PDA

View Full Version : My First Batch Of Pickles



crashdive123
07-22-2008, 07:54 PM
Made my first ever batch of pickles (dill) yesterday. Turned out yummy. Here’s the recipe I used. Yields 6 pints of pickles.

About 30 pickling cucumbers
3 cups water
3 cups white vinegar
6 Table spoons kosher salt
Fresh dill
Fresh garlic
Dill seed
Mustard seed

Cut off blossom end of cucumber then quarter lengthwise. Combine water, vinegar, salt – bring to a boil. Prepare jars (follow handling for hot water bath). In each jar put in fresh dill, ¼ tsp dill seed, ½ tbs mustard seed, 2 cloves garlic (sliced). Stuff the jars snuggly, leaving about ½ inch of headspace. Pour the brine into the jars, leaving about ¼ inch headspace. Apply lids, rings, place in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Tastes great. I’m gonna try some spicy bread & butter pickles and some mustard pickles real soon.

TrappinGal
07-22-2008, 07:57 PM
the longer theyre canned the better theyll taste too.

youll have to bring some on the campin trip,lol.

Rick
07-22-2008, 07:57 PM
Your recipe could not have been more timely. I ordered a pressure canner this afternoon. My cucumbers and peppers are starting to produce so I'm going to be canning in a couple of weeks! Thanks!!!!

nell67
07-22-2008, 08:15 PM
Iv'e been canning pickle for a couple of weeks now,they won't stop growing! have finally started giving them away :cool:

skunkkiller
07-24-2008, 01:23 PM
would like the ricipe for mustard pickles if you have one . thanks...

jrock24
07-24-2008, 06:33 PM
How long did you leave them in for?

crashdive123
07-24-2008, 06:56 PM
How long did you leave them in for?

In what, the hot water bath? Ten minutes after it came to a boil if that's what you're asking.

crashdive123
07-24-2008, 07:13 PM
would like the ricipe for mustard pickles if you have one . thanks...

Here’s the one I’m going to try. It’s from Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving. I haven’t tried it yet, so can’t give you a review.

Chunky Mustard Pickles

Makes about seven pints

14 cups cubed, seeded, peeled pickling or field cucumbers
6 cups finely chopped onions
¼ cup pickling salt
3 cups granulated sugar
4 tbsp Clearjel (a cooking starch that is acceptable for home canning)
¼ cup dry mustard
1tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground turmeric
½ cup water
2 cups white vinegar
1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1. In a large glass or stainless steel bowl, combine cucumbers and onions. Sprinkle with pickling salt, cover and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Transfer to a colander placed over a sink and drain thoroughly.
2. Meanwhile, prepare canner, jars and lids.
3. In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine sugar, ClearJel, mustard, ginger and turmeric. Stir well. Gradually blend in water. Add vinegar and red pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently to dissolve sugar and prevent lumps from forming. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Add drained cucumber mixture and return to a boil.
4. Ladle cucumber mixture into hot jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, bay adding hot cucumber mixture. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip-tight.
5. Place jars in canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for 10 minutes. Remove canner lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars, cool and store.

jrock24
07-25-2008, 11:29 AM
No, I meant once your done with the 10 min bath, do you eat them or leave them in the jar for some time (week, days ??) ?

crashdive123
07-25-2008, 04:00 PM
Got it. Opened the first jar that night after chilling in the fridge just to see how they turned out. They will keep for at least a year in the un-opened jar. After you open it, just refridgerate - should keep for several months.

Rick
07-25-2008, 05:21 PM
My pressure canner arrived today! I'm going through the preflight checks now.

crashdive123
07-25-2008, 07:52 PM
Let us know how it works out. I know many on here have talked about primative skills as a way to remember the past and to make sure it gets passed along to the next generation. I remember as a kid my mom would always be "cooking with pressure". I guess it was just something that everybody did.

Rick
07-26-2008, 08:23 AM
This is brand new to me. My mom always used the hot water bath (I think that's what they call it) for veggies. My sweet banana peppers are starting to come on and I've been freezing green beans for a couple of weeks now so I'm looking forward to this. My cucumbers are just the right size to start pickling!!

crashdive123
07-26-2008, 08:26 AM
I don't ever remember my mom doing any canning. She might have, I just don't remember. My grandmother did quite a bit. I recall mom cooking things like a pot roast or corned beef in it. Reduces the cooking time quite a bit I guess.

Rick
07-26-2008, 10:25 PM
Did the same today. My first ever and it was a learning experience. I hot packed 3 quarts and cold packed 2 quarts. The seals look good and seem to be holding. So far so good. 1. Buy a set of jar tongs. Don't ask just do it. 2. Never, ever, release the claps on a pressure canner even if you are just using it for a hot water bath. If you do, you will get one. Yeah, I know it says that in the manual but some things you just have to learn the hard way.

crashdive123
07-26-2008, 10:27 PM
This is the little kit I bought with tongs and other things to make it a bit easier. http://www.amazon.com/Back-Basics-Home-Canning-Kit/dp/B0002BF1WY/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1217125605&sr=8-1

Rick
07-26-2008, 10:33 PM
I had enough cucumbers in the garden to turn out five quarts so I went ahead and canned them. I messed up on the first batch of pickle spices that's why I wound up with 2 quarts cold packed. The pressure canner worked like a charm. Now if I can get the cook to work that way I'll have it made.

Gotta get that kit!

nell67
07-27-2008, 07:09 AM
Walmart used to carry that canning kit,I bought one a few years ago,but it kinda went up with the house,went back to walmart to get another one,and they dont carry the kit anymore,went to several stores and none had them,I did get the jar funnel,and a pair of cheap tongs to start canning with,the cheap tongs don't work very well for hot jars,so I guess I will order that kit,since I have not found the jar tongs anywhere.

Rick
07-27-2008, 08:39 AM
For those of you that can regularly, a question. The recipe for pickles that I used said for crispier pickles you should soak the cut cucumbers in ice water for 4 hours. How on earth do you calculate the number of jars you need to sterilize for the number of sliced cucumbers ...or... vice versa.

I could sterilize 10 jars and then cut up enough cucumbers to fill them. No problem. But I couldn't think of a way to match the number of cut cucumbers to jars.

What's the secret?

Tips and tricks would also be appreciated!

crashdive123
07-27-2008, 08:53 AM
As you know, I'm new to canning - but asked a similar question in the class I took. The answer I got was - once you have everything cut, put it in your jars, then remove them to soak. Always cut a little extra after you do this if you want to pack the jars tight - after the brine is added you can probably fit more into the jar. While the cukes are soaking just wash the jars again.

nell67
07-27-2008, 09:02 AM
I keep 2 pots of water on when I am doing pickles,one for sterilizing,and one for the hot bath after the jars are filled,last year I kind of cheated,when I had a dishwasher,I just put the jars in the dishwasher and ran it while I was preparing the cucumbers,then at the end of the cycle,they were clean and sterile,so I just filed them added the brine,and put them in the hot bath,worked out very well.


I have 12 cucumber plants,and have way more than I am going to use,so I am putting them in baskets at the road with a free sign on them.

crashdive123
07-27-2008, 09:04 AM
I'll be right up.

Rick
07-27-2008, 09:04 AM
Just so I'm with you. Fill the jars so you know how much is needed. Then empty the jars, and place the cukes in ice water. While they soak you can sterilize the jars? See? I knew it was so simple.

Rick
07-27-2008, 07:32 PM
I open one of the jars of pickles I cold packed and it was pretty good. My wife says I'll make someone a good wife one of these days.:mad: