Canning sweet pickles

[grapenuts]

Originally Posted by Snip 13

It's my pleasure, the Isreali cucumbers are available in most supermarkets, they are smaller than regular ones and firmer to the touch. Nice in salads too if you want something that holds its crunch well.
It works! Really. If your jar is in good condition it won't leak and I also use my regular jars. Empty jam jars, pickle jars and mayo bottle etc. for my pickles. I still have jam from last year and some chilli sauce. Both are still as good as the day they were made. I find that as long as you keep everything sterilized and prepare your preserves as you should, you won't have problems. I might not be an expert but I have done it like this for the past 6 yrs and never had a problem.
I also have a recipes for quick pickles that have to be kept in the fridge. They are really crisp and last about a month or 2.

Thanks for the info on the Isreali cucumbers, we grow our own cucumbers and pick them when they are small because they are firmer and crisper but once I would process them that's when they would get soggy.

I'm going to try the no cook or raw pack method of canning and I'll let you know how it goes.

[grapenuts]

Originally Posted by johpor

I get so tired of hearing about the USDA canning guide and hot water baths. My mother and grandmother canned pickles for years and never used that method and did not lose product to mold. And since they both lived into their 80s they did not have problems with bacteria.

I have been canning pickles for 20 years and use my mother's method: hot product into hot jars, seal and leave to cool. Out of over 70 jars of pickles canned last year I lost 2 and both were due to an imperfection in the rim of the jar. I use the same method for salsa, tomatoes, hot peppers and jam.

It was my neighbor's mother that told her to can the pickles without going through the hot water bath and she's been very successful.
I have always been a fan of mother and grandmother recipes so I'm going to give it a try and hope everything goes well.

Thanks for the help

[grapenuts]

Originally Posted by dcSaute

"the no boil cucumbers" approach I believe is called a "raw pack" method - it's known and documented. for pickles, considering the high acid level, not much risk of botulism.

tomatoes used to be considered "way safe" but only because older varieties tended to be more acidic - more modern day hybrids, strains, etc., have with full intent be bred to be low acid - which becomes problematic in canning. things change, if the methods don't change, could create some issues.

peppers - in vinegar - no problem. jam - in sugar - never has been an issue. we used to use old jelly jars / whatever and sealed with molten wax.

Thanks for the info it's very much appreciated.