I have a pickle problem

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Hopz

Senior Cook
Joined
Mar 9, 2006
Messages
272
Location
Utah, near Park City
I love pickles- heck, I like just about all things in vinegar- like olives etc.

I have been trying for several years to make home made dill pickles. I have tried several recipes from sources that ought to be reliable. The results are never what I wanted.

I have thought they were way too vinegary and I've tried reducing the ratio of vinegar to water. I have tried adding more garlic. From time to time I have had to use dill weed like in spice jars instead of dill sprigs.

Aside from any tips... what kind of vinegar do you use? Is it the plain white (acetic acid) or perhaps the apple cider vinegar? Or wine vinegar, or what?

If you have successful recipies to pass on I would appreciate it.
 
Sorry Hopz, the pickles I make don't require ANY vinegar at all. Perhaps you could try those? Then you can dribble a little vinegar in the opened jar until they taste right?

BTW, the only vinegar I've seen used for canning is white vinegar. My experience isnt' all that extensive though.
 
Hopz said:
I love pickles- heck, I like just about all things in vinegar- like olives etc.

I have been trying for several years to make home made dill pickles. I have tried several recipes from sources that ought to be reliable. The results are never what I wanted.
So you are in a pickle pickle?

(Sorry, I couldn't resist.) :angel:
 
Sounds like you are in quite the pickle...


I would find a good brine recipie and incorperate some white vin. I have seen cider vin used in some canning applications, but I would think it would be too strong for pickiling.
 
Hopz said:
I love pickles- heck, I like just about all things in vinegar- like olives etc.

I have been trying for several years to make home made dill pickles. I have tried several recipes from sources that ought to be reliable. The results are never what I wanted.

I have thought they were way too vinegary and I've tried reducing the ratio of vinegar to water. I have tried adding more garlic. From time to time I have had to use dill weed like in spice jars instead of dill sprigs.

Aside from any tips... what kind of vinegar do you use? Is it the plain white (acetic acid) or perhaps the apple cider vinegar? Or wine vinegar, or what?

If you have successful recipies to pass on I would appreciate it.

Here's a recipe that never fails for me.

Marlene's Dill Pickles

1.6 kgs gherkins ( pickling cucumbers)
1.3 lts brine (made with 20% white vinegar, 20% white wine vinegar, 60% water, 2 tablespoons of salt - bring to a boil till the salt dissolves)
3-4 cloves garlic
Pickling spice ( a tbsp each black peppercorns, coriander seed, yellow mustard seed, + 1 small dried chili pepper per jar)
1 1/2 tbsps sugar
A few sprigs of fresh dill
6 500cc jars, sterilised.

Put the jars in a 200º oven while you prepare the pickles and the brine.
Wash and scrub the pickles clean, removing any damaged skin or blemishes. Slice vertically into 4 spears ( more if the cucumbers are big).
Remove the jars from the oven. Place a few slices of garlic in the bottom of the jar, a sprig of dill and a tsp or two of pickling spìce. Pack the pickles into the jar, then fill the jar with hot brine. Do this with all the pickles.

Water bath for 15 minutes, remove and cool.

These are best after about a week or so.
 
My pickle recipe is very similar to Marlene's - but I always used cider vinegar and I also put a fresh grape leaf in the bottom of the jar before filling. Don't forget the garlic AND the pepper (altho I used a fresh one)
 
Same here...my recipe is like Marlene's except that it calls for cider vinegar. Seems like I remember you saying you couldn't get it there, though, Clive. I'm sure the wine vinegar is delicious.
 
That's right, Constance. No cider vinegar Unless you're prepared to pay 3 times the price, and no Malt vinegar either:(
 
There is more than one way to make a pickle, Hopz. But, since you don't want info about that, according to your quote:

Hopz said:
Aside from any tips... what kind of vinegar do you use?

All canning instructions, that I am aware of for an acid cured or packed pickle, are based on a 5% acidic vinegar content. White, cider, or other doesn't matter - as long as the label says it's 5% acid.

If you want to explore other ways to make a pickle ... that would be something else.
 
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