Pickled cucumbers

[len_p]

This is the first year I try to preserve cucumbers even if I like a lot the salty variety of pickled cucumbers. This is the recipe I tried and even I have some improvement ideas I am happy with the results:



How do you pickle your cucumbers with salt? What should be a satisfying success rate. In my case I managed to find a jar where the cucumbers got a bit too soft for my taste, maybe it also depends on the cucumbers type.

 

[QSis]

Len, your dill pickles look beautiful! Great pictures! Love those jars!

I process most of my preserved stuff in boiling water after I fill the jars because I'm petrified of botulism. I guess it's not as likely when you use vinegar or other acidic ingredients, but I'm leery.

Actually, I don't know if people did that at all in the old days, but most canning directions include a boiling water bath for a lot of home-canned foods.

I am a big fan of pickles, and love them when they are homemade and done correctly. My Aunt Stella made them, and would get a jar of "softies" every once in awhile. I don't know why.

Good luck!

Lee

 

[Cajun Cook]

Wow! These look so good. Going to check out the recipe now.

Jim

 

[Cajun Cook]

I am a big fan of pickles, and love them when they are homemade and done correctly. My Aunt Stella made them, and would get a jar of "softies" every once in awhile. I don't know why.

Good luck!

Lee

Hey Lee, we ran into the same problem a couple of times. That is why we always keep a box of Ball's Pickle Crisp on hand. We affectionately refer to it as pickle Viagra.

Jim

 

[CharlieD]

I much prefer pickled tomatoes. But like pickles too, so this year I only made 3 1 galon (about 3 + litters) jars. How big are those jars in the picture?

 

[len_p]

Small jars

The jars in the picture are very small (750 ml). I wanted to use larger jars but I already had lot of those jars and decided to use them. Normally I have seen pickled cucumbers prepared at home in jars from 1l to 10l or even in 50l barrels in the same way as pickled cabbage.

 

[Mel!]

Hello Len

I pickled cucumbers for the first time this year also.
A large box of cucumbers was for sale at the Turkish market for a bargain price so I decided to buy them and try to make pickles. They turned out delicious.
What I did was chop them up and put them in a bowel.
I then poured boiling water over them.
Next day I poured off the water and poured fresh boiling water on them.
I repeated this for 3 days.
I then packed the cucumbers in jars and sprinkled dried dill over them.
In a pan I heated vinegar, sugar, salt. I then poured this into the jars until it covered the cucumbers.

Mel

 

[len_p]

Mel, what are your proportions for vinegar and salt?

 

[layla17]

Len your pickles look amazing. My favorite part about canned pickles is actually the cloves of garlic.

 

[len_p]

Thank you Layla, I think from the picked cucumbers nothing goes to waste, I even like the liquid, usually only the dill sticks remain at the bottom of the jar.

 

[Mel!]

Hello Len

I think 1 level tablespoon of salt to every half litre of vinegar would be about right.
1 or 2 tablespoons of sugar could also be added if u like it.

Mel

 

[len_p]

Thank you, Mel

 

[tmikuckis]

i love pickled cucumbers. But I usually only let them stay in the salty water stuff for a day or two and then take them out or eat them.

 

[stan41]

Here is my favorite recipe for pickled cucumbers. It has been in our family for many years.

Makes enough for 9 quarts pickles
1 quart vinegar
3 quarts water
1 cup salt, plain
4 Tablespoons prepared mustard
Bring to a boil
In each quart jar place: 1/4 tsp. alum, dill weed or seed, 2 cloves garlic, sliced.
Wash and dry cucumbers, pack in jars.
Pour boiling liquid over cucumbers in jars.
Process in boiling water bath 10 minutes.
Stan

 

[ErikC]

Those look amazing! Normally commercial food has brighter colors since they use artificial stuff, but yours are so GREEN! How did you manage that?

For the record, I am a huge fan of pickled onions. Easy enough to make quickly, so I don't do large batches or jar them for long term.

 

[CharlieD]

Those are freshly made. They have not had chance to become pickles yet.

 

[blissful]

I was so lucky this year to find a farmer selling cucumbers that were only 2, 3 and 4 inches long, by the pound. I washed them and then put them in a cooler with water and lime for 2 or 3 days, then washed them, soaked them in clear water for 24 hours. Then I made pickles. Most all of them turned out very crispy, especially the sweet pickle varieties I made. Liming them made a big difference. We made around 35 quarts of pickles, dill, very sour, spiced with pickling spices, sweet and sweet relish. I opened another jar of sweet pickles yesterday and it was more than half gone by this morning. Pickle stealers live at my house. ~Bliss

 

[mcnerd]

Liming them made a big difference.

The use of Lime (a poison) is discouraged by most these years since there are much safer and easier methods, such as the Ball® "Pickle Crisp" (Calcium Chloride).

 

[blissful]

The use of Lime (a poison) is discouraged by most these years since there are much safer and easier methods, such as the Ball® "Pickle Crisp" (Calcium Chloride).

Yes it is true, we have all died of this poison, me and the pickle stealers.
We rinsed them, for 24 hours, with clear water 3 times during the 24 hours, instead of the prescribed 3 times for one hour, just to be sure they were safe. Thanks though. ~the late Bliss

PS. the reason you never hear of people dying from home canned foods is because they are already dead.

 

[mcnerd]

the reason you never hear of people dying from home canned foods is because they are already dead.

Hee Hee! Much truth to that statement and I'm sorry you died. No sympathy for pickle stealers.

I'm always concerned about the beginner canner/pickler not following the directions or taking short cuts, like neglecting to fully rinse in the case of brined pickles, or not bothering to HW Bath at all since the jar "sealed" without it, or not getting a full boil for the required time. I believe they call that Russian Roulette.