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| Sorry to start a new thread about a subject which has been covered multiple times in the past, but I did a search, and could not find an answer to my question. I have a batch of cucumbers that I'd like to ferment. They are reasonably fresh, but larger than ideal. (We were given these cukes, and I'd rather not let them go to waste!) Can the cucumbers be halved or quartered before packing for fermentation? Or does this allow too much water to dilute the brine? Thanks in advance. I've been making sauerkraut now for a while, but haven't tried my hand at fermented dills since I helped my parents make them as a child. |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| I wouldn't use whole or halves if too big but they can be quartered or cut into chunks. But without knowing exactly how big they are it is hard to tell what would be the best cut for them. Even thick slices should work. As long as you follow tested instructions and use the proper amount of salt for the weight of the cukes you should have no safety issues. But do keep in mind that both older or extra large cukes tend to produce less-than-ideal softer quality pickles. Dave |
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| Thanks, Dave. Of course, after I posted, I found an old thread that covered the subject. :-/ The cucumbers were too big to leave whole (bigger than those big "jumbo" deli dills", but not baseball bats. When cut in half, lengthwise, they seemed to be about the ideal thickness. And they were not just-off-the-vine fresh, but actually were still very crisp, with good flavor. I used NCHFP's recipe, so yes, it is a tested and approved ratio of salt, etc. LOL, I've already warned the family that we may end up with buckets of mush, but hey, it's worth a try! (I ended up with 2 5-gallon buckets, both about 3/4 full...lots of pickles to can if they turn out, and lots of mush if they don't!) Thanks for your help! |
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| Thought I'd give a little follow-up on my question. A few of the larger pickles got mushy, but most turned out very well, with great flavor, and decent texture. I canned them yesterday....14 quarts and 4 pints. DS loves dills...guess he will have plenty of them now! |
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