BostonRy's Sweet Hot Pickles

Growing up in the Midwest, my first introduction to sweet hot pickles was via Tony Packo's, a Hungarian hot dog joint in Toledo.  Tony Packo's Sweet Hot Pickles and Peppers are available in grocery stores around the country but sadly have not made their way to Boston.  Therefore, to satiate my sweet hot pickle cravings when my stash inevitably runs out, I decided to create my own recipe.  If you are familiar with Tony Packo's version let me warn you that this recipe packs more heat.

ingredients: 

6 lbs pickling cucumbers (sliced to about 1/4 inch)

2 large sweet onions (sliced)

1 cup of kosher salt* (I pulse this in the food processor to make it easier to dissolve)

1 gallon water

6 cups white vinegar

3 cups cider vinegar

7 cups sugar

3 TBS regular mustard seed

1 TBS hot mustard seed

8 whole cloves

1 tsp turmeric

5 TBS garlic (roughly chopped)

8 hungarian wax peppers (sliced into rings)

10 cherry peppers (sliced into rings)

pickle crisp (optional, hard to find in Metro areas)

*Really one should use Pickling Salt for this recipe but apparently very few people in the greater Boston area pickle anything because Pickling Salt has eluded me for years. Even stores that carry mason jars don't seem to have it, which I find a bit odd.  This leads me to believe they carry mason jars for jam lovers and/or hipsters (Yes, I realize I take pictures with Hipstamatic. What can I say; I like lomo, medium format photography)...anyway, back to the salt. The main concern with substitutes for Pickling Salt is that you want to use a salt that does not contain additives. Regular table salt should NOT be used for pickling as it often contains iodine and anti-caking agents amongst other additives that may discolor your food and possibly change the flavor. I've made this mistake before and it's not pretty, or tasty.

supplies: 

mason jars, lids, and rings (I used wide mouth pint jars)

1-2 large pots (better with two but you can make it work with one)

canning utensil set

preparation: 

Clean and slice the cucumbers. Slice the onions into rings. Place the cucumbers and onions in a large non-reactive bowl or pot. Add the salt and water and mix. Let stand for about 2 hours. 

Drain the cucumbers and onions in a colander and rinse with cold water for about 5 minutes. Drain well and set aside.  

Add the vinegars, sugar, mustard seeds, cloves, turmeric, garlic, and peppers to a large non-reactive pot over medium heat. Mix well until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil. Add cucumbers and onions and mix.  Return to a boil. Once boil is reached remove from heat.  

Add the pickle mixture to the already sterilized jars making sure the liquid is approximately 1/2 inch from the top of the jar. If you choose to use pickle crisp, add 1/8 tsp to each pint jar. Slide the plastic, sterilized bubble remover (or a similar implement like a small spatula) around the sides of the jar to make sure there are no trapped air bubbles.  Secure the sterilized lid and tighten the ring just to the point of resistance.

Place the jars in the hot water bath so they are covered by at least 1 inch of boiling water. Process for 15 minutes. Remove the jars from the water bath with tongs and let them cool. As the jars cool a vacuum will occur and the lid will make a popping sound.  Once the lids have popped tighten the rings.  Store in a cool dry place.  Wait 2 weeks before using to let the pickles reach a more robust and balanced flavor.

yield: 
11 pints

notes about canning:

Canning may seem overwhelming at first but it's really not all that complicated. The most important part is to make sure that your equipment is sterilized. For more information on canning visit: http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_home.html