Cucumber Chips

24 cucumbers
1/2 cup salt
1 Tbps. turmeric
3 cups vinegar
1 qt. water
2 cups sugar
2 sticks cinnamon
1 piece ginger root
1 Tbsp. mustard seed
1 tsp. whole cloves
1 qt. vinegar
1 cup water
2 cups brown sugar

Note: Cucumbers should be 4 or 5 inches long and should be thinly sliced.

Sprinkle salt over cucumber slices; mix thoroughly. Let stand 3 hours; drain thoroughly. Combine turmeric, 3 cups vinegar and 1 quart water; bring to boiling and pour over cucumbers. Let stand until cold; drain.

Taste cucumbers: if too salty, rinse thoroughly and drain. Add sugar to 1 quart vinegar and 1 cup water. Tie spices in a cheesecloth bag. Add to vinegar mixture and simmer 15 minutes: pour over cucumbers. Let stand 12 to 24 hours in a cool place. Remove spice bag. Drain syrup into kettle: add brown sugar and heat to boiling.

Pack hot cucumber chips into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Heat syrup to boiling. Pour hot syrup over cucumbers, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Remove air bubbles. Adjust caps. Process 10 minutes in boiling water bath. Yield: about 3 pints.

4 lbs. pickling cucumbers (3 to 4 inches long)
1 qt. distilled white vinegar
3 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. mustard seed
1/4 cup cane or beet sugar
3-1/3 cups distilled white vinegar
5-3/4 cups cane or beet sugar
2-1/2 tsp. celery seed
1 Tbsp. whole allspice

Wash cucumbers thoroughly, scrubbing with a small vegetable brush; cut into 1/4 inch slices; do not peel. Mix with 1 quart vinegar, 3 tablespoons salt, mustard seed and 1/4 cup sugar in large saucepan; simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Drain; discard liquid.

Place cucumber slices into hot sterilized jars. Meanwhile heat 3-1/3 cups vinegar, 5-3/4 cups sugar, celery seed and allspice together; stir until sugar is dissolved, then allow mixture to reach boiling point. Allow to simmer, while filling jars to within 1/8 inch from top. Be sure vinegar solution covers vegetables. Seal each jar at once. Makes 5 pints.