Canning dill pickles

[MsCobragt]

I recently canned some dill pickles, followed the recipe exactly. checking on the jars a day later and noticed some of the garlic has turned purple? Is this common and will the pickles be safe to eat. yes the jars sealed, and I used the exact process time required.I would hate to toss out after all that work

<the garlic in the recipe asked for slicing in half to put in ea jar but I took the 1/2s and diced them instead would this be cause from them turning? >

I'm glad I have found this site, itz been yrs since I canned and I have so many questions! I used to can with my mom when I was younger, but she has passed on and no one in my family can help me.

thanks in advance to anyone that can help...oh..bty...1 more question...

I noticed in some recipes it calls to soak your dills in ice water for 2-3 hrs is this necessary because I had done this as well.

just would like others input

 

[CharlieD]

Gee, interesting, never seen pickle turn purple. Sorry I have no answer for you.

 

[MsCobragt]

LOL..not the pickles the garlic

 

[Andy M.]

I've heard of garlic turning blue in a pickling environment. It's not harmful at all.

 

[drfugawe]

I too have had garlic turn blue and green shades - and all research suggests it can still be eaten. But interestingly, some garlic in the same jars DOES NOT turn green or blue. Why? No idea!

I don't do vinegar dills any more, but instead I lacto ferment them in a simple salt brine - and since these are not in a sealed jar, if the garlic turns color, I just pluck it out - I don't care if green garlic is OK to eat, I'm not eating it!

 

[MsCobragt]

hmmm.....okay I took another look, they are slight blue, what makes them turn that way. they were fresh garlic, also I have some left over fresh dill weed, planning on dehydrating, some of the florets are slight brown, can they be processed in canning or dehydration?

 

[drfugawe]

What I've read most often is that garlic turns color in reaction to other chemicals in the liquid environment, such as sulfur. As to a brown tone, I've seen less than perfect garlic turn brown before it got soft and shrunken - but one of the good rules of canning is to never use a fruit or vegetable that has bruises, injuries, or is not perfect - I wouldn't use it.

 

[drfugawe]

Oh sorry, I misunderstood - I just re-read your last post - brown dill is fine - it's just drying out, which is a natural process

Sorry for the confusion.

 

[MsCobragt]

thank you for your quick replies... drfugawe and others.
I appreciate all your help and input

 

[taxlady]

I too have had garlic turn blue and green shades - and all research suggests it can still be eaten. But interestingly, some garlic in the same jars DOES NOT turn green or blue. Why? No idea!

I don't do vinegar dills any more, but instead I lacto ferment them in a simple salt brine - and since these are not in a sealed jar, if the garlic turns color, I just pluck it out - I don't care if green garlic is OK to eat, I'm not eating it!

Got any good recipes for the lacto fermentation technique?

 

[joesfolk]

I would be willing to bet that the change in color of the garlic was due to sulfer in the water that you used. Now please be aware that this is only a guess. Did you by any chance use well water? Sometimes that can have a high level of sulfer. Again, this is only a guess.

 

[CharlieD]

Oops, what was I thinking. Garlic changes color at will in pickling. I've seen it many times in different applications too. The reaction is pretty much unpredictable. No problem at all, yuor pickles are fine and so is your garlic.

 

[drfugawe]

My lacto fermentation process

Got any good recipes for the lacto fermentation technique?

I use a very simple process - for cukes, I make a med brine (2-3 Tbs kosher salt in a quart of water), use clean quart jars, add pickling spices/garlic/dill, etc. (a grape leaf or two will make pickles crisper), fill jar with brine, use something to hold the cukes under the surface of the brine (important!), cover loosely with the canning lid - half sours take 2-3 days, full sours take 4-5 days or longer.

The brine will always be cloudy, and may have bubbles, foam, and maybe even a little white mold - no problem, just skim it off and recap. But if you can't/don't keep the pickles under the brine, you will have more mold, and the pickles may soften.

Once the pickles are done to your satisfaction, you can put them in the fridge to stop/slow fermentation (after ten days, there is almost no gas escaping, so the jars can be capped tightly and stored in a cool, out of the way place).

I think these are amazingly good - and so much better than a vinegar dill pickle - these are the authentic Jewish Sour Dills.

I just did a post on my blog on Lacto Fermentation - all kinds of additional info there: https://drfugawe.wordpress.com/

 

[taxlady]

I use a very simple process - for cukes, I make a med brine (2-3 Tbs kosher salt in a quart of water), use clean quart jars, add pickling spices/garlic/dill, etc. (a grape leaf or two will make pickles crisper), fill jar with brine, use something to hold the cukes under the surface of the brine (important!), cover loosely with the canning lid - half sours take 2-3 days, full sours take 4-5 days or longer.

The brine will always be cloudy, and may have bubbles, foam, and maybe even a little white mold - no problem, just skim it off and recap. But if you can't/don't keep the pickles under the brine, you will have more mold, and the pickles may soften.

Once the pickles are done to your satisfaction, you can put them in the fridge to stop/slow fermentation (after ten days, there is almost no gas escaping, so the jars can be capped tightly and stored in a cool, out of the way place).

I think these are amazingly good - and so much better than a vinegar dill pickle - these are the authentic Jewish Sour Dills.

I just did a post on my blog on Lacto Fermentation - all kinds of additional info there: https://drfugawe.wordpress.com/

Thank you for the recipe and links. Nice blog. I just spent an hour or two exploring.

You mention adding grape leaves. Is it okay to use grape leaves that come in a can?

There were recipes for sauerkraut. That reminded me that Danes make sauerkraut (surkål in Danish), so I found a recipe for making that at my Danish cooking website.

I'm all excited to start trying out this lacto-fermentation. I'm going to go find some pickling cukes tomorrow. I already have homemade whey in the fridge

 

[drfugawe]

taxlady,
I'm not sure if using preserved grape leaves will work - I do remember that it's the tannic acid that creates the magic, and that sour cherry, horseradish leaves, and other plants have goodly amounts of tannin as well. But I'd guess that the liquid in the preserving process draws out the tannic acid - maybe using a Tbs of the juice from the jar will work. Tea leaves also have high levels of tannin.

Good luck with your pickles - they are delicious.

 

[taxlady]

taxlady,
I'm not sure if using preserved grape leaves will work - I do remember that it's the tannic acid that creates the magic, and that sour cherry, horseradish leaves, and other plants have goodly amounts of tannin as well. But I'd guess that the liquid in the preserving process draws out the tannic acid - maybe using a Tbs of the juice from the jar will work. Tea leaves also have high levels of tannin.

Good luck with your pickles - they are delicious.

Thanks.

I Googled substitutes for grape leaves, and the only substitute I could find was alum However, a couple of sites said that if I cut off the blossom end of the pickles, that should eliminate the enzymes that soften pickles. I think I'll ask if any of my friends have any grape vines growing.

 

[CharlieD]

You also cood use horse rediesh leaves, tart chery leaves and black curant leaves all for the same purpose.

 

[taxlady]

You also cood use horse rediesh leaves, tart chery leaves and black curant leaves all for the same purpose.

That's good to know. I'll ask friends about all of those.

 

[joesfolk]

I just saw an episode of Ask Aida. They addressed the question of blue garlic. Aida said that two things can cause it. Either the acid in the recipe reacted with the pigment in the garlic and turned it colors or the garlic came in contact with copper which will cause the same reaction. She said that it usually goes away after a while but in any case it is safe to eat.

 

[mcnerd]

I Googled substitutes for grape leaves, and the only substitute I could find was alum However, a couple of sites said that if I cut off the blossom end of the pickles, that should eliminate the enzymes that soften pickles.

Cutting off the blossom end of the pickles (required) has nothing to do with the crispness of the pickle. If you can't find fresh grape leaves, consider buying Ball "Pickle Crisp" or food grade Calcium Chloride. Does the same thing and is much safer than alum or lime soaks.