175 replies to this topic

[lcdm]

Hi, I started my pickles on Saturday and have been checking everyday - there has been no scum that has floated to the top but the liquid has turned cloudy - it that OK, or should I worry?

[annecros]

Hi, I started my pickles on Saturday and have been checking everyday - there has been no scum that has floated to the top but the liquid has turned cloudy - it that OK, or should I worry?

What method and recipe are you using? Is this a fermented pickle?

As far as cloudiness is concerned, it can be caused by any number of things:

While fermenting, the brine might become cloudy due to lactic acid bacteria growth during the fermentation period. If you want a noncloudy appearance, a fresh brine can be used to pack the pickles when they are ready for processing.

In nonfermented pickles (fresh pack), it might indicate spoilage. Check the pickles for signs of off-odors and mushiness of the pickles. If these signs are absent, the pickles should be OK.

Did you use regular table salt? That may cause slight cloudiness because of anticaking agents and so forth, so try to use pickling and canning salt.

Hard water might also cause cloudiness. If soft water is not available, boil the hard water and let it sit undisturbed overnight, or just buy distilled if you are not doing a large quantity. Did you use garlic cloves, and did they turn green or blueish green? That is sometimes an indication that your water is hard, but some garlic just naturally has more pigment and you may get it anyway.

[lcdm]

Thanks, I'm making half sours (I guess they are fermented), I just had one and it tasted good, just needs a little more time.

[annecros]

Thanks, I'm making half sours (I guess they are fermented), I just had one and it tasted good, just needs a little more time.

Yep, traditional half sours are fermented pickles.

[annecros]

It is time to consider a Cook-Off for August.

Please, PM your suggestions to Chris (chrisamirault), Pam (Pam R), Susan (snowangel), Corinna (corinna dunne) or myself (annecros) - thanks.

Anne

[weinoo]

I put up two small "batches" of pickles yesterday. A fresh dill cucumber pickle on the left, (1:2 vinegar to water) and a green and yellow wax bean giardiniera experiment on the right. I blanched the beans on the right for 3 minutes, and they're in about a 2:1 vinegar to water ratio.

[Pam R]

Scored some pickling cukes yesterday, so I just made another batch. All I added was sliced garlic cloves, fresh dill, kosher salt and water. I'll let them sit on the counter for at least 3 days.

Question for those of you who do sours - what kind of water to salt ratio do you use? My last batch was way too salty, so I cut it back to 4 heaping tsp. of salt to 3 cups of water. Thoughts?

[Shelby]

Ok, so I'm a bit late on this, but my pickles just got done......


This is my pickling crock. I have no idea where the lid came from, but it fits so perfectly lol



When you take the lid off, you see the grape leaves that I put on the top of the cucumbers and on the bottom to keep them crunchy.



After the leaves are removed, here are the pickles in all their briney goodness





Here's after I drained the pickles, reserving the brine to can them in





This is my brand new canning pot. I had to replace my old one because it rusted out



I went and scrounged the last of my dill from the garden so I could put some fresh sprigs in the jars



And the finished pickles. The brine is a bit cloudy this time. I don't know why...but they'll still be yummy!

[annecros]

They look great Shelby! I think it's never too late to come to these parties! In fact, I have some peppers going that I should snap a pic of, I suppose.

How long did you leave them in the crock? I have several crocks around, but have so far only used them for decorative purposes

[Shelby]

They look great Shelby! I think it's never too late to come to these parties! In fact, I have some peppers going that I should snap a pic of, I suppose.

How long did you leave them in the crock? I have several crocks around, but have so far only used them for decorative purposes 

Oh good! I'm glad I wasn't resurrecting a "dead" thread lol.

I use a book called "The Joy of Pickling" by Linda Ziedrich http://www.canningpa...ofpickling.html

I love that book.

Anyway, I left them in for about 2 1/2 weeks. They started getting the "scum" on top about a week ago. When I checked Saturday, I could just tell they were ready to be canned up!

[Pam R]

For some of us, the pickling season hasn't even started. Locally, pickling cukes are just starting to arrive.

I was very happy with the last batch of pickles I made, which I finally tasted last night. They sat out on the counter for about 5 days before I tossed them in the fridge - but were only about 2/3's done. Good - crisp and garlicky, but I'm going to do another batch and play with the spices and leave them out for a little while longer.


Is anybody going to pickle watermelon for me? I'm very curious about it. .

[nonblonde007]

I am doing my first ever batch of pickles, going with the fresh pack. My question is this, in all of the recipes I have read to make these, it doesn't state if they should be left out of the fridge after sealing or kept in the fridge, so, where do I keep them, and for how long? Any help would be apreciated. Thanks

[StanSherman]

Is anybody going to pickle watermelon for me?  I'm very curious about it. .

We have 8 pints as a test run. We want them to sit for another couple of weeks before we do a bigger batch. How would I smuggle a jar up to you?

[Pam R]

Is anybody going to pickle watermelon for me?  I'm very curious about it. .

We have 8 pints as a test run. We want them to sit for another couple of weeks before we do a bigger batch. How would I smuggle a jar up to you?

That I don't know - but you could start by telling me what you did .. and a picture or two would be great!

[weinoo]

A couple of experiments:





On top, green and yellow string beans, along with kirby cukes, and on the bottom, baby beets. The beets were outstanding, and the beans were nice and snappy!

[StanSherman]

Pam,

The jars actually look bland so a photo won't do them justice. We used this recipe:

http://www.uga.edu/n...melon_rind.html

We have a bunch that will be ripe soon so we'll be doing another batch. Right now we are running the canners like an Amish family without the kids.

Edited by StanSherman, 04 August 2007 - 12:36 PM.

[annecros]

I am doing my first ever batch of pickles, going with the fresh pack.  My question is this, in all of the recipes I have read to make these, it doesn't state if they should be left out of the fridge after sealing or kept in the fridge, so, where do I keep them, and for how long?  Any help would be apreciated.  Thanks

Fresh pack go in the fridge. Give them a week, but two is better.

[nonblonde007]

Thank you Anne.

[viva]

So... I did a quick brined cucumber pickle last weekend. I’m late to post in the pickle game, but this is in fact the third set of pickles I’ve made for myself this summer. Here are the pickles in progress… just yer basic dill/garlic/salt/pepper.

Here's the issue: I usually leave these out on the counter for 2-3 days to get to the right level of saltiness, then stick them in the refrigerator. This week, I've been working like crazy and left them on the counter for (cough) 5 days. Yowza! They're still good, but a tad too salty for my taste. Is there any way to cut the saltiness?

[Bueno]

Viva, sugar will cut the saltiness. Add a tablespoon of superfine sugar (so it dissolves properly), shake vigorously. Try the following day. If still too salty, repeat.

[viva]

Thanks Bueno! I've got the sugar in there now...

[Bueno]

If you can't resist, go for it now -- as long as it was superfine sugar.

[viva]

I figured I needed to recover from the over-salted pickles, so here's a quick vinegar pickle of carrots, onions, and cucumber with oregano. I like this one on pork confit in a soft corn tortilla with hot sauce, as well as a sandwich filler along with turkey, mayo, and sriracha. There’s also my watermelon rind pickles on the left, sweet and salty with cinnamon and cloves.



And my favorite way to eat the watermelon rind pickles: straight out of the jar wrapped in proscuitto.

[Toliver]

Hi, I started my pickles on Saturday and have been checking everyday - there has been no scum that has floated to the top but the liquid has turned cloudy - it that OK, or should I worry?

Sorry this is such a late reply but I just read this information today.
I subscribe to the McCormick's (as in spices) email newsletter and they had tips on pickling summer veggies in this month's newsletter. One of their tips was to make sure you don't use iodized salt when pickling veggies as this can cause the pickling liquid to turn cloudy.
Do you think this could have been the cause of your cloudy pickling liquid?

[weinoo]

I like this one on pork confit in a soft corn tortilla with hot sauce, as well as a sandwich filler along with turkey, mayo, and sriracha. 

Ummm, yeah, well who wouldn't?

Your pickles look awesome, Viva!

[viva]

thanks. This thread inspired me to get off my butt and do pickles this year. I'm on my fifth patch of brined cucumber dills, and the watermelon rind and cucumber/onion/carrot pickles are quickly disappearing. The way I'm eating them, they won't last beyond summer... but that's all good.

[weinoo]

  thanks.  This thread inspired me to get off my butt and do pickles this year.  I'm on my fifth patch of brined cucumber dills, and the watermelon rind and cucumber/onion/carrot pickles are quickly disappearing.  The way I'm eating them, they won't last beyond summer... but that's all good.

Glad to hear you're pickling this summer - I've always got something pickle-licious going on, either on my counter or somewhere in the fridge. As a matter of fact, look what was lurking behind the Brita and milk last night!



My pickle-eatin' wife came into the kitchen in tears - she had eaten the red pepper and it was like 1,000,000 Scoville units!!

[Danielle Lauer]

This is my first summer pickling and I have been using a book called "The Joy of Pickling" by Linda Ziedrich.

One problem....I used the recipe for pickled jalapenos and forgot the olive oil....Ooops!

I researched on the Internet and discovered some recipes do not require olive oil so I am assuming that I am okay but does anyone know what olive oil contributes? taste? texture? depth?

[Chris Amirault]

I did a quick beet pickle tonight using Mark Bittman's recipe in How to Cook Everything. Easy as pie for this novice and pretty darned good.

[Chris Amirault]

Driving up from Jamestown today, I stopped and got some hot peppers at a farmstand, and I'm wondering about what I'd need to do to pickle 'em. Any thoughts on making powerful pickled peppers that this person previously picked?