Naturally fermented pickles

[blissful]

We went all out this last summer and made naturally fermented pickles-5 gallon pails of them. We are eating some of them now!

Some of them we put in their brine in gallon containers in the refrigerator. Those are the ones we are eating. There is a slight bloom on them, just like when they were fermenting. I washed off the bloom and they are just great!
We made tartar sauce and thousand island dressing too. Everyone liked it.

The ones I pasturized in jars haven't been opened yet. I'm nervous and yet looking forward to opening them to see how they turned out.

Anyone else enjoying their pickles this time of year?

 

[web-collage]

I pressure canned some bread and butter pickles. My father used to make pickles in crocks, also sourkraut. Did you put anything in the pickles to keep them crisp?

 

[blissful]

I made some saurkraut too in a crock, then pasturized them in a water bath in canning jars.

In the fermented batches of pickles, I only added salt, garlic, nothing to keep them crisp. Then pasturized in a water bath in jars for long term storage.

I don't know that you needed to pressure can bread and butter pickles...they only need a waterbath from what I understand. Maybe help me understand where you are coming from on this?

I've made water bath canned pickles (dill, sweet, relishes), and treated them with lime prior to cooking--then rinsing for 24 hours, to keep them crisp. Some people don't like that method, though, I do.

 

[buckytom]

i had no idea that pickles were a fermented food. i thought the brine was to prevent any type of growth like that.

i love pickled veggies. i could eat them everyday. and supposedly, fermented food is good for you.

i'll have to look in to this. thanks bliss!

 

[JMediger]

Sounds delicious Bliss! I only make refrigerator pickles. I think I'm going to give dills a chance this summer. I am slowly making up my nerve to try sauerkraut!

I know that here in WI (where you and I are), water bath canning is fine for acidic foods and pickles but I've heard that they can't in most parts of Colorado (where w-c is from) because of the altitude. Not sure if that's the case or not ...

 

[web-collage]

I'm at 7000' and water bath canning isn't a sure thing here, so I pressure can everything. I make tomato sauce, peach chutney and jams. But it would be nice to have some pickles.

 

[blissful]

I had no idea about the elevation--SORRY! You are both right.....and that is why a pressure canner in that situation makes sense.

Bucky, here is the University Extension info on pickles and saurkraut.
The saurkraut is SO much nicer, less sour, than store bought. I Love using it all winter.
Making Fermented Pickles and Sauerkraut

 

[CWS4322]

A friend of mine from Eastern Europe makes "21 day pickles." She's away right now, but I'll ask her for her recipe when she gets back.

 

[web-collage]

There is a good pickle thread here from last October with lots of advice and recipes. It had this link with excellent instructions for many kinds of pickles:

Making Fermented Pickles and Sauerkraut

 

[JMediger]

Blissful, that is an awesome link! What type of container do you do your kraut in, do you have a crock? I am totally inspired now - thank you!

 

[blissful]

JMediger, I considered buying a crock $30-99.......instead food grade 5 gallon buckets with lids were inexpensive, <$5 per bucket and $1 per lid, so I bought 10. I use them to store dry goods in addition to fermenting pickles and saurkraut.
They also make a good storage system for emergency water supplies if they aren't being used for anything else.
I bring veggies in from the garden in them too!

Good luck with the pickles, it's fun. (oops, kraut is even easier, no bloom) I did check them daily, clean the plate and brine in a gallon zip lock bag and any bloom on the top of the brine, and smell them to make sure they are good. For me it worked out best to ferment them next to the sink in the basement, the temperature was cooler, water supply right there.

 

[taxlady]

When I had a pressure canner, I canned everything in it. For some things, it's quicker, but the main thing: all the lids always sealed.

 

[Stewart]

I put mine in CURRY

 

[Josie1945]

I put mine in CURRY

Welcome to DC.

Josie

 

[Aunt Bea]

If you have small children around grow a pickle in a bottle.

Take a clean pint bottle into the garden and gently place a tiny, still attached cucumber inside. The cucumber will grow quickly because of the greenhouse effect. When it nearly fills the bottle snip the stem and fill the bottle with white vinegar and cap it. It is kind of like having a ship in a bottle.