole pickling spice
5 pounds sugar

Preparation

Day 1 – Combine pickling lime with 2 gallons of water and stir to dissolve. Start soaking cucumbers in lime water in a large non-reactive dishpan at 7 p.m. and soak for 24 hours.
Day 2 – Combine alum with 2 gallons of water and stir to dissolve. At 7 p.m. remove cucumbers from lime water and rinse. Soak for 12 hours in alum water in dish pan.
Day 3 – At 7 a.m., remove cucumbers from alum water and soak in clear water for 6 hours.
Combine 1 quart water with vinegar, salt, spice and sugar to make syrup. Drain cucumbers well and cover with syrup; let stand for 4 hours.
Bring pickles and syrup to a boil in a large pot and cook until pickles are transparent, about 30 minutes. Pack into jars while hot and seal.