Grandma Ola’s Sweet School Girl Pickles

Add the 5 pounds salt to a large pot of salted water (enough water to cover the cucumbers). Wash cucumbers and cut them into 2 inch pieces and put them in the pot of salt water (water should be salty enough to float an egg). Let cucumbers stay in the salt water for 3 weeks. Make sure they are completely covered by the water. Stir daily.

After 3 weeks you will start the daily process as follows:

DAY 1: Take them out of the salt water and slice them into smaller pieces and put them in a large, non-metal container. DO NOT RINSE. Pour clear water over the top and soak them in the water for 24 hours. You want enough water to cover cucumbers.

DAY 2: Remove them from the clear water. Dissolve the alum in water (enough to cover the pickles) in another pot and put the pickles into the alum water for 24 hours. This makes the pickles crisp. Ensure all the cucumbers are covered with alum water.

DAY 3: Put the vinegar into a large pot. Boil vinegar to a hard boil. Take cucumbers out of the alum water, but do not rinse them. Put the cucumbers into another non-metal container. Pour the hot vinegar over the cucumbers. Ensure all cucumbers are covered with the vinegar. Let them stand for 24 hours.

DAY 4: Take pickles out of the vinegar. Into another non-metal container layer sugar and cucumbers alternately until finished. Tie pickling spices into 2-3 pouches using cheesecloth or a similar cloth. Place the pouches down into the pickles. Leave the pickles in this container and use as needed. DO NOT REFRIGERATE PICKLES!