1 gallon large mature cucumbers
2 cups pickling lime
1 gallon water
2 cups vinegar
1 (1 oz.) bottle red food coloring

Peel and slice cucumbers into rings 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick and remove the seeds. Mix lime and water, add cucumber rings and soak for 24 hours. After soaking rinse and drain. Cover with fresh water and let stand 3 hours then drain.

Combine mixture of 2 cups vinegar, whole bottle of red food coloring and enough water to cover cucumbers. Add cucumbers to this mixture and simmer for 1 hour. Drain and discard the liquid.

SYRUP:

2 cups vinegar
2 cups hot water
10 cups sugar
1 tbsp. salt
8 whole cinnamon sticks
1 tsp. cloves
1 (6 oz.) pkg. cinnamon red hots candy

Combine all syrup ingredients, bring to a boil stirring until red hots dissolve. Pour over cucumbers in a mixing bowl. Let stand overnight.

The next day drain off the liquid to reheat and pour again over the cucumbers. Repeat this process for 3 days, reheating each time.

The third day, heat liquid and cucumber circles. Pack circles into hot jars and cover with boiling syrup leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Seal and process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Makes 6 to 8 pints.

Note: The extension service usually does not recommend the use of lime for pickles, but in this case it is used because the cucumbers are more mature than are normally pickled.

Submitted by: Teresa Abney