Pickles--Cook-Off 32

[Paul Bacino]

Black Diamond Watermelons are very fine in the Midwest-- So After eating one I made some pickles

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/WATERMELON-RIND-PICKLES-5643

Black Diamond Watermelon Rind Pickles:

[Hassouni]

I made a batch of Lebanese pickled turnips (kabis al-lift), more or less following the ratios from this post: http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2012/09/pickled-turnips-turnip-recipe/ (although I didn't slice the garlic)

 

A few thoughts: 

 

1. not sour enough, needs more vinegar to water.

2. 3 cloves of garlic is way too much

 

Also, the best examples of these pickles are really crunchy, whereas mine are not soggy or anything but don't have that snap and bite. I left mine at room temp for about 7-8 days (lost track of time) - could that be why? They're in the fridge now, but would putting them in the fridge sooner have made a difference?

[Shelby]

BUMP!

 

Anyone pickling yet?  I have enough to start a small crock full.  I'm kicking myself, though.  Last year my husband loved the ones I made (seems like every year I do something different) and I didn't write down what I did   .  Sigh.

 

[Anna N]

Hi Shelby

I am doing some Asian pickles over here.

http://forums.egullet.org/topic/148837-manitoulin-test-kitchen/

But I think you already know that.

[mkayahara]

Also, the best examples of these pickles are really crunchy, whereas mine are not soggy or anything but don't have that snap and bite. I left mine at room temp for about 7-8 days (lost track of time) - could that be why? They're in the fridge now, but would putting them in the fridge sooner have made a difference?

Yeah, you're not going to get really crunchy pickles out of turnips that've been left around to dry out for a week at room temperature. This is even more true if they have their leaves. Putting them in the crisper of your fridge (or, barring that, elsewhere in your fridge but well wrapped) would help, but you'd be better off still making them as soon as possible after you buy them.

Edit: That's what I get for not reading the recipe carefully before posting. A week sounds to me like a slightly long time to brine at room temp if you're looking for super crunchy, unless you add calcium chloride or a similar crisping agent to the brine. When you say the "best examples" are really crunchy, are you talking about commercially produced versions, or homemade pickles that you've tried?

Edited July 7, 2014 by mkayahara (log)

[Shelby]

New batch of pickles in the crock

 

 

 

 

 

 

[heidih]

Shelby - what are the leaves on top - to me they look like grape but maybe wet cuke?

[Shelby]

Shelby - what are the leaves on top - to me they look like grape but maybe wet cuke?

Grape leaves go on the bottom of the crock and on the very top to help them stay crisp.  The leaves came from the south end of our property.

[huiray]

Of late I like to make a version of kyuri asa-zuke.  I like to use the shorter Japanese cucumbers (like these) rather than the longer ones, but that's more for convenience than anything else.  I seldom use other cucumbers for this. 

 

They get cut into thickish rounds or into chunky batons, salted & left alone for a bit, rinsed under the tap in a colander and left to drip off for a short while.  They get dumped into a gallon-sized ziplock bag, washed scallions trimmed into 1-2 inch lengths (the white parts lightly crushed) and generous toasted sesame seeds added; then a decent rice vinegar (sometimes I use two or more types) either Chinese or Japanese poured in to almost cover the stuff in the bag, then sugar and/or mirin^¶ plus sea salt added in, adjusting quantities as desired (I don't really measure; I just pour in as I judge adequate, tasting as needed), slosh everything around, squeeze the air largely out and zip the bag close.  Of late I've double-bagged. ;-)  Shaking the bag done as thought needed.  Into the fridge.  (In winter I've even simply left them in the cold garage)

 

Typically I'll make a batch with 10-12 cucumbers.  They never last long.  :-)

 

Sometimes I'll add in some form of wakame.  The last batch had a good dose of wasabi fumi furikake dumped in. :-D

 

^¶ Sometimes mirin-fuu, sometimes jozo-mirin, sometimes hon-mirin; or mixtures of them.  In the current batch (pictured here) I used white sugar plus some jozo-mirin plus some hon-mirin.

 

 

[Shelby]

Fridge spicy dill pickles.  Should be ready to munch on in a week.

 

[weinoo]

 

Left to right:  

 

Dilly string beans

 

Spicy dill cucumbers

 

Turnips and beets

 

Test batch fridge pickles. 

[weinoo]

Grape leaves go on the bottom of the crock and on the very top to help them stay crisp.  The leaves came from the south end of our property.

Shelby - how long does the fermentation last, or do you just leave them in the crock and they get more sour as time goes by?

[Shelby]

Shelby - how long does the fermentation last, or do you just leave them in the crock and they get more sour as time goes by?

You let them ferment for two to three weeks.  They are done when they stop bubbling and are sour and olive green.

[weinoo]

So you're going for, what we would call in the Jewish deli world, full sours?

 

Then do you refrigerate to slow the fermentation?

[Shelby]

So you're going for, what we would call in the Jewish deli world, full sours?

 

Then do you refrigerate to slow the fermentation?

Yes, definitely full sours in this house.  And yes, they will go in the fridge.

 

After they are done fermenting you strain out the leaves and spices, reserving the pickles and brine.  Rinse the pickles in cold water and pat them dry. Then you bring the brine to a boil.  Let it simmer for 5 minutes or so skimming off any scum.  If you want to put them in the fridge now, you can (after the brine has cooled).  I add fresh dill, garlic and dried whole chili to the jar also.  They say they keep for six months but I've kept mine for over that amount of time with no problems.  Or, you can them--after they've been canned and cooled I put them in the fridge also--keeps them crisper IMO.

[Panosmex]

I will join in, although my digi cam isn't hooked up and uncompatible with this particular computer.

I don't know what I will make, but I'm sure I'll try my hand at some sort of japanese or korean pickle. I won't be able to start till this weekend though.

Yesterday I did something incredibly lazy. I had leftover brine from bread & butter pickles so I tossed in some baby carrots...yes I know that I'm lazy and awful

 

I just sliced up a dozen or so Persian Cucumbers and poured excess bread 'n butter pickle juice over them. It's today's salad. (There were a few other seasonings; salt, sugar, white onion, and sweet pepper dice.)

[Shelby]

Crock pickles (full sours) are done!  No pics of the jars--I've posted them before upthread.  I immediately started a new batch.  These turned out really well.  I think they are the best I've ever made.  Sometimes I get a little heavy-handed with the spices, but I've found the perfect balance now, I think.

 

[weinoo]

They look like something I would get at Katz's - and, as Martha would say, that's a good thing!

[Shelby]

Fridge spicy dill pickles.  Should be ready to munch on in a week.

 

photo.JPG

Here is the recipe for the Quickles It makes roughly one quart jar.  Easily doubled or tripled or quadrupled or.....well, you catch my drift. You can either slice the cucumbers length-wise or in rounds.  I prefer rounds because I think they pickle quicker, but that could just be in my head

 

2 mason jars and a lid and screw band

4-5 pickling cucumbers or heck regular cukes that are smallish in size work well too--I used both I think

3-4 peeled garlic cloves, sliced in halves

Fresh dill --I put a lot in...like 10 or so sprigs

1 TB pickling spice

3-4 whole dried red chili peppers

1TB sugar

1 1/2 TB pickling salt

2/3 cup white vinegar (I've also used cider with no problem--I actually kind of prefer it)

1 cup water

 

In a mason jar combine pickling spice, salt, sugar and vinegar.  Put the lid on and shake well.  Add the water. In the other mason jar pack the dill, cukes, garlic and chili peppers in.  I like to layer them so the dill is on the bottom and then some throughout.  Pour the brine over and screw the lid on tight.  Place it in the fridge and try to stay out of it for a week.  I've kept mine for a year in there with no problems.

[BeeZee]

I made pickled celery. Farmers Market celery had thin, stringy/tough stalks and I realized I wasn't going to eat it, it was starting to go limp after a week. Makes nice pickles, good for a Bloody Mary garnish. Basic recipe found online with white vinegar/water mix simmered with salt/sugar/mustard seed/whole cloves/bay leaves/black pepper.

[Shelby]

I made pickled celery. Farmers Market celery had thin, stringy/tough stalks and I realized I wasn't going to eat it, it was starting to go limp after a week. Makes nice pickles, good for a Bloody Mary garnish. Basic recipe found online with white vinegar/water mix simmered with salt/sugar/mustard seed/whole cloves/bay leaves/black pepper.

Wow, it's never crossed my mind to pickle celery.  What a great idea!  Did you can them or go the fridge route?

[BeeZee]

Shelby, they are fridge pickles, 24 hour marinade. Other good uses for them are chopped up and mixed into tuna (or other) salad, dipper for hummous.

[Shelby]

Getting ready to put up another batch of full sours.  This should make a total of around 15 quarts that I have.  Got enough cucumbers to make another batch, but I can't start it tonight because my husband isn't home and the grape leaves are smack in the middle of a bunch of poison ivy.  Shelby and poison ivy are a baaaaaaaaad combo.  Sooooo, this may be the last of the crock pickles for this year. We'll see.

 

 

Aren't the little baby pickles cute?  They are my favorite size.

[rotuts]

there is a spray for the P.Ivy.  Ive used it.  well worth it.

 

even kills the roots.

[Anna N]

Today I made the pickled mushrooms from Bar Tartine. You can find the recipe on Serious Eats. These are seriously good and would make a great offering on the holiday appetizer/snack table. I used tiny button mushrooms. I had to hustle them into the refrigerator before I ate them all!