Pickles are not crisp

[pmalin]

I recently canned some bread and butter pickles. I processed them in the pressure canner for 10 min at 15 psi, in pint jars. They are very soggy and are not crisp.

I used standard store bought cucumbers, they were not labeled for pickling as some cucumbers are, is this a significant issue for this matter?

Is there some additive to the recipe that may help?

Any other tips or comments?

Thanks

 

[larry_stewart]

Welcome to the forum.
I make tons of pickles in the summer ( but I don't can them).
But from my experience, the smaller, less seedy cakes make a better, firmer pickle. The cukes not meant for pickling ( or the over grown pickling cakes) tend to be seedy.

There are some additives that could be added to help keep them crisp, but off the top of my head i don't know of any.

From a canning point of view, Im not sure if there are any techniques that might help you out, but once the sun rises, Im sure others will give you their advise on that.

 

[Aunt Bea]

For crisp sweet pickles look for recipes that include Alum.

Good luck!

 

[Mad Cook]

I recently canned some bread and butter pickles. I processed them in the pressure canner for 10 min at 15 psi, in pint jars. They are very soggy and are not crisp.

I used standard store bought cucumbers, they were not labeled for pickling as some cucumbers are, is this a significant issue for this matter?

Is there some additive to the recipe that may help?

Any other tips or comments?

Thanks

Sounds as though you cooked them too much in the processing.

The recipe I use from the Good Housekeeping Cook Book is as follows. (I use ordinary salad cucumbers because that's what I can get (Ina Garton calls them English cucumbers or hot house cucumbers) but you can use what ever are available. Be aware that this is not a long keeping pickle although I've eaten mine up to 12 months after making (if they aren't eaten first!)


Bread and Butter Pickle from Good Housekeeping.

3 large ridge or smooth skinned cucumber, sliced
4 large onions, skinned and sliced
45ml (3 level tablespoons) salt

450ml (¾ pint) distilled vinegar
150g (5oz) sugar
5mls (1 level teaspoon) each of celery seeds and mustard seeds.

Same method, cook the vegetables for three minutes in boiling vinegar mixture, pot while boiling hot, into hot jars and cover immediately. Done.