Welcome to the world of pickling. Hopefully you'll find it isn't as scary (or difficult) as you fear.

I guess my first question would be if you've read any of the previous threads on pickling? Many beginners have posted previously with similar concerns. There's a wealth of information archived in previous threads, including safe recipes, especially the ones posted by Linda_Lou.

Now, to get to some of your other questions, many safe-tested pickle recipes do allow for a certain number of fresh garlic cloves. If you really like garlic and want a pronounced garlic flavor you can go beyond that by using dried garlic flakes, which will be more attractive than the powdered (which would cloud the brine) and are safe to use in any amount you like. The same is true of dried hot peppers, which add heat and zing.

I've never used dill weed or seed in pickles, but I know Linda_Lou has. She's posted previously on amounts per quart. Perhaps she'll come on and post or you can search "dill seed" or "dried dill" and the answer should come up.

This link from the NCHFP provides several pickle recipes. All are safe and tried-and-true.

The general pickling page on the same site also provides a tutorial on preparing cucumbers for pickling.

I hope this helps. There's nothing like homemade pickles.

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: NCHFP Cucumber Pickles Recipes

Kosher Dill (Heinz Recipe)This is for pint jars.

4 lbs pickling cukes
14 cloves garlic, peeled & split
1/4 cup pickling salt
2 3/4 cups distilled or apple cider vinegar 5% acidity
2 3/4 cups water
12 to 14 sprigs fresh dill weed (or 2 T. dried dill weed or dried dill seed per jar)
28 peppercorns

Wash cucumbers; remove 1/16 inch from blossom end, cut in half lengthwise. Combine garlic and next 3 ingredients; heat to boiling. Remove garlic and place 4 halves into each clean jar, then pack cucumbers, adding 2 sprigs of dill and 4 peppercorns. Pour hot vinegar solution over cucumbers to within 1/2 inch of top. Immediately adjust covers as jar manufacturer directs. Process 10 minutes in BWB. Makes 6-7 pints.
If you want hot pickles, add dried hot chilis to each jar.

You can add as many dried spices and herbs you want, so add some dried chili flakes or whole dried chilis to each jar. As you can see you can use fresh whole garlic cloves or the amount it says on the jar of the chopped garlic. I use whole garlic cloves. I do use dried dill seed or dill weed.

Lindalou,
thanks for posting the dill recipe and spice tips. I am collecting recipes/tips and am new to canning this yr.
Being new, I want to can most everything in pints until I get the experience.
Is there distilled white or apple cider vinegar that is NOT the 5% acidity?
I have always wanted to learn how to can. When I was a kid, my 2 grandmas canned a pickle that was cut into chunks, dark, kinda sweet, and they didn't have to soak them in a brine for days. Not bread and butter pickles. Any ideas?

Missy....WE can do this!!
Sherri

Thanks for the replies. I bought Kosher salt is that the same as pickling salt? Also, all of the recipes in the BBB call for the spices to be in a spice bag...is that necessary? I don't care what the brine looks like as long as it's tasty and safe :)

I bought Kosher salt is that the same as pickling salt?

No, sorry. The granules are very different and they measure very differently. Pickling and canning salt will say that on the label - "Canning & Pickling Salt".

all of the recipes in the BBB call for the spices to be in a spice bag

No all recipes stipulate that but it is usually recommended so that they can be easily removed prior to putting the food in the jar. It isn't a safety issue but over shelf storage time many spices strongly intensify, some to the point of ruining the food taste, so it is best to follow the recipe directions.

Is there distilled white or apple cider vinegar that is NOT the 5% acidity?

Yes, unfortunately there are discount and off-brand vinegars that are not 5%.

When I was a kid, my 2 grandmas canned a pickle that was cut into chunks, dark, kinda sweet, and they didn't have to soak them in a brine for days. Not bread and butter pickles. Any ideas?

Sorry but there are literally hundreds of pickle recipes so no way to know what theirs might have been or even if it was a safe recipe. However there are also hundreds of pickle recipes that do not require "soaking for days" too. ;) Suggest you check out all the pickle recipes at NCHFP and also the recipe for Linda Lou's Sweet Pickle Chunks here.

Anyone new to home food canning needs to explore all the info, guidelines, instructions, and recipes available at NCHFP. They are the recognized authority.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: NCHFP

Yes, some cheap vinegars are only 4 % as well as some vinegars like rice vinegars. Be sure you read the bottle of vinegar.
Kosher salt weighs different than pickling salt and will not be the same. If you can weigh the salt, then you are OK if you know what both of them should weigh. You should really get canning/pickling salt. Most kosher salt doesn't have anticaking agents like regular table salt does, but there is one brand, I am told, that does have some anticaking agent. You do not want that in the food as it can make foods softer, plus make the liquid cloudy. Then, do you know if the cloudiness is due to the wrong salt or spoilage ?
The spices may sit and make the food too strong later on if it calls for removing them. Ground spices will make the brine cloudy. I got a large mesh tea ball to put my spices in.
Sherri, I am not sure what recipe she would have used. The Linda Lou's sweet pickle chunks do take days to do, but they are really good ! They are dark and sweet as you describe.

The salt issue is frustrating. I've gotten alot of information from pickyourown .org as they seemed to know what they were talking about. They recommended kosher so I bought it. I will go to NCHFP now that I am aware of it and do more research there. Problem is that my cukes have already been in the fridge for 3 days and I know I need to can them soon if it's not already too late. This is my first year and I was not prepared for what to do when harvest time came. It will be better next year :)

When in doubt go to a reputable source. That is NCHFP or in book form - the Ball Blue Book. While some of the info listed on the other site you mentioned is ok, much of it is not accurate nor does it follow the current guidelines. That is true of many so-called canning sites and recipes on the web.

If you are interested you can always sign up for the free online canning course offered by NCHFP or contact your local county extension office for a schedule of classes.

Now, as to pickles - 3 days is awfully long already and you wouldn't be happy with the results. I would use them for something else - say grind them up for a relish. The best for pickles is of course a pickling variety, not a slicer-type, and they need to be pickled within 24 hours of picking or they go soft.

Dave

They are Boston Pickling cukes. Ouch...we don't eat relish. I did pick about 2 pounds just a few hours ago and about the same the day before yesterday. Maybe I'll take my chances as long as it's safe. I have no idea where to buy spice bags. I'm sure they're available online but as these things are popping up every other day my time is limited so I guess so are my options and I will try Linda's recipe :) Thanks so much for the advice. You will be hearing from me alot in the next few weeks. I will have about 100 tomatoes to figure what to do with soon lol.

Spice bags are easy - you can use cheese cloth or clean muslin cut into square, put in all spices, and tie in a knot or or use a tie wrap. Even easier is to use a coffee pot filter. Fold in the spices and staple it closed. Toss it in the pot.

Dave

Ahhh coffee filters I have plenty of. I'll pick up a stapler along with a candy thermometer (is this necessary?), peppercorns a few other things I am missing. Thanks!!

And Sherri yes we can do this!!! We will make mistakes but learn alot this year but next year will be much more fun and productive I think :)

Thanks for all the great information! YAY for coffee filters, my DH wont be drinking coffee for awhile so I can use them this summer. I love tips!

Missy, cukes are best picked in the a.m. from what I have read.

Lindalou, I will try your recipe probably next year after I learn alot. I saw it before and it sounded good (unless I have too many cukes this yr, I have never grown them before).
Can you use a ceramic type crock from a crock pot to soak them in?

Thanks,
Sherri

Diamond Crystal Kosher salt is OK to use for pickling, as it's a pure salt, as opposed to Morton Kosher salt, which isn't as it contains free-flow agents which cloud the brine and can affect taste.

If the salt is a flavoring agent (i.e in Annie's Salsa) then Diamond Crystal is fine to use becaue you're merely adding to taste.

Where Kosher Salt really becomes an issue is in brining or fermentation. Then you can still use Diamond Crystal, but you have to weigh it so the total weight is equivalent to that of Canning and Pickling Salt. It's not a huge issue, just something to be aware of. I prefer Canning and Pickling Salt because it's simpler but from time to time I've used Diamond Crystal with no problems.

Carol

Diamond Crystal Kosher is exactly what I have. So if Linda's recipe calls for 1/4 cup of pickling salt, do you know how much kosher I should use? I will be using it in brining and/or fermentation. I have a digital kitchen scale if that helps.

1 cup of canning and pickling salt weighs 220 grams or 7 3/4 ounces so you can figure an equivalent amount with other unadulterated salts.

1 cup of Diamond Crystal Kosher weighs 142 grams or 5 ounces.

In its Pickles and Relishes document Wisconsin Extension specifically mentions 1 1/2 cups of Diamond Crystal Kosher as an equivalent to 1 cup of Morton's Canning and Pickling Salt (though they also say weight is more precise).

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: Homemade Pickles and Relishes

Yes, you can use the ceramic insert from a crockpot, but I am not sure it is large enough. We always make a double batch and we use an unchipped enamel boiling water bath canner. Actually, we use 2. We alternate them. Put the cukes in one, boil the water in another. Then we put the cukes in the 2nd one the next day, wash out the one the cukes were in, and then boil the water in it... hope that makes sense.

I make spice bags. I sew them from muslin and then add kitchen twine cut to be ample to tie the tops shut with.
I have sold them before. I keep them on hand when making spaghetti sauce to hold my bayleaves in. Also for pickling spices. I just got the big tea ball and have not used it yet. My friend just bought it for me the other day. I had a small one but it did not hold enough. I really like the muslin bags since I can just toss them and not have to wash them.

I can weigh a 1/4 cup of pickling salt. Be right back.
It is 2.60 ounces on my scale.

The cheapest and best muslin bags I've seen I bought in bulk from an herb and tea supplier. I bought a large enough amount I probably won't have to buy again for a long, long time.

I don't know if Mountain Rose Herbs continue to offer the best value but this is the kind of thing I mean. (See link.)

Of course you can also go to a store and buy a package or two of white cotton hankies, bundle up and tie with kitchen string. Those can be washed and re-used and are very inexpensive.

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: Muslin Tea Bags

Ok I'm about to give this a try. Why am I so nervous lol? I bought pickling salt so I will use that up first and if needed later I will use the kosher with measurements given above (thank you!). Just a couple more questions:

1) Since they will be processed for 10 minutes should I presterilize the jars and lids or not?

2) Can Linda lou's recipe be used to different cuts like hamburger or spears or does it have to be halves? (couldn't find any wide mouth pints so smaller cuts would be easier for reg mouth pint jars)

3) What is the shelf life of the pickles in this recipe?

4) I also bought some pickling lime should I use that with this recipe or no?

I think I can get started after I get these answer lol. I should relax and enjoy this.

1. It's not necessary to pre-sterilize anything processed 10 minutes or more. Hot and clean is enough.

2. I would think other cuts would be OK, especially the spears. Just be sure not to overpack the jars. Especially with slices you could end up with too dense a mixture. Make extra pickling solution if needed; don't be stingy. Linda Lou may offer a different response.

3. Generally the shelf life of pickles is a year. If you're speaking food safety they can remain safe much longer than that (especially a sweet pickle), but the quality suffers. They soften and can become texturally unappealing. I think it's better to under-can and perhaps run out of pickles before the next batch is ready than to have an excess sitting on the shelves.

4. Don't use pickling lime except for those safe-tested recipes which specifically call for it. (There are still a few.) Pickling lime is a whole other world of pickling and there's no sense getting into it the first time around.

Good luck. Take a deep breath and get going on those pickles!

Carol

Thanks Carol!! Here we go! lol

The pickling lime is something I no longer recommend. It is so caustic, and must be rinsed off several times. Otherwise it can raise the ph so they will be unsafe. It can neutralize the acid. It just sank to the bottom of the soaking container when I tried it. Had to keep stirring.
You are better off with Pickle crisp by Ball. Just add to the jars or the brine. Same thing the commercial industry uses.
No need to boil the jars before filling if you process any food for 10 min. or longer.
Yes, you can cut them any way you want.
Best shelf life is a year, but I am eating some 3 years old and they are fine. It is not a safety issue, just can be a quality issue.

1) Since they will be processed for 10 minutes should I presterilize the jars and lids or not?

No, anything processed for 10 mins. or longer doesn't require pre-sterilized jars. And lids never get sterilized (or boiled) as it breaks down the sealing compound - just heated.

2) Can Linda lou's recipe be used to different cuts like hamburger or spears or does it have to be halves? (couldn't find any wide mouth pints so smaller cuts would be easier for reg mouth pint jars)

Can't answer that one for sure as size change will affect flavor. I'll leave that for Linda Lou to answer.

3) What is the shelf life of the pickles in this recipe?

All fully processed foods have essentially an unlimited shelf life depending on quality of storage and assuming no problems develop like failed seals etc. But 3-5 years is often noted as max due to discoloration and flavor changes.

4) I also bought some pickling lime should I use that with this recipe or no?

Is it called for in the recipe? No, so then you wouldn't use it, right? ;) Search pickling lime here and at NCHFP for details on its use and the associated hazards.

As a good general guideline, especially applicable to those new to canning:

When using an approved recipe, stick to the recipe.

Making modifications in the recipe often leads down the path to failed results and even safety risks. :)

Dave

All of my lids popped so I guess that's a good start! Thank you all sooo much!

I have an unrelated question. I'm growing hot banana peppers and noticed that a few of them have dark spots on them. Not at the stem but in the middle or at the tip. Does this mean they are bad or can I just cut the spot out and use the rest of the pepper?

Have you cut a pepper open to see what it looks like inside?
If the spot appears to be isolated and the seeds/membrane inside look crisp and healthy, I'd go ahead and use it (I have a VERY hard time wasting).
If the inside is brown, mushy, smells "off", I toss it in the compost!

Deanna

I haven't picked them yet. Not having any experience I have a hard time knowing if they're ripe or not. From the outside the rest looks great. I plan to make pickled pepper rings with them. That is what the hot pepper rings at the stores are right, pickled? Can I mix a few rings in with pickled cukes to make them spicier?

I'm very sad to report that my 6 pints of pickles are terrible. Maybe next time I'll listen when told not to pickle cukes that are 4-5 days old. They were so mushy that I could barely touch them. They didn't taste so good either. Could over cooking them also make them mushy and tasteless or was it just the fact that they were picked so long before canning? I didn't realize that you had to put the lid on in order to get to the rolling boil and the jars were in the canner for about 10 minutes before I put the lid on and timed them for another 10.

This was so heartbreaking that I considered giving up but I think I want to give it another try. The problem is that the cukes won't ripen according to my work schedule lol. How do you get around that? Any other ideas on what could have gone wrong or were those 2 factors enough?

I'd guess the age was the principal factor. Cucumbers have such a high water content they become unsuitable for canning very quickly.

Two other factors are not trimming off the blossoming end (which contains softening enzymes) and over-scrubbing the cucumbers which damages the skin and can allow spoilage organisms to enter. Cucumbers need to be washed very gently.

Overcooking might soften the pickles a bit, but not to the degree you mention. The bad flavor and downright mushiness tells me they were spoiled and excessive cooking just won't do that.

I'm glad you're not giving up. It is a learning curve. One reason I buy cucumbers from a local grower is I can get a large amount picked in the morning and process everything that day. Unless you have a very large garden, that can be hard to manage with your own cukes.

Carol

i WANT TO KNOW I JUST ATE THE LAST SOUR PICKLE - IF I PUT CUCUMBERS BACK INTO THE OLD PICKLE JAR AND TOP IT OFF WITH A LITTLE VINAGAR TO COVER WILL THEY BECOME REFRIGERATOR PICKLES ON A FEW DAYS

It looks like your caps lock got stuck.

Don't re-use pickling liquid. Juice leaches out of the cucumber pickles originally in the brine and over time it can become less acid. Adding fresh cucumbers to used brine raises the pH even further. There's no way to know just how much vinegar you would have to add to make that pickling liquid safe.

Pickling brine is cheap. It's better to make it fresh.

Carol

would it be insafe to eat them i put6 small cucumbers in the old brine on tuesday its only been about 4 days now.
if safe they could be gone today - i cant stop at just one

would it be insafe to eat them i put6 small cucumbers in the old brine on tuesday its only been about 4 days now.
if safe they could be gone today - i cant stop at just one

That is your choice. While it isn't recommended and it would be real easy to make up fresh brine for them as Carol suggested, the risk after 4 days is probably minimal. I wouldn't think they would have much flavor though so I would just pitch it all if you don't want to make fresh brine.

Dave

I am new to this site and have a question about canning pickles. I have made bread and butter pickles before and when doing this batch I didnt have enough liquid to meet the specified headspace of 1/4 inch. I made a new batch of the liquid, reducing all ingredients by 1/3, because I really didnt need that much. Then I topped off the jars that were in need of a bit more liquid and proceeded to process according to the recipe. Is this ok when canning as long as all of the ingredients are proportionate? What are you supposed to do if you dont have enough liquid when pickling?

That is fine. Many recipes seem to require more brine than originally called for so as long as you keep the ingredients in proportion, and assuming you used a safe recipe to begin with, your pickles are fine.

Dave

PS: and welcome to our forum too!! :)

Hi y'all,

I am newish to canning, and just put up one jar of okra and one of carrots, in different brines. I used 5% distilled vinegar, and canned them in a water bath. I did all this yesterday, and in my ignorance, opened them today to try them. Whoa! Kinda knocked me off my feet with their intense vinegar punch! I asked my Facebook friends, and a canner friend told me what I have now read all over the place, that you are supposed to age them at least a few weeks. What I can't find the answer to is this: Do I need to re-can them in a water bath, or will they mellow after the seal has been broken? Anyone know?

Thanks gardening/cooking/canning friends!

Laura

Here is a link that might be useful: Junebug Soup

supposed to age them at least a few weeks. What I can't find the answer to is this: Do I need to re-can them in a water bath, or will they mellow after the seal has been broken? Anyone know?

Assuming you used one of the approved canning recipes for making these and assuming they have sufficient vinegar in them (more vinegar than water) and assuming they were properly processed the first time then yes, you could re-can them in a water bath if, and only if it has been less than 24 hours since they were opened.

However re-processing them will affect the quality substantially so is not recommended. Rather refrigerate the jars for a couple of weeks. Normally 4-6 weeks is recommended prior to opening pickled products.

I also suggest some further research into safe canning practices before jumping in the deep end. :)

Dave