Any Advice on Pickling Cucumbers?

[NoTrespassing]

Hey All,

My wife and I are going to start pickling a couple batches of cucumbers today. This will be our first attempt. We're borrowing a couple of 5 gallon crocks from my mother. She hasn't pickled in a long time and has had some success and some failures in the past. She gave us a couple of recipes for sweet pickles that we're going to try.

Does anyone have any secrets to pickling they'd like to share?

We also plan on canning beets and tomatoes later in the season.

Thanks,

Kevin & Jena

 

[sam5570]

the biggest problem we have had is cooking them to long. you don't know you have done it till you open them later and there mushey.

 

[Clint S]

I tried last year and goofed up bit and added too much salt to the mix. My 95 year old grandmother tried to tell me her recipe and she got cups and quarts mixed up. Here is hers. 1 Qt. Vinegar. 3 Qt痴 water. 1 C Salt. (This recipe is solution for 6 or 7 quarts.
1 pinch of alum (that痴 what grandma said.) but it equates to about 1/8 tsp. of alum. At least one dill flower head and a bunch of stems and pieces. It looks like weeds in there but it痴 okay.
Boil up the brine in one pot and put the jars in the canner with just a little water in it and let the steam come up around them and get them hot. Fill the hot jars with the brine and hand tight the lid. That's it, do not process it makes the pickles soft. The jars will seal.

You can add garlic, or other spice, some people add a grape leaf too

 

[randy41]

you could ferment them instead of adding vinegar. plenty of info on the web about this.

 

[stuckmotor]

I recommend you watch the episode of, The Andy Griffith Show, called the pickle story. It probably won't help your pickles but, it's a lot of fun.

 

[NoTrespassing]

I've seen that episode many times. It's a classic. I hope we have better luck than Aunt Bea.

Kevin

 

[stuckmotor]

If the pickles don't turn out, you might have to implement, Operation Pickle Switch.

 

[Depmandog]

Not sure how she makes them, but my "pickle lady" makes a sweet / hot pickle that is to die for. I usually order about 10 quarts at a time. I think I am on my last quart....time to put in my order - YUM. Thanks for posting!!

 

[RSKY]

Go to Wal-Mart and get a bag of Mrs Wages Pickling Lime. Follow the directions on the bag and you will have great sweet lime pickles. We have put up twenty two quarts and two pints in three fixings.

For hot pickles, on the last step boil hot peppers in vinegar and put a cup of the juice and one pepper in each jar as you fill it with pickles.

Just be sure to ALWAYS wipe the lip of the jar before putting the lid on and leave at least a half inch of air space between the liquid and lid.

 

[dmccarty]

Go to Wal-Mart and get a bag of Mrs Wages Pickling Lime. Follow the directions on the bag and you will have great sweet lime pickles.

Yes, use the lime since it makes the cukes crisp.

There are plenty of recipes on the internet, Canning Recipes | Home Canning Recipes | Ball Jars and what I have used, National Center for Home Food Preservation. Years ago, I downloaded the instructions, printed them out and put them in a binder.

Later,
Dan