One of the more traditional Cuban side dishes is unquestionably papas rellenas (fried, filled potatoes). They are perfect for a gathering with a Cuban theme.
| Prep Time: | 2 hrs |
| Cook Time: | 2 hrs 10 mins |
| Additional Time: | 2 days 6 hrs |
| Total Time: | 2 days 10 hrs 10 mins |
| Servings: | 50 |
| Yield: | 8 half-pint jars |
Ingredients
- 2 cups water, or amount to cover
- 1 cup pickling lime (calcium hydroxide)
- 4 cups zucchini, sliced
- 1 cup distilled white vinegar
- ¾ teaspoon alum
- 1 fluid ounce bottle of red food coloring
- 2 cups water, or amount to cover
- 1 cup distilled white vinegar
- 3 cups water, or amount to cover
- 5 cups white sugar
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- ½ cup cinnamon red hot candies
- 8 half-pint canning jars with lids and rings
Instructions
- Mix 2 cups water (or amount needed to cover the zucchini) and pickling lime together in a nonreactive bowl. Place the zucchini slices in a large (at least 1-gallon) glass jar or large crock, and pour the lime mixture over the zucchini. The solution should completely cover the zucchini. Cover the jar with plastic wrap, and allow to stand for 24 hours. Drain the zucchini slices in a colander in the sink; thoroughly wash the glass jar. Rinse the zucchini slices very well under running water to rinse away all the lime, and place the slices back into the jar. Cover with fresh cool water, allow to stand for 2 to 3 hours, and drain away the water. Rinse again.
- Place the zucchini slices into a large pot, and stir in 1 cup vinegar, the alum, food coloring, and 2 more cups water (or enough water to cover the zucchini slices). Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce heat to low, and simmer the zucchini slices for 2 hours. Drain the zucchini slices, and discard the liquid.
- Place the zucchini slices back into the glass jar. Mix together 1 cup of vinegar, 3 more cups of water, the sugar, cinnamon sticks, and red hot candies in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, and stir until the sugar and candies dissolve. Pour the syrup over the zucchini slices. Allow the zucchini to stand covered for 24 hours. Drain, and reserve the syrup. Bring the syrup to a full rolling boil in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Sterilize the canning jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack the zucchini slices into the hot, sterilized jars, and pour the hot syrup into the jars to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids, and screw on rings.
- Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then carefully lower the jars into the pot using a holder. Leave a 2 inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary until the water level is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a full boil, cover the pot, and process for 20 minutes.
- Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Store in a cool, dark area.
- You might need to make some extra syrup to cover the veggies in the canning jars.
- Pickling lime, also called food-grade calcium hydroxide, can be found with canning supplies in many grocery, Asian, or Hispanic stores or ordered online. It helps to keep the canned product crisp. It’s important to rinse away any excess pickling lime from the zucchini before proceeding with the recipe.
Reviews
Love these yummy pickles. I made them with cucumbers and my children love them and I’ve even seen them made with watermelon rind.
Required side dish for holidays in my household.
Worth the effort! I doubled the recipe and got 7 half pints. I did have a lot of syrup left over, so I need to find a use for it. Perhaps make more!
Made this this week. First attempt EVER at canning anything. These turned out AMAZING! I’m so proud if my undomesticated self. very simple step by step directions and they tasted exactly how I remembered my mom’s tasting when she made them over 30 years ago. I didn’t have cinnamon sticks so I used the ground cinnamon equivalent. DELICIOUS! thank you
My Great Grandmother used to make something similar to this. Very excited to find this. And trust me if you have not tried this recipe yet…. it might take time to make but is well worth it.
Love them! I too omitted food coloring and they still a nice red from the red hots (I know-they have dye in them too). I did about 4x the recipe using cucumbers (10) and got 14 pints. A wonderful pickle to accompany any holiday dinner or family gathering.
OH MY GOODNESS!! These are wonderful! It is quite the process, I’m going to have to make a double batch next year. I’m one of those mom that is totally against food coloring. My children reacted badly when they where little. I used beets when I cook the zucchini during the step of two hour cooking and only used less than half the food coloring called for. These are awesome!!
This is quite a process. Took me 4 days to get it done. And I did need to make more syrup to fill the jars at the end. I made a batch with the heart-shaped slices of patty pan squashes, they were so pretty. The taste is wonderful at the time of canning. I can’t wait until they’ve been in the pantry for a while to see how they are then.
Just like grandma made! Thankyou for sharing the recipe. Enjoy the photo!
I make lots of pickles and this is a favorite among those who love cinnamon flavoring. I use very large cucumbers which I first peel and scrape seeds out of then cut up into sticks. They fit in the jar easier. I sometimes add a drop or two of cinnamon oil to the syrup for more cinnamon flavor. This recipe is often made with sliced cucumbers where seeds are cut from center to form a ring. These are known also as Wedding Ring Pickles. Most people are surprised they are made from cucumbers, they seem more like apples.