Copy Cat....

So there is this place close to me that has the MOST epic spiced pickled pineapple!  Like I *might* have a problem good...when you put a segment into your mouth it explodes with the sunrise of the pineapple, the pucker that comes from the vinegar and just the right amount of heat to make you grab another.  I think about them a bit too much, pass over their other amazingly pickled veggies just to gobble them up before anyone else can....they are sooo good.

So whats a girl to do when she has asked time and again for the recipe and they state "insider secrets"?? You start to google the shit out of the universe to find a recipe that might just be good enough....when nothing fit I actually hit the my book shelf and to my surprise The Complete Book of Small-Batch Preserving had a pickled peach recipe that had a 'pineapple' variation....so out comes the ol' Kettle, dusted off the vinegar, sugar and hopefully in a month my addiction shall be sated.

Spiced Pickled Pineapple
Adapted from The Complete Book of Small-Batch Preserving

3 pineapples peeled, cored and cut into chunks.
7 cups of sugar
3 1/4 cups white vinegar
6 cups of water
6 cinnamon sticks (3 inches long)
2 tbsp whole cloves
1 tsp whole all spice
 chili flakes

1. Bring sugar, vinegar and water to boil over high heat in a saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved.  Tie cinnamon, cloves and allspice into a cheesecloth bag and add to sugar (I made two smaller bags instead of one big one).  Reduce heat, cover and boil gently for 10 minutes.

2. Add Pineapple to syrup.  Boil for 5 minutes.   I added my chili flakes to the bottom of my hot jars right before the time was up, I did pints and prob added 1/4 to 1/2 tsp to each jar...

3. Remove pineapple from liquid with a slotted spoon and pack into jars.  Pour liquid over pineapples but allow for 1/2 inch head-space.  Process for 20 minutes for pints, and 25 for quarts.  

My 3 pineapples made 3 pints and some half pints.  Honestly I just used a variety of jars and started munching on the pineapple so I lost a bit in the "testing" phase.... ;)

So in a month I shall know if these are any good.  I do know that after a couple of months of not canning it felt good to get the equipment out and create.  The pineapple is just so damn lovely that honestly even if they taste like garbage they will be pretty to look at.