Recycled Pickle: The Best Sandwich Pickle Ever!

This is our family’s favorite pickle for sandwiches and hamburgers, and it’s easy to make.

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The recipe came from my mother, Betty Herbert. It is a “sweet-sour” pickle that’s reminiscent of a bread-and-butter pickle but tangier. Since it’s made from store-bought pickle instead of fresh cucumbers, you can make it any time of year. My son always requests it when he comes home to visit.

1 quart Heinz kosher dills (I’ve used the Mt. Olive brand too)
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons pickling spice **
1/4 teaspoon alum

Drain the dill pickles and discard juice; slice no thicker than 1/4″ (your preferred thickness for sandwich pickles) and put in a non-metallic bowl. Add other ingredients (see ** below). The vinegar and sugar combine to make a brine that almost covers the pickle. Stir well and let stand overnight (no need to refrigerate), covered with wax paper or plastic wrap. Stir occasionally to ensure all the pickles get exposed to the brine. Return to pickle bottles or jars of your choice and keep refrigerated. It keeps in the refrigerator for a long time.

** I tie the pickling spice into a piece of cheesecloth or old nylon so I don’t get all those peppercorns and pieces of spices when I’m dipping pickle out of the jar.