# Cinnamon pickles-allum?



## PrettyPaisley (May 18, 2007)

I am trying to recreate the pickles my mom used to make and have found a couple of recipes online. One of them calls for allum and I don't know what it is or if it's really necessary. 

The pickles I'm trying to make are very crunchy and sweet and very cinnamon-y. Do you think I could leave the allum out and be okay, or do you think I would need it? 

http://www.sbcanning.com/2012/07/paulas-red-hot-cinnamon-cucumber-pickles.html


(This one doesn't call for allum but a couple others do.)


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## kentuckyhippie (May 29, 2004)

alum was used to make the pickles stay crispy. its available either in the spice section or the canning section of stores. I don't use it because there has been some concern about it not being a healthy thing. I substitute a young grape leaf in each jar. the tannin in the leaf keeps the pickles crisp. just put a leaf in each jar with the pickles and fill with the pickling liquid and proceed as usual. also the quicker you can get the pickles from the vine to the jar the crisper they will stay. after they have been picked for a while and then canned they will sometimes go soft.


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## wannabechef (Nov 20, 2012)

Use calcium chloride (pickle crisp)


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## PrettyPaisley (May 18, 2007)

Where do I get a young grape leaf? I have a muscadine vine beside the barn; we don't really care for them so I usually let the birds have them all. Would that work?


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## GrannyG (Mar 26, 2005)

Had to go find my old recipe...yep, alum...always used it...always had good pickles

CINNAMON RED HOT CUCUMBER PICKLES 
7 lbs. large cucumbers 
1 cup lime 
1 cup vinegar 
Red food coloring 
1 TBSP Alum 
2 cups vinegar 
10 cups sugar 
8 cinnamon sticks 
1 small package of Red Hots (Brach's Imperials are best) 
Peel, seed, and slice cucumbers. Soak in 1 cup lime and 1 gallon water for 24 hours.Drain well and wash several times with clear water. Wash, soak, covered with ice water for 3 hours.Drain. 
Mix 1 cup vinegar, 
1 bottle red food coloring, 
alum, and water to cover. 
Pour over the cucumbers and simmer for 2 hours.Pour off. 
Bring to a boil, 2 cups vinegar, 2 cups water, 10 cups sugar, cinnamon sticks, and red hots. Pour over cucumbers and let stand 24 hours. Pour off syrup and bring to a boil, pour over cucumbers in jars and seal. 
I waterbath mine.This recipe is great for those big cucumbers that you can't do anything else with. They are pretty in rings, or they can be made into spears. I do mine in big crocks. I have been lucky to find old crocks around here at auctions. At Christmas, cut material into circles, pink the edges, put on jar with ring, tie ribbons on bottle.Makes nice gifts.


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## PrettyPaisley (May 18, 2007)

So GrannyG, your recipe doesn't call for reheating the syrup and letting the cucumbers stand for 3 days? I can't find that recipe ... the one where it takes 3 days to can these suckers!


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## whitewolf (Nov 9, 2003)

Mine is the same as GrannyGs except:
After I make syrup for pickles, I pour over cucumbers and let set for 24 hrs. Drain, reheat syrup and pour back over cucumbers. Day 4, do the same. Day 5 I heat and can.


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## Speckledpup (Dec 3, 2004)

This is the recipe I use and everyone that has tried them come back for 2nds and 3rds and 4ths. I love that they are crisp and have a strong cinnamon flavor. 




GrannyG said:


> Had to go find my old recipe...yep, alum...always used it...always had good pickles
> 
> CINNAMON RED HOT CUCUMBER PICKLES
> 7 lbs. large cucumbers
> ...


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