Pretty soon you should be able to catch Kirby pickling cucumbers at local farmers markets such as the North Tonawanda Farmers Market (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday) and the Elmwood-Bidwell Farmers Market (Saturday). Pick them up and make these delicious pickles.
Seven-day sweet pickles
Ingredients:
7 pounds medium-sized, non-waxy cucumbers, preferably Kirby cucumbers
8 cups granulated white sugar
2 Tbsp. pickling, Sea or Kosher salt (it should be a large grained salt if not using pickling salt)
boiling water, as needed
2 Tbsp. mixed pickling spices
1 quart apple cider vinegar
Directions:
Day 1: wash the cucumbers but DO NOT PEEL; put them WHOLE in a large dishpan or crock, at least one gallon in size (I used the removable crock from my 6 quart crockpot) and cover them completely (about an inch above the cucumbers) with boiling water. Let stand for 24 hours.
Day 2: drain the cucumers, then cover them again with fresh boiling water.
Day 3 AND 4: repeat process from Day 2
Day 5: drain the pickles, then cut them into 1/4-inch slices.
Combine the vinegar, sugar and pickling spices in a large pot and bring to a boil. Turn off heat, let stand for about 10 minutes, until pot can be handled. CAREFULLY pour the hot liquid over the sliced cucumbers in the crock.
Day 6: drain the syrup into a saucepan, bring to a boil and CAREFULLY pour over the pickles once again.
Day 7: Repeat the process, then spoon the pickles and syrup into hot sterilized jars and seal; process by water bath method. If you do not have a canner, simply put in airtight freezer-safe containers, label and freeze for up to 6 months (you can even push it to 9 months).
Yield: about 7 pints
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