Texas Christmas Pickles

29 Reviews

Prep: 30 min
Ready In: 7 day 30 min

“These spicy/sweet pickles are a Texas tradition. My mother and I have made these delectable pickles for Christmas every year since I was young. We separate each batch into smaller jars and give them as gifts to friends and family. I would hate to think what would happen if we skipped a year!!” - by KIKI810

Ingredients

1 gallon dill pickles
1 (5 ounce) bottle hot pepper sauce (e.g. Tabasco™)
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (5 pound) bag of white sugar

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Metric US

Original recipe yields 3 quarts

Directions

Drain the brine from the pickles and discard. Slice pickles lengthwise, and return them to the jar. Pour in the hot pepper sauce, and add the garlic. Pour in about 1/3 of the sugar. Close the lid tightly. Gently tip the jar back and forth several times to allow everything to mix well. Leave out on the counter at room temperature for about 1 week.
During the week, add more sugar as the sugar in the jar dissolves. Gently tip the jar back and forth to mix. Continue the process throughout the week, until you have used up all of the sugar. When all of the sugar has been absorbed, pickles will be dark green and crispy. Transfer pickles to smaller sterile jars, and divide syrup between jars. Seal with lids and rings. Store in the refrigerator, and consume within one month.

Nutrition

Amount Per Serving (60 total)

Calories
183 cal
9%

Fat
0.1 g
< 1%

Carbs
47 g
15%

Based on a 2,000 calorie diet

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Reviews (29)

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REDIRG

Sep. 9, 2005

"This is similar to a recipe I have used, except we purchased gallon jars of hamburger slices at Sam's instead of having to slice the pickles. As you described, they are dark green, crisp and yummy. E..." See moreveryone loves them. My recipe calls them "cheater pickles." We packaged them in small containers with a red plaid ribbon for Christmas gifts. A big hit! Mine did not call for the hot sauce."

POWERMUFFIN

Dec. 22, 2004

"This recipe was fun and easy to make. The flavor is similar to bread and butter pickles, but with a little extra kick. I love the ease in which one can adjust the recipe to suit their preferences. For..." See more instance, I didn't have hot pepper sauce, so I used red pepper flakes. Also, I used about half the sugar and the recipe came out just fine. Texas Christmas Pickles will be a staple in my refrigerator all year 'round! Thanks a million for sharing this recipe. "

QUIRKYIQ

Dec. 8, 2005

"I had a blast making these pickles! They are so close to tasting like Tony Packo's Sweet Hots. I made two gallons, one jar cut into spears and the other cut into thick slices. I like the slices better..." See more and they were to my liking after only five days. I am going to experiment with about half the sugar and a little less garlic, next time. The Tabasco is perfect, though. I processed some of the finished pint jars in a boiling water bath for ten minutes so I can keep them longer. Thank you for sharing this recipe!"

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