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>>>I’m looking for the old-fashioned churn salt-brine pickles recipe, i think it included alum...<<<

That would be the fermented pickles...

You can use Alum or Pickling Lime, they are to make them crisper. I had always used Alum, but it is not as easy to find here locally, so I tried the lime last year with very good results.

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Ingredients
Vegetables

Cucumbers. Select a variety of unwaxed cucumbers intended for pickling. Do not expect good quality pickles if you use immature table-type or “slicing” cucumbers. Use 1½ inch cucumbers for gherkins; 4 inch for dills. Odd-shaped and more mature cucumbers should be used for relishes and bread-and-butter style pickles. For optimum quality, pickle the cucumbers within 24 hours after picking. If you can’t do this, at least refrigerate or spread out the produce where it will be well ventilated and remain cool. Wash the cucumbers thoroughly, especially around the stem area to remove soil containing bacteria. Remove the blossom end to prevent softening by enzymes. Do not use produce that contains mold. Proper processing will destroy the organism but not the off-flavors which may have been produced. Other vegetables and fruits used in pickle products should be fresh and of a good quality.

Dill. Use clean, fresh, insect-free heads of dill. Avoid overmature, dry, brown dill. Frozen dill may be used if stored in airtight containers, but flavor loss or change may occur.

Vinegar

For those products requiring added vinegar, check the label to be sure the vinegar contains 4 to 6 percent acetic acid; 40 to 60 grain acetic acid on the label means the same thing. DO NOT USE homemade vinegar or barrel vinegar of unknown acidity. Cider vinegar or white distilled vinegar may be used in pickle methods. Cider vinegar has a more mellow taste, but may discolor certain vegetables. White distilled vinegar has a sharper taste; it is not imitation or synthetic vinegar. Use white vinegar where a light color is important. DO NOT dilute the vinegar unless the procedure specifies. DO NOT use less vinegar per quantity of cucumbers than is stated. Doing this will change the preservative effect.

Salt

Use special canning salt which does not contain any iodine and anticaking agents that sometimes cause darkening and cloudiness in pickles. Again, this is a critical ingredient for fermented products because it inhibits the growth of undesirable bacteria. DO NOT USE LESS SALT OR MORE WATER THAN THE PROCEDURE REQUIRES.

Water

Use soft water if possible. Extremely hard water can cause discoloration of pickles, particularly if it has a high iron content. Some types of hard water may be somewhat softened by the following method. Boil water for 15 minutes, skim off the scum, and let the water rest 24 hours. When the sediment has settled to the bottom, pour off the water from the top and use.

Sugar

White or brown sugar may be used. Brown sugar may darken the liquid slightly. If you plan to use a non-nutritive, saccharin-type sweetener, follow the instructions that accompany these products.

Spices

Use fresh spices for the best flavor in pickle products. Store leftover spices in airtight containers and in a cool place.

Firming Agents

Alum may be safely used to firm fermented pickles. However, it is unnecessary and is not included in this publication. The calcium in lime also improves pickle firmness. Food-grade lime may be used as a lime-water solution for soaking fresh cucumbers 12 to 24 hours before pickling them. However, excess lime neutralizes or removes acidity and so must be washed out to make safe pickles. Drain the lime-water solution, rinse and then re-soak the cucumbers in fresh water for 1 hour. Repeat the rinsing and soaking steps two more times.
Equipment Needed

For Measuring

Measuring cups and spoon. You will need household scales if ingredients are specified by weight.

For Fermentation

Suitable containers, covers, and weights: A 1-gallon container is needed for each 5 pounds of fresh vegetables. Therefore, a 5-gallon stone crock is of ideal size for fermenting about 25 pounds of fresh cabbage or cucumbers. Food-grade plastic and glass containers are excellent substitutes for stone crocks. Other 1- to 3-gallon non-food-grade plastic containers may be used if lined inside with a clean food-grade plastic bag. Caution: Be certain that foods contact only food-grade plastics. Do not use garbage bags or trash liners. Fermenting sauerkraut in quart and ½-gallon Mason jars is an acceptable practice, but may result in more spoilage losses.

Cabbage and cucumbers must be kept 1 to 2 inches under brine while fermenting. After adding prepared vegetables and brine, insert a suitably sized dinner plate or glass pie plate inside the fermentation container. The plate must be slightly smaller than the container opening, yet large enough to cover most of the shredded cabbage or cucumbers. To keep the plate under the brine, place 2 to 3 sealed quart jars filled with water on the plate. Covering the container opening with a clean, heavy bath towel helps to prevent contamination from insects and molds while the vegetables are fermenting. Fine quality fermented vegetables are also obtained when the plate is weighted down with a very large clean, plastic bag filled with 3 quarts of water containing 4½ tablespoons of salt. The bag should be properly sealed. Freezer bags sold for packaging turkeys are suitable for use with 5-gallon containers.

The fermentation container, plate, and jars must be washed in hot sudsy water, and rinsed well with very hot water before use.

For Heating Pickling Liquids

Use unchipped enamelware, stainless steel, aluminum, or glass pans for heating pickling liquids. DO NOT use copper, iron, or galvanized utensils. These metals may react with acids or salts and cause undesirable colors and flavors, or even form toxic compounds in the pickle mixture.

For Packing the Pickles

Use standard canning jars free of chips, cracks, or nicks which could prevent an airtight seal. Wide-mouth jars are easiest for dill pickles. Other types of jars are not heat tempered and often break during heat processing. Have the jars clean and hot when packing them prior to heat processing. Thoroughly wash, scald, and keep the jars hot; or if you have a dishwasher, put the jars through the complete cycle. Two-piece, self-sealing lids are the most widely used type of sealing device. The lids can be used only once.

For Processing the Pickles

Heat process all pickle products in a boiling water bath to destroy yeast, molds, and bacteria that cause product spoilage and to inactivate enzymes that may affect color, flavor, and texture of the pickle product. Heat processing pickles also ensures a good seal on the jar. Any large pan that allows jars standing on a rack to be covered by 1-2 inches of boiling water may be used as a water bath canner.

Other Equipment

This may include measuring spoons, measuring cups, knives, jar lifters, tongs for handling the hot lids and bands, a ladle, a colander, a funnel with a large opening, potholders or mitts, and wooden boards or folded newspapers on which to place hot jars.

USDA Methods

These methods are based on research sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and conducted at the Extension Service Center for Excellence in Home Food Preservation, Pennsylvania State University. Generally, these differ from previous USDA and current Minnesota methods in the following ways:

1. Increased processing times adjusted for altitude to ensure adequate heat treatment. Only processing times for the maximum Minnesota altitude (2,000 ft.) are given in this publication. If your location altitude is below 1,000 ft., you may deduct 5 minutes from the recommended processing time.

Note: If you move to another state, be sure to check with the local cooperative extension office for the correct processing recommendations.

2. Option of using lime as a firming agent followed by three rinsing and soaking treatments.

Selection of Fresh Cucumbers

Quantity: An average of 14 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 9 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. A bushel weighs 48 pounds and yields 16 to 24 quarts—an average of 2 pounds per quart.

Quality: Select firm cucumbers of the appropriate size: about 1½ inches for gherkins and 4 inches for dills. Use odd-shaped and more mature cucumbers for relishes and bread-and-butter style pickles.

Low-Temperature Pasteurization Treatment

Caution: Use only when method indicates. The following treatment results in a better product texture but must be carefully managed to avoid possible spoilage. Place jars in a canner filled halfway with warm (120° to 140° F) water. Then, add hot water to a level 1 inch above jars. Heat the water enough to maintain 180° to 185° F water temperature for 30 minutes. Check with a candy or jelly thermometer to be certain that the water temperature is at least 180° F during the entire 30 minutes. Temperatures higher than 185° F may cause unnecessary softening of pickles.

Dill Pickles

Use the following quantities for each gallon capacity of your container.

4 lbs. of 4-inch pickling cucumbers
2 Tbsp. dill seed or 4 to 5 heads fresh or dry dill weed
½ cup salt
¼ cup vinegar (5%)
8 cups water and one or more of the following ingredients:
2 cloves garlic (optional)
2 dried red peppers (optional)
2 tsp. whole mixed pickling spices (optional)

Procedure: Wash cucumbers. Cut 1/16-inch slice off blossom end and discard. Leave ¼ inch of stem attached. Place half of dill and spices on bottom of a clean, suitable container. Add cucumbers, remaining dill, and spices. Dissolve salt in vinegar and water and pour over cucumbers. Add suitable cover and weight. Store where temperature is between 70° and 75° F for about 3 to 4 weeks while fermenting. Temperatures of 55° to 65° F are acceptable, but the fermentation will take 5 to 6 weeks. Avoid temperatures above 80° F, or pickles will become too soft during fermentation. Fermenting pickles cure slowly. Check the container several times a week and promptly remove surface scum or mold. Caution: If the pickles become soft, slimy, or develop a disagreeable odor, discard them. Fully fermented pickles may be stored in their original containers for about 4 to 6 months, provided they are refrigerated and surface scum and molds are removed regularly. Canning fully fermented pickles is a better way to store them. To can them, pour the brine into a pan, heat slowly to a boil, and simmer 5 minutes. Filter brine through paper coffee filters to reduce cloudiness, if desired. Fill jar with pickles and hot brine, leaving a ½-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process as below, or use the low-temperature pasteurization treatment described previously.

Recommended Process
(Dill Pickles)

Boiling Water Bath
Pints 15 minutes
Quarts 20 minutes
Refrigerator Dills, Whole Pack

6 lbs. of 3- to 4-inch pickling cucumbers
18 to 24 large heads of fresh dill weed or ¾ cup dill seeds
1½ gals. water
¾ cup canning or pickling salt
2 to 3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
6 Tbsp. mixed pickling spices

Yield: About 4 to 5 quarts

Procedure: Wash cucumbers. Cut 1/16-inch slice from blossom end and discard. Leave ¼ inch of stem attached. Place cucumbers in a suitable 3-gallon container. Add dill. Combine water, salt, garlic, and pickling spices. Bring to a boil. Cool and pour over cucumbers in container. Add a suitable cover and weight. Keep at room temperature for 1 week. Then fill jars with pickles and brine. Seal and store in a refrigerator. Pickles may be eaten after 3 days and should be consumed within 2 months.

Sweet Gherkin Pickles

7 lbs. cucumbers (1½ inch or less)
½ cup canning or pickling salt
8 cups sugar
6 cups vinegar (5%)
¾ tsp. turmeric
2 tsp. celery seeds
2 tsp. whole mixed pickling spice
2 cinnamon sticks
½ tsp. fennel (optional)
2 tsp. vanilla (optional)

Yield: 6 to 7 pints

Procedure: Wash cucumbers. Cut 1/16-inch slice off blossom end and discard, but leave ¼ inch of stem attached. Place cucumbers in large container and cover with boiling water. Six to 8 hours later, and on the second day, drain and cover with fresh boiling water.

On the third day, drain and prick cucumbers with a table fork. Combine and bring to boil 3 cups vinegar, 3 cups sugar, turmeric, and spices. Pour over cucumbers. Six to 8 hours later, drain and save the pickling syrup. Add another 2 cups each of sugar and vinegar and reheat to boil. Pour over pickles.

On the fourth day, drain and save syrup. Add another 2 cups sugar and 1 cup vinegar. Heat to boil and pour over pickles. Drain and save pickling syrup 6 to 8 hours later. Add 1 cup sugar and 2 tsp. vanilla and heat to boil. Fill sterile pint jars* with pickles and cover with hot syrup, leaving a ½-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process as below, or use the low-temperature pasteurization treatment described previously.

*To sterilize empty jars, put them right side up on the rack in a boiling water canner. Fill the canner and jars with hot (not boiling) water to 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Boil 11 minutes. Remove and drain hot sterilized jars one at a time.

Recommended Process
(Sweet Gherkin Pickles)

Boiling Water Bath
Pints 10 minutes

14-Day Sweet Pickles

Can be canned whole, in strips, or in slices.

4 lbs. of 2- to 5-inch pickling cucumbers (if packed whole, use cucumbers of uniform size)
¾ cup canning or pickling salt (separated into ¼ cups, one for each of the 1st, 3rd, and 5th days)
2 tsp. celery seed
2 Tbsp. mixed pickling spices
5½ cups sugar
4 cups vinegar (5%)

Yield: About 5 to 9 pints

Procedure: Wash cucumbers. Cut 1/16-inch slice off blossom end and discard, but leave ¼ inch of stem attached. Place whole cucumbers in suitable 1-gallon container. Add ¼ cup salt to 2 quarts water and bring to a boil. Pour over cucumbers. Add suitable cover and weight. Place clean towel over container and keep the temperature at about 70° F.

On the third and fifth days, drain salt water and discard. Rinse cucumbers. If any scum has formed, remove it and scald cover and weight. Return cucumbers to container. Add ¼ cup salt to 2 quarts fresh water and boil. Pour over cucumbers. Replace cover and weight, and re-cover with clean towel.

On the seventh day, drain salt water and discard. Rinse cucumbers and re-scald containers, covers, and weight. Cut cucumbers into slices or strips, if desired, and return to container. Place celery seed and pickling spices in small cheesecloth bag. Combine 2 cups sugar and 4 cups vinegar in a saucepan. Add spice bag, bring to a boil, and pour pickling solution over cucumbers. Add cover and weight, and re-cover with clean towel.

On each of the next six days, drain syrup and spice bag and save. Add ½ cup sugar each day and bring to a boil in a saucepan. Remove cucumbers and rinse. Scald container, cover, and weight daily. Return cucumbers to container, add boiled syrup, spice bag, cover, weight, and re-cover with towel.

On the fourteenth day, drain syrup into saucepan. Fill jars leaving a ½-inch headspace. Add ½ cup sugar to syrup and bring to boil. Remove spice bag. Pour hot syrup over cucumbers, leaving a ½-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process as recommended or use the low-temperature pasteurization treatment described previously.
Recommended Process

(14-Day Sweet Pickles)

Boiling Water Bath

Pints 10 minutes

Quarts 15 minutes

Sauerkraut

25 lbs. cabbage
¾ cup canning or pickling salt

Quality: For the best sauerkraut, use firm heads of fresh cabbage. Shred cabbage and start kraut between 24 and 48 hours after harvest.

Yield: About 9 quarts

Procedure: Work with about 5 pounds of cabbage at a time. Discard outer leaves. Rinse heads under cold running water and drain. Cut heads in quarters and remove cores. Shred or slice to a thickness of a quarter. Put cabbage in a suitable fermentation container and add 3 tablespoons of salt. Mix thoroughly, using clean hands. Pack firmly until salt draws juices from cabbage. Repeat shredding, salting, and packing until all cabbage is in the container. Be sure it is deep enough so that its rim is at least 4 or 5 inches above the cabbage. If juice does not cover cabbage, add boiled and cooled brine (1½ tablespoons of salt per quart of water). Add plate and weights, cover container with a clean bath towel. Store at 70° to 75° F while fermenting. At temperatures between 70° and 75° F, kraut will be fully fermented in about 3 to 4 weeks; at 60° to 65° F, fermentation may take 5 to 6 weeks. At temperatures lower than 60° F, kraut may not ferment. Above 75° F, kraut may become soft. If you weigh the cabbage down with a brine-filled bag, do not disturb the crock until normal fermentation is completed (when bubbling ceases). If you use jars as weights, you will have to check the kraut 2 to 3 times each week and remove scum if it forms. Fully fermented kraut may be kept tightly covered in the refrigerator for several months or it may be canned as follows:

Hot pack: Bring kraut and liquid slowly to a boil in a large kettle, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and fill jars rather firmly with kraut and juices, leaving a ½-inch headspace.

Raw pack: Fill jars firmly with kraut and cover with juices, leaving a ½-inch headspace.

Adjust lids and process.

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I use a 6 gallon crock and also 5 gallon plastic pails for pickles and sauerkraut and use a plastic bag of salt water on top... MUCH easier than the old weights and plates, skimming scum and mold. I have not had any mold or scum to skim with the bag method.