Fermenting pickles

[larry_stewart]

I usually make pickle chips ( for burgers ) using vinegar . Although not technically canned, you pour a hot vinegary brine then seal them. They last in the fridge over a year ( im still working on 2023, although the consistency on some of the jars is not so. great,)

I make regular, fermented pickles with no vinegar to eat as I make. If I have a surplus of pickling cukes, I just place a few jars , immediately after making, into the fridge, it slows down/ stops the fermentation process significantly. As I finish the jar on the counter, I just take a jar from the fridge out, and place it on the counter to become room temperature an start the fermentation process. even though fermentation slows/ stops in the fridge , the salty brine still penetrates the cukes trough osmosis.

I always put the fermenting jar on top of a bowl or something just incase it bubbles over during the process.

I also make a specific ratio of salt and water brine, so as I eat the pickles, I can add more brine so the pickles remain submerged . actually just bought these glass weights that fit into the pickle jar to keep the pickles submerged ( never knew they existed until a week ago).

 

[blissful]

@larry_stewart,
It sounds like a you have a revolving pickle protocol that works for you. I'm glad you've found those glass weights. I haven't started using them yet.
I'll use a large plate with a zip lock bag filled with brine, on the sauerkraut, to hold off the mold/slime/yeast.

When I had little kids here, we had a sweeter pickles with onions, we kept them in the fridge, and ate them like crazy, bowls of them at a time. We called them bread and butter pickles.
Now we have become a little more organized (and less fun, lol).

I have almost 3 cases of sweet savory (emeril's pickle recipe reducing some sugar and salt) pickles, canned.
About 10 pints of dill pickle slices, these are canned, used only for the fixin's part of hamburger's with fixins.
Then whatever fermented pickles we do that summer. We eat them out of hand until they are done producing cucumbers then refrigerate in jars and eat them until they are gone. A summer only treat. I take the pickled fermented ones in jars, slice them into 4 spears, pack them into 1 quart deli containers, pour fermentation liquid over them, and eat them from there. Cold and salty, delicious. When they are gone, it's winter, brrrrrr.

 

[Kathleen]

With my tiny small-batch fermenting, I may ferment another jar of cucumbers into spears this time.

 

[blissful]

@Kathleen, I'm going to try to remember next year to start some fermented pickles when the first cucumbers start coming in. Then start another batch the last week of August to catch the last of the cucumbers. After they ferment I give some away and we put the rest whole into quart jars in the fridge. They are SOOOOOOOo good. Then I cut the whole pickles into spears, put them in a deli container and we eat them ice cold. I saved 5 qts but we've already eaten 2 qts!

 

[Kathleen]

Take two. I have better hopes for this batch. The first batch, I got too much salt in the brine. Hope burns eternal!

 

[larry_stewart]

If it tastes as good as the pic looks, youre n good shape !

 

[blissful]

@Kathleen, I thought the season was too far gone so I made a gallon jug with 1/2 gallon of brine, cucumbers...then we kept picking them, started another gallon jug...we are up to 2 gallons of fermenting pickles! Amazing, we might get more fermented dill garlic pickles.

 

[larry_stewart]

I have a few straggler vines still producing, but Im starting to notice a slight difference in texture and even taste. I probably have enough to make 2 more quarts of pickles. Still on the fence as to what I want to do with the remaining few .

 

[blissful]

@Kathleen and @larry_stewart
With the cucumbers stragglers almost done on the cucumber vines and most of the vines are brown, We started another full 3 gallons of fermented garlic dills.
I just cut up the first gallon into spears and poured brine over them and put them in the fridge. They are so good.
Before I'm done this fall I'll have 3+ qts of kimchi in the fridge, all 3 gallons of fermented dills in 1 qt containers IN THE FRIDGE, and 4 qts of sauerkraut that is just about done now, IN THE FRIDGE. Which doesn't leave much room in the fridge! Oh well!
I'll have to give some away. I won't be canning any of them by pasteurization or otherwise. They are at their best crunchy and refrigerated.

 

[larry_stewart]

I ate my last fermented picked a week or two ago. Now gotta wait til next year. I may pickle some green tomatoes , looks like may have a bunch, but I have a gallon still left over from last year .

 

[Kathleen]

I am heart-broken. Two weeks ago, I checked my tomatoes. Skimmed some white mold, etc. They smelled great and looked great. Using the sterile spoon that removed the mold, I tasted the brine and it was amazing. Noticed it was till working as bubbles were still prevalent (which I had thought they had stopped.) Today, green mold...yucky smell, etc. I do not understand why I cannot get this right.

 

[blissful]

@Kathleen now you are a seasoned fermenter of vegetables. They don't always turn out okay. I've had vinegar go bad on me a couple times when I forget to stir or pay attention. I've had pickles go bad on me.
Sometimes if I like something fermenting, I'll put it in the fridge because it's at its peak for me. Everyone has different tastes so peak for me might be just starting for you. I can't win them all.
Plus storage space for fermentation can become an issue. Who has more than one fridge, or a basement that is cold, or cold enough?
Other kinds of fermentation-like tempeh and natto, those don't always turn out great, but I'm lucky enough of them do that I keep trying.
I'm glad you joined the club!

 

[Kathleen]

I suppose. I had sauerkraut turn out once.....once. I'll keep trying and remember to stop it when it is peak for me! I am so sad over my tomatoes.

 

[dragnlaw]

I mentioned in the latest Book Thread - I got a book on "Mouthwatering Sauerkraut" by Holly Howe. Other than looking at a few pictures haven't really read other than the intro.
About 50 different recipes and another 24 recipe for kimchi. From beets, beans, brussels, carrot, daikon, leeks, mango... you name it.

 

[CharlieD]

I am heart-broken. Two weeks ago, I checked my tomatoes. Skimmed some white mold, etc. They smelled great and looked great. Using the sterile spoon that removed the mold, I tasted the brine and it was amazing. Noticed it was till working as bubbles were still prevalent (which I had thought they had stopped.) Today, green mold...yucky smell, etc. I do not understand why I cannot get this right.

Take them out. Wash one by one. Drain the liquid thoroughly fine mash, I use knee highs or fine cheesecloth. They might still be ok.

 

[Kathleen]

Thank you, @CharlieD.

 

[CharlieD]

In all the truth fermentation is a tough thing. One day pickles are not ready, next day they are overdone.
I made tomatoes this year. And I was watching them like a hawk. Cleaning them every day. And then when I thought they were almost ready. I thought they needed 2-3 more days.
I checked them Friday morning. Saturday evening they were too sour.
Frustrating

 

[Kathleen]

I will try, try, and try again.

 

[Kathleen]

So I checked on my latest try with tomatoes. It had a small amount of wispy film of the white mold on top which is easily removed. But then I spotted a few tiny clumps of green. Normal or not?

 

[blissful]

So I checked on my latest try with tomatoes. It had a small amount of wispy film of the white mold on top which is easily removed. But then I spotted a few tiny clumps of green. Normal or not?

Just take a spoon and scoop up the little bits of green. Wipe the edge of the container with some vinegar on a paper towel. Vinegar won't let mold grow. I often wipe down the sides of the inside of the container I use for fermenting with a paper towel with some vinegar on it.