I have a very old "icicle" pickle recipe that is brined, but you need to
use alum for them to taste right.
Icicle Pickles
Yield: 16 250ml jars
3 ga Cut cucumbers (spears)
Canning salt
2 1/2 tb Alum powder
2 1/2 qt Vinegar
16 c Sugar
1/4 c Celery seed
1 pk Cinamon sticks (half them)
Cut cucumbers into spears and place into a strong salt brine. To make the
brine add canning salt to water till a raw egg floats. Put cut cukes into
brine (use plastic or ceramic pail for brine). Let stand 4 days, stirring
once each day. Drain cukes on day 5 and add boiling water to cover cukes
and let stand 1 day and drain. Add alum to boiling water and cover cukes
and let stand 1 more day. Drain cukes and prepare syrup.
Place vinegar, celery seed, sugar and cinamon sticks into a pot and bring
to boil.
Put cukes into canning jars, fill jars with hot syrup. Put lids (finger
tight) onto jars. Process jars in steamer for 15 minutes.