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| Over 20 yrs ago, I used a pkg dill pickle mix by the name of Pilgrim Farm. They were the best pickles. When I couldn't find the mix any longer, I tried Mrs. Wage's and they turned out so bad, I swore I wouldn't use it again. Now, I am getting back into canning and I have seen Ball dill pickle mix and Mrs. Wages'. Has Mrs. Wage's improved over the years? Mrs. Wages' pickles did not stay crisp as the Pilgrim Farm's did. Has anyone tried the Ball mix? Is Ball mix any good? I am not too keen in trying Mrs. Wages' again. TIA! |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| First, why do you feel you need to use a mix? There are many excellent pickle recipes available that don't require using one of the packaged mixes and I think it is safe to say that most folks don't use them. Second, is it the flavor or the lack of crispness you don't like? I can't say if the mixes have improved or not as I have always found Mrs. Wages to be good flavor-wise and we personally prefer it over the Ball mix when and if we use a packaged mix. But crispness is a whole other issue with different causes and solutions unrelated to the mix itself. Crispness is related to the type, quality, and the freshness of cucumbers used and the type of processing done. You'll find many discussions here about that. You can also add Pickle Crisp to increase crispness a bit more. Dave |
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| I agree, why buy a mix ? They are so easy to make. |
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| The mix is no more than salt and spices and most likely a firming agent. 1 gallon cucumbers If you don't hot process these, they must be kept in the refriderator and are best after 3 weeks. |
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| Will - What is the source of that recipe? It wouldn't be considered safe by current standards. It has way too much water for the amount of vinegar. With the exception of a couple of tested and approved recipes, 1:1 water to vinegar (equal amounts of both) is the current minimum. Dave |
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