Pickling is a long-time favorite in my family. While cucumbers are the most
popular pickled product, many other vegetables and fruits can be successfully pickled
at home.We also like pickled green tomatoes. You can make safe, high quality pickles if you remember to use high quality
ingredients.
There are two general types of pickles: fermented pickles, sometimes called crock pickles, and fresh-pack
quick-process pickles. Cucumbers can be fermented in a crock to produce genuine dill pickles. Fermenting
genuine dill pickles takes 3 to 4 weeks at 70�F.
The fermentation process allows bacteria to produce lactic
acid, which preserves the cucumbers and produces the characteristic color and texture of genuine dills.
Fresh pack
or quick process pickles are quick and easy to prepare. Vegetables or fruits are packed in jars, covered with a
hot vinegar solution and immediately heat processed.
Regardless of the type of pickle that you choose to make, always start with high quality ingredients. Discard
bruised, moldy or insect-damaged produce. If you are making cucumber pickles, use varieties that are
designed for pickling.
Wax-coated cucumbers bought from supermarkets or eating varieties sold at farm
markets are not suitable for making high quality pickles. For best quality, pickle fruits or vegetables within 24
hours of harvest, or refrigerate for no more than a few days.
Remove all blossoms from cucumbers and cut a
1/16-inch slice from the blossom end. The blossoms contain enzymes that can cause softening of the final
product.
Other ingredients that are important in preparing safe, high quality pickles are water, salt, and vinegar . Softened water is recommended for pickling to avoid the off-color or off-flavors that result from
using hard water.
Use commercial vinegar of five percent acidity, either white or cider vinegar as directed in the
recipe. Do not use homemade vinegar
Salt is
very important for pickle quality. Canning and pickling salt�pure granulated salt�is recommended for all kinds
of pickles. This salt is pure, without anticaking agents that will cloud the pickling solution and leave sediment
on the bottom of the jar. Never alter salt concentrations when making fermented pickles, as an unsafe or
spoiled product may result. In addition to these main ingredients, sugar, spices, garlic and dill may be added to
give special flavor and zest to pickle recipes.
You may remember your family soaking cucumbers in lime or alum before pickling. This is no longer
recommended and, indeed, it isn�t necessary if you use freshly picked cucumbers,and a up to date recipe.
Your pickles will turn out crisp and you won�t
need to add firming agents. For a quick and easy way to help ensure crisp pickles: soak cucumbers in ice
water for 4 to 5 hours before pickling.
Homemade Pickle Recipe
Quick-pack dill pickles
8 pounds pickling cucumbers, 3 to 5 inches long
2 gallons water
3/4 cups canning and pickling salt
Pickling solution:
1-1/2 quarts vinegar (5% acetic acid)
1/2 cup canning and pickling salt
1/4 cup sugar
2 quarts water
2 tbsp whole mixed pickling spice
3-4 tbsp whole mustard seed (1 tsp per pint jar)
10-12 fresh dill heads, washed (1-1/2 heads per pint jar), or 1 tbsp dill seed or dill weed per pint jar
1 or 2 garlic cloves per jar, peeled (optional)
1. Wash cucumbers carefully. Cut 1/16-inch slice off blossom end and discard, but leave 1/4-
inch stem attached.
2. Prepare brine by dissolving 3/4 cups salt in 2 gallons water. Pour over cucumbers, cover and
let stand 12 hours. Drain.
3. Prepare pickling solution of vinegar, 1/2 cup salt, sugar and 2 quarts water in a large
saucepan. Add mixed pickling spices tied in a clean cheesecloth bag. Heat to boiling.
Remove the spice bag.
4. Pack cucumbers into clean, hot pint or quart jars, leaving 1/2-inch head space. If desired, add
1 teaspoon mustard seed, 1-1/2 fresh dill heads and 1 or 2 garlic cloves per jar. Cover
cucumbers with hot pickling solution, leaving 1/2-inch head space. Remove bubbles with a
rubber spatula. Wipe jar rims clean with a damp cloth.
5. Cap jars with pretreated lids. Adjust lids and process.
6. Process jars in a boiling water canner: 15 minutes for pints, 20 minutes for quarts.
This isn't the exact recipe from my grandmothers cookbook but its very close.
Any recipe will do as long as you don't buy store bought cucumbers.The key to good pickles is using cucumbers that were grown for pickles and soaking them in cold water.
My dad likes the ones that you can let sit in the frig.
FRIGERATOR CUCUMBER PICKLES
7 med. unpeeled cucumbers thinly sliced
1 tbsp. pickling salt
2 med. onions thinly sliced
1 c. chopped green pepper
2 c. sugar
1 tbsp. celery seed
1 tbsp. mustard seed
2 c. vinegar or more to your taste.
In large bowl, mix cucumbers and salt; let stand 1/2 hour. Drain well and stir in onions and green pepper. In small bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Pour syrup over cucumber mixture; mix well. Store in covered container glass container or pack in quart jars, refrigerate several hours or up to 3 months. Makes about 3 quarts. I sometimes add cauliflower,carrots,or hot peppers,to the mixture for variety.You don't cook this.There are lots of ways to prepare the no cook pickles.
