8-10 cucumbers (5" - 8 " long)
2 c. canning salt
1 gallon water
4 c. apple cider (red) vinegar
8 c. water
2 tbsp. powdered alum
5 c. white vinegar
8 c. sugar, total
1 tbsp. mixed pickling spice

Wash cucumbers and place whole in a stone crock or churn. Make a brine, using 2 cups canning salt and 1 gallon of water. Bring to a boil and pour over cucumbers. Make sure the cucumbers stay under the brine. You can do this by putting a plate or sauce on top of cucumbers and weighing down with a jar filled with water. Leave cucumbers in brine 3 days. On the 4th day drain off brine and cover with fresh water. Also do this on 5th and 6th day. On the 7th day drain; slice cucumbers and put back in crock. Make a mixture of 4 cups apple cider (red) vinegar, 8 cups water and 2 tablespoons powdered alum. Bring to a boil and pour over cucumbers. Also leave this on the 8th day. On 9th day drain off above mixture and throw away. Make new mixture of 4 cups white vinegar, 7 cups sugar and 1 tablespoon mixed pickling spice. Heat to boiling point and pour over cucumbers.

On 10th day, drain mixture off cucumbers into a 5 quart saucepan, add 1 cup white vinegar and 1 cup sugar. Boil and pour back over cucumbers. On 11th day, drain mixture off into saucepan. Bring to a hard boil. Pack cucumbers in hot canning jars. Fill jars to within 1/8" from top with hot mixture. Seal jars at once with hot canning lids and screw on bands. Yield: about 6 pints.

You can double this recipe to yield larger quantities, but I believe the secret to its success for making a good firm pickle is making them in small quantities.