Pickles--Cook-Off 32

[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. .

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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. .

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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?

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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/nchfp/how/can_06/watermelon_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 August 4, 2007 by StanSherman (log)

[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

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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?

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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. 

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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.

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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?

[annecros]

I'd keep it simple for peppers. Two parts vinegar to one part water and a tablespoon of salt, brought to a boil and poured over the peppers in the jar to overflowing, then capped and allowed to sit for a couple of weeks.

Traditional old southern condiment, and found on nearly every kitchen table in Georgia. Use the vinegar to dress greens of any sort, and eat the peppers.

[ruthcooks]

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.

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If you have no superfine sugar, just put some regular sugar in your food processor or blender and process a short time. You can do this anytime superfine is called for, not just in pickles.

[Jaymes]

I pickle garlic all the time.  I buy it in those big supermarket econo-tubs and pickle it just as I would my favourite dill pickle recipe.  It's bloody delicious.

Just found this thread, thanks to Annecros. Mr. Bueno, what do you do with your pickled garlic? Just eat it with crackers or something?

[kiliki]

This was the first year I've pickled and canned anything (I've done some fresh pickles before, but never canned). Everyone here seemed to like Joy of Pickling so I used that; I learned a ton from that book. But, I didn't love all her recipes, and I'm still looking for my perfect (cucumber) dill pickle recipe. So, if anyone's curious about the recipes in this book, here's my review:

Her spicy crock pickles got a big thumbs down, but that was the first (and last) time I used pickling spice--are there really people who like pickles that taste like cinnamon and cloves?? The Short Brined Dill and Really Quick Dill Pickles were okay but not great. The Pickled Baby Carrots with Dill were good, and I made them with purple carrots from my garden, which made for a gorgeous pickle. They were a fresh pickle and I wish I knew if it was okay to can them, but I couldn't find any guide for this. The Bread and Butters My Way were not good--by far the best B&B I've had was a recipe in the first issue of Cook's Country magazine, which appeared for free in my mailbox one day. Her half-sours are good--maybe not as good as the ones in the "Pickles" thread here, though. I've made the Fresh Tomatillos and the Jardiniere but they haven't brined long enough to try yet. The clear winner of the book is the Zydeco Green Beans. Those were great. I also did a batch of cucumbers with the same brine.

I'm also not super happy with the crispness of the picles using grape leaves as she recommends. Next year I'll try Pickle Crisp (calcium chloride).

If anyone has a fantastic dill recipe they can point me to, I'd appreciate it.

Here are some of the fruits of my labor: Zydeco beans, short brined, jardiniere, quick dill, bread and butter, and tomatillos.

Edited October 8, 2007 by kiliki (log)

[ChefCrash]

Pickled some Eggplant stuffed with Walnuts, Garlic and Pomegranates.

Here's how.