What makes a kosher pickle kosher?

[JustJoel]

This subject has probably been covered ad nauseum here, but what makes a kosher pickle kosher? Mom swore up and down that Kosher pickles contain no vinegar. She says she learned this from her bubbeh. Some articles on the web claim that garlic makes kosher pickles kosher. I know, of course, that for a food to be considered “kosher,” it must be prepared and packaged according to the laws. That’s not what I’m talking about.

So, what exactly is a “kosher” pickle?

 

[Andy M.]

So you're asking what the difference is between a dill pickle and a kosher dill pickle?

I like the Wiki definition: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pickled_cucumber

 

[taxlady]

Thanks for the link Andy. So, that sort of corroborates Joel's mum. A traditionally fermented pickle wouldn't have any vinegar.

 

[Cheryl J]

Hopefully Charlie will see this and weigh in. I remember some of his posts about kosher pickles.

 

[dragnlaw]

I always considered the "kosher" was in reference to the type of salt used in making the brine. Brine doesn't always mean vinegar.

Although I have made sweet pickles (with vinegar) - my 'dill pickles' were less than spectacular. If memory serves, I did use a vinegar brine because it was easier than going the salt brine - my bad.

Other than beets which I do every couple of years, I rarely make pickles of any kind now. I just don't have enough pickle loving consumers to consume my favourite consumables.

 

[jennyema]

Brine doesn't always mean vinegar.

.

"Brine," by definition, always means salt water.

 

[taxlady]

"Brine," by definition, always means salt water.

^^This

 

[dragnlaw]

LOL - got me! I was walking away from my desk when it suddenly dawned on me exactly what I had said!

Tarnation! Knew that wouldn't fly with a bunch of foodies!

 

[CharlieD]

This subject has probably been covered ad nauseum here, but what makes a kosher pickle kosher? Mom swore up and down that Kosher pickles contain no vinegar. She says she learned this from her bubbeh. Some articles on the web claim that garlic makes kosher pickles kosher. I know, of course, that for a food to be considered “kosher,” it must be prepared and packaged according to the laws. That’s not what I’m talking about.

So, what exactly is a “kosher” pickle?

To make it even more confusing, the only way the pickle can be made None Kosher if somebody adds pork meat to it, or blood, or some sea foods.

Otherwise, pickles are inherently kosher. Why they called this way i do not know. Just like for example Kosher salt. Only in America it's called Kosher salt. Salt is perfectly kosher and is called all kind different names in other countries.

 

[dragnlaw]

Charlie, that's what we are trying to say.

Kosher dill pickles have nothing to do with the religious aspect of the word 'Kosher'. It is in reference to the type of salt grain known as Kosher, which is not in reference to the religious aspect of the name either.

Clear as mud.

 

[luckytrim]

A "kosher" dill pickle is not necessarily kosher in the sense that it has been prepared in accordance with Jewish dietary law. Rather, it is a pickle made in the traditional manner of Jewish New York City pickle makers, with generous addition of garlic and dill to a natural salt brine.

 

[CharlieD]

A "kosher" dill pickle is not necessarily kosher in the sense that it has been prepared in accordance with Jewish dietary law. Rather, it is a pickle made in the traditional manner of Jewish New York City pickle makers, with generous addition of garlic and dill to a natural salt brine.

I agree with you to a degree.

If you look at a jar of any "Kosher Dills" you will see that they are in fact all kosher. And a lot of them are not prepared in traditional "New York" style, a lot of them have vinegar which is a totally different animal, if you ask me. In Russian, for example, there is even a different name for it.

 

[Mad Cook]

I always considered the "kosher" was in reference to the type of salt used in making the brine. Brine doesn't always mean vinegar.

Although I have made sweet pickles (with vinegar) - my 'dill pickles' were less than spectacular. If memory serves, I did use a vinegar brine because it was easier than going the salt brine - my bad.

Other than beets which I do every couple of years, I rarely make pickles of any kind now. I just don't have enough pickle loving consumers to consume my favourite consumables.

According to Ina Garten (Jewish- American TV cook) "Kosher" Salt is called that because it's used for "koshering" meat in line with religious requirements, not because the salt itself specially treated under religious rules.

It is different in that it has much larger crystals the ordinary table salt so IIRC you need to use more Kosher salt than "normal" table salt if you use it a recipe. However, this applies to any large crystal salt (eg some brands of sea salt such as Malden salt or Halen Môn or any equivalents thereof where you are). Also, if you use it in baking you need to grind it down otherwise you could end up with salt crystals in your cookies, etc. (Unfortunately, I know this from personal baking experience!!!)

 

[Mad Cook]

Just about to look for my mother's recipe for beetroot and apple chutney (quite sweet as chutneys go but so not as vinegar-y and no hot spices as in a lot of other chutneys so, according to my Mother, it's suitable for children). I made some apple chutney in the autumn - the recipe includes *Bramley* apples & raisins. Of course, I was distracted by a programme on the wireless and instead of leaving the raisins out when I "whizzed" it and then adding them later, I shoved the whole lot in the mincer. Tastes rather peculiar compared with the usual.

(*Bramleys* are a breed of cooking apples which seem to be only known in Britain. They "fall" when cooked rather than staying in chunks like american cooking apples. Sour so used in apple sauce to eat with pork or when sweetened ar used for apple pies, etc. If interested look Bramleys up on Wikipaedia - the origin is interesting and the one tree that all Bramleys are descended from is still growing in a garden in Nottinghamshire - it grew from a pip planted by a child in 1802). It's still there - my cousins live round the corner from the garden and the tree.

 

[GotGarlic]

I agree with you to a degree. [emoji2]

If you look at a jar of any "Kosher Dills" you will see that they are in fact all kosher. And a lot of them are not prepared in traditional "New York" style, a lot of them have vinegar which is a totally different animal, if you ask me. In Russian, for example, there is even a different name for it.

Like many things these days, Charlie, the current iteration has sometimes strayed far from the original.

 

[CharlieD]

According to Ina Garten (Jewish- American TV cook) "Kosher" Salt is called that because it's used for "koshering" meat in line with religious requirements, not because the salt itself specially treated under religious rules.

It is different in that it has much larger crystals the ordinary table salt so IIRC you need to use more Kosher salt than "normal" table salt if you use it a recipe. However, this applies to any large crystal salt (eg some brands of sea salt such as Malden salt or Halen Môn or any equivalents thereof where you are). Also, if you use it in baking you need to grind it down otherwise you could end up with salt crystals in your cookies, etc. (Unfortunately, I know this from personal baking experience!!!)

There is special Pickling salt sold in US.

 

[tenspeed]

It is different in that it has much larger crystals the ordinary table salt so IIRC you need to use more Kosher salt than "normal" table salt if you use it a recipe.

In the US, Diamond Crystal and Morton's are the leading brands of Kosher salt. They are different densities so the volumes used will be different. Cookbook and recipe writers should specify which brand of Kosher salt they used.

 

[msmofet]

I have seen TV cooks/chefs state that Kosher salt is called that because it contains ONLY salt and no other additives or impurities.

 

[pepperhead212]

There is special Pickling salt sold in US.

The pickling salt is basically kosher salt (pure salt, no additives) very finely ground, so that it dissolves almost instantly. I keep a container of this over my stove , labeled "bread and pickling salt", and use it anywhere that I want the salt to dissolve immediately. Good for bread making, too. I just grind up kosher salt to a flour like salt, in the blender.

 

[CharlieD]

I have seen TV cooks/chefs state that Kosher salt is called that because it contains ONLY salt and no other additives or impurities.

Don't believe everything you see or hear on TV