Time to start Pickling!

[RIHans]

With the new garden at school, and projects for Farm Fresh RI, we are jumping right into pickling season.

First up...Pickled Green Tomatoes. The southern folks will know of these tart / sweet babies.

[Earl Gray]

If you are selling for fund raising purposes and willing to ship, I'm in!

[Too Tall]

Following this with great interest. You rule.

[Wisco]

I'm thinking about trying some pickling at home. Any good sources of info for the complete novice? I know I can Google anything, but hoping for some insight...

[RIHans]

Wis...

First there two kinds of pickles. Refrigerator and shelf stable.

You do both kinds the same way up until the hot pickling juice goes in the jar, and the lid is
screwed on.

For shelf stable, we boil the jars, for 10 - 15 mins to creat a vacuum seal. Boiling time is related
to jar size.

It ain't rocket science, if I can do it, you can. Main thing in any food prep that is going to
be stored at room temp is be very careful about sanitation...just follow the pickling procedure and
you'll be fine.

[Noteddy]

I'm thinking about trying some pickling at home. Any good sources of info for the complete novice? I know I can Google anything, but hoping for some insight...

Hans has got it down. For your first time, just try it. Keep it dirt simple and small - you can pickle one jar's worth of something. Aim for a refrigerator pickle so you don't have to stress about seals and stuff.

Here is an easy mustardy pickle good for most anything.
Ingredients:
4 Cucumbers, washed cut crosswise into rounds 1/4 inch thick
1 medium onion sliced
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups Cider vinegar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
4 teaspoons pickling spice
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon celery seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon cayenne


1. Pack the cukes and sliced onions into jars (or any old container with a lid). Shove 'em in there pretty tight, but leave at least a 1 cm of headroom at the top of the jar. Bring the vinegar sugar and salt to a boil until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Add the pickling spice, mustard seeds, celery seeds, fennel seeds, turmeric, pepper, cloves, and cayenne. Pour the brine over the cucumbers and set aside to cool at room temperature for 2-3 hours.
2. When pickles have cooled to room temperature, refrigerate them. You can eat them as soon as you like, but they but they continue to improve for a week or more. Store these in the fridge as they are not processed to be shelf stable. Consume.

Now start experimenting. Try carrots, onions, peppers, green tomatoes, add more mustard seeds, leave out the cayenne, add a ton of red pepper flakes (good with carrots).....

If you've got a big pot, you can easily step on to shelf stable.

[zetroc]

I'm thinking about trying some pickling at home. Any good sources of info for the complete novice? I know I can Google anything, but hoping for some insight...

Canning for a New Generation by Liana Krissoff and The Joy of Cooking are my pickling bibles. I also like Wild Fermentation by Sandor Katz, and he has a longer book on the topic as well. I've been pickling my own veggies on a small scale for the past few years - it's a ton of fun and it's nice to be able to experiment and eat the results.

David Lebovitz has a recipe for pickled turnips and beets that I eat like french fries. Pickled Turnips | David Lebovitz

PS: My source for pickling herbs/seeds in bulk is Le Sanctuaire in SF - good prices per pound of very good quality stuff. Le Sanctuaire

[rowdyhillrambler]

We had a pretty good thread on here at one point. Sandy Katz is kinda the go to for me. As I have mentioned, we use to live at the same community. He has been doing this forever. It is a great book.

Did dill and sweet pickles, beets and turnips this past weekend. Just getting started for canning season!

[RIHans]

I have been picking green beans like you read about. Three small plants.

Also we have a couple of weak and scragly pickle cucumber vines.

So we made Dilly Beans, and Bread and Butter Pickles. All from
the school garden. Small yield, but look out, tomatoes are coming.

[Too Tall]

Huge fan of plain old dills. I forget where this recipe comes from. Mine are boiled similar to RIHans however a little twist on it. Also, a nice old lady taught me to slice the bloom end off the cucumbers to eliminate some enzyme that inhibits crisping...or some such nonsense just do it this made the most crispy dills I've ever made. The hardest part is waiting 8 weeks for them to be ready.

Basic Pickles
*After jars are packed, boil up side down in 1/3 pot of water 5 mins. rolling boil.
*cut 1/4” off blossom end for extra crisp...removes enzyme that causes mushiness

Ingredients
8 pounds 3 to 4 inch long pickling cucumbers
4 cups white vinegar
12 cups water
2/3 cup pickling salt
16 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
8 sprigs fresh dill weed
8 heads fresh dill weed
Directions
Wash cucumbers, and place in the sink with cold water and lots of ice cubes. Soak in ice water for at least 2 hours but no more than 8 hours. Refresh ice as required. Sterilize 8 (1 quart) canning jars and lids in boiling water for at least 10 minutes.
In a large pot over medium-high heat, combine the vinegar, water, and pickling salt. Bring the brine to a rapid boil.
In each jar, place 2 half-cloves of garlic, one head of dill, then enough cucumbers to fill the jar (about 1 pound). Then add 2 more garlic halves, and 1 sprig of dill. Fill jars with hot brine. Seal jars, making sure you have cleaned the jar's rims of any residue.
Process sealed jars in a boiling water bath. Process quart jars for 15 minutes.
Store pickles for a minimum of 8 weeks before eating. Refrigerate after opening. Pickles will keep for up to 2 years if stored in a cool dry place

[RIHans]

Hey Tall One...

1) Any reason for the upside down jars in the water bath?

2) Yes, I have heard you should trim off the blossom end of the cucumber for crispness, done.

3) I love a good dill pickle. I have a lot of dried dill on hand. I am gonna try yours with a table spoon of dried
dill.
Hans

[Too Tall]

Bumping this back to life because I'm doing some quick pour over pickles for my Central American dinner guests who for some reason are nuts for pickled anything? I discovered this by accident last year when I made them BBQ and set out some pickles which was summarily decimated.

I'll make simple garlic / dill pickles and maybe some pickled eggs (recipe from T.K.'s wife). Pics. to follow.

You pickling?

[mwynne]

We frequently do a quick pickled beet salad.
Simmer peeled (and quartered or so) beets until just tender, let sit in a mix of lemon juice and minced shallot for at least 30 min. Sometimes will add other flavours to the liquid as well. Also works with carrots and other root veg.

[zetroc]

I just did some spicy pickled carrots and some pickled red onions, which are fantastic on burgers and pulled pork sandwiches. Super good.

[Too Tall]

Ah, thanks for the bump Steve. Almost forgot the onions.

pkl1.jpgpkl2.jpgpkl3.jpg

[Cookietruck]

tt you pour the boiling brine over the veggies or is it a cold brine?

I've been pickling, boil then pour over iced gherkins...figured out a I prefer an acidic bite so it's pretty much 50/50 white vinegar to water for the brine (plus varying salt, sugar and spices of course)

[Too Tall]

Similar to yours. Boil the brine/spice mixture and pour over. These are quick and dirty for a party this friday. With the bloom end cut off they should be fine. Same here, I like a nice vinegar bite.

tt you pour the boiling brine over the veggies or is it a cold brine?

I've been pickling, boil then pour over iced gherkins...figured out a I prefer an acidic bite so it's pretty much 50/50 white vinegar to water for the brine (plus varying salt, sugar and spices of course)

[Noteddy]

Anybody got a spicy jardinière recipe you want to share? Kids went nuts over some spicy pickled carrots this winter. Time to expand the repertory.

[Too Tall]

Nic, did you ever work out that spicey jardiniere? Curious.

As predicted we were overcome by Jalapenos, worse things could happen. I kept it simple using vinegar, water, dash of salt and whole peppercorns. Each jar was topped with minced green peppers and some sliced jalapeno and than Jenga happened.

jenga1.jpgpepper1.jpgpepper2.jpg

[Noteddy]

Nice, toots! Life intervened this summer. Nothing new in the cellar. You are providing inspiration, though. Thanks for bumping this thread.