Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
At Frank Z's request and anyone else who's interested.
This is an old family recipe that my parents would gear up to make once a year in the Fall. It was a major undertaking as they made up to 24 gallons at a time.
Dad was a chef and brought home glass gallon bottles from work to use for the pickles. The jars were not canned, just packed full and put in a cold spot for six weeks or so. The goal was to do this around the end of September or the start of October so they would be ready for Thanksgiving.
As an adult, I dug up their recipe and started making it when my daughters were young. They devoured these pickles as my sister and I had before.
The last time I made them was about 7-8 years ago with my older daughter who really wanted some for herself.
Here is the recipe dialed down to 24 one-quart mason jars with two part lids.
1.5 Gal White vinegar
1.5 Gal Water
12 Tb Kosher Salt (.75 C)
8 Lb Baby Carrots
20 Ea Green Bell Peppers
3 Hd Cauliflower
48 White Boiling onions (ping pong ball size)
3 Oz Pickling Spice
48 Cloves Garlic
Wash and cut up the veggies to fit into the jars. Smaller pieces fill a jar better with fewer empty spaces.
Mix the vinegar and water with the salt in a large pot. Bring it to a boil and remove from the heat.
Divide the garlic cloves and spices among the jars.
Add an assortment of veggies to the jars. A little pushing and shoving is OK.
Fill the jars to the brim with the hot vinegar mix.
Screw on the two part lids.
Place the bottles in a cool to cold dark spot for 6 weeks.
Note: As the vinegar and water mixture cools, it will contract forming a vacuum seal for the jar.
Once opened, jars should be refrigerated.
Frank, I'd suggest picking up a package if dried red Chinese chile peppers form an Asian market and adding one or two to each jar to get the heat you are looking for.
Now I'm jonesing for these pickles.
This is an old family recipe that my parents would gear up to make once a year in the Fall. It was a major undertaking as they made up to 24 gallons at a time.
Dad was a chef and brought home glass gallon bottles from work to use for the pickles. The jars were not canned, just packed full and put in a cold spot for six weeks or so. The goal was to do this around the end of September or the start of October so they would be ready for Thanksgiving.
As an adult, I dug up their recipe and started making it when my daughters were young. They devoured these pickles as my sister and I had before.
The last time I made them was about 7-8 years ago with my older daughter who really wanted some for herself.
Here is the recipe dialed down to 24 one-quart mason jars with two part lids.
1.5 Gal White vinegar
1.5 Gal Water
12 Tb Kosher Salt (.75 C)
8 Lb Baby Carrots
20 Ea Green Bell Peppers
3 Hd Cauliflower
48 White Boiling onions (ping pong ball size)
3 Oz Pickling Spice
48 Cloves Garlic
Wash and cut up the veggies to fit into the jars. Smaller pieces fill a jar better with fewer empty spaces.
Mix the vinegar and water with the salt in a large pot. Bring it to a boil and remove from the heat.
Divide the garlic cloves and spices among the jars.
Add an assortment of veggies to the jars. A little pushing and shoving is OK.
Fill the jars to the brim with the hot vinegar mix.
Screw on the two part lids.
Place the bottles in a cool to cold dark spot for 6 weeks.
Note: As the vinegar and water mixture cools, it will contract forming a vacuum seal for the jar.
Once opened, jars should be refrigerated.
Frank, I'd suggest picking up a package if dried red Chinese chile peppers form an Asian market and adding one or two to each jar to get the heat you are looking for.
Now I'm jonesing for these pickles.