Klondike Pickles
Grandma Van’s Klondike Pickles
Recipe
Makes approximately 4.5L sweet yellow pickles in sauce
Ingredients
12 large cucumbers
6 large onions, diced
2 cups white vinegar
2 cups sugar
4 tsp flour
3 tsp salt
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp mustard powder
Tools
Canning pot and rack
10 x 1/2L jars OR 4 x 1L jars, plus lids and labels.
Vegetable peeler
Cutting board
Knife
Spoon
Wooden spoon
Tongs to lift the jars out of hot water
3 dishtowels
Funnel
Ladle
Butter knife
Instructions
Arrange jars upright on the rack in the canning pot, making sure that the jars do not directly touch the bottom of the pot. Fill the pot with hot water, making sure that there’s at least 1 inch of water covering the jars. Bring to a boil and then turn off the stove. Leave the jars submerged until you need them.
Peel the cucumbers and halve them lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds. Dice somewhat coarsely.
Combine the vinegar, sugar, flour, salt, turmeric, and mustard in a stockpot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then add the cucumbers and onions and cover. Stir occasionally until the liquid covers the vegetables, approximately 10 minutes. Boil for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stack the 2 dishtowels on the counter. With the tongs, carefully lift the jars out of the canning pot, and discard the water inside the jars. Place the empty jars on top of the dishtowels.
With the funnel, ladle pickles into the jars so that there is 1/2 inch gap at the top. Gently stir the pickles with the butter knife to remove any air bubbles. With a clean cloth, wipe any spills from the edge of the jar. Rinse a lid in hot water and then close the lid. Do not over-tighten the ring; you want it firmly closed but not tight.
With the tongs, submerge the full jars upright in the canning pot. Top up the water so that there is at least 1 inch of water over the tops. Bring to a boil. Boil for 15 minutes.
Cover the counter with the 2 dishtowel, one on top of the other. With the tongs, remove the jars from the canning pot and place them upright on the stacked dishcloths. Let them cool on the counter for 24 hours, then check the lids are depressed (indicating a proper seal). Partially-filled jars and jars that didn’t seal properly should be refrigerated and eaten promptly.
Label your preserves.
Notes
“A favorite with all.” -Grandma Van
Spoils easily, so smaller jars are preferred.
Between chopping 6 onions and boiling vinegar, you’ll want good ventilation in the kitchen while you’re cooking.
I kept unused jars in the canning pot all the way through Step 6 so the preserves would remain upright in the pot.
