I'm not familiar with that specific recipe but in general adding sugar to a pickling recipe creates no safety issue. In some cases it actually provides a bit of added safety by binding with any free water in the mix. But primarily it acts as a flavor enhancement so can be added "to taste".

Dave

Quick 'N' Easy Garden Pickles

Servings:

Ingredients

• 8 cups sliced unpeeled cucumbers
• 2 cups sliced onions
• 1 cup julienne red bell pepper
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups Heinz® White Vinegar
• 2 teaspoons celery seed
• 2 teaspoons mustard seed

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine cucumbers, onions and red pepper. Sprinkle with salt and mix well. Let stand one hour. Drain. In a medium bowl, combine sugar, vinegar, celery seed and mustard seed; stir until sugar is dissolved. Place cucumber mixture in nonmetallic container. Pour vinegar mixture over cucumbers. Cover and chill for at least 24 hours to blend flavors. Makes about 8 cups. Note: pickles will keep in refrigerator up to six weeks. Chilling enhances the flavor and texture.

Is that the Heinz recipe Mark is talking about? No water added at all and strictly for fridge storage, not canning?

If so then I'd be tempted to add about 1/2 cup of water to the brine to cut the vinegar taste. It would still be a 3:1 ratio so safe. Or as an alternative I'd use cider vinegar as white has such a sharp taste edge.

Dave

Sorry. This is the Heinz recipe I'm using:

4 lbs pickling cukes

14 cloves garlic, peeled & split

1/4 cup salt

2 3/4 cups distilled or apple cider vinegar 5% acidity

2 3/4 cups water

12 to 14 sprigs fresh dill weed

28 peppercorns

Wash cucumbers; remove 1/16 inch from blossom end, cut in half lengthwise. Combine garlic and next 3 ingredients; heat to boiling. Remove garlic and place 4 halves into each clean jar, then pack cucumbers, adding 2 sprigs of dill and 4 peppercorns. Pour hot vinegar solution over cucumbers to within 1/2 inch of top. Immediately adjust covers as jar manufacturer directs. Process 10 minutes in BWB. Makes 6-7 pints.

Thanks Mark for posting it. Yeah that one can't be any more diluted so adding sugar is the way to go.

You might want to consider making and canning them without the added sugar and then adding it to the jar after opening. I find that works better for me than trying to add enough up front.

Problem is that as they sit on the shelf stored the flavors change compared to what you put in the jar at the beginning. Some changes are good, some bad. But by doing each jar after opened you can better get the flavor you and wife each want.

Either approach is safe, just flavor effects.

Dave

Thanks, everyone!

Just found this posting and I like the comment u made of adding sugar afterwards as I am not a sweet ish pickle fan. My query though is if u are doing a half batch do u half all the ingredients??

" if u are doing a half batch do u half all the ingredients??"

Yes you do but please be aware that it is very easy to make a mistake when cutting a recipe in half and ruin the whole batch. So it is always best to have it written out separately to read and follow.

Dave