ol'momma Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Ok Cat... No need to Pounce. Here it is: Lola's Pickles - as quoted directly from her notes "1 qt vinegar (Lola used cider, but I've gotten good results with white) 3 qts cold water Bring to a boil. Allow to cool some, but keep it hot 2 Tbsp canning salt to each qt jar. 2 or 1 clove garlic to jar, if desired. Also may add green pepper if preferred. Sprig of dill, or 1 teas dill seed. Pack cucumbers into sterilized jars (always use FRESH from the garden) add salt, garlic and dill. Pour hot vinegar solution over cucumbers and seal. Small pinch alum may be added to crisp." Adding the salt to the jars instead of the brine is a bit unconventional but I haven't had any problems with it. These pickles are very like the Vlassic Kosher dills in flavor--great on hamburgers! The sooner you can get the cucs from the garden into the brine, the crisper the pickles will be. Link to comment
PoGo Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 Hey, thanks ol'momma! I was taught that when picking produce to can, one should have it processed within two hours of picking it, so the part about quickly getting the cucumbers in the brine makes sense to me. Mmmmm, dill pickles are my favorite. Link to comment
Violet Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 I don't want to have to say this, but I also do not want anyone getting botulism. Well, I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but this is an old recipe, based on vinegar that was much stronger than our current acidity vinegar. You need at least half vinegar (5 % acidity) to water ratio. In order to prevent botulism, you would need to make the brine half and half. Remember cucumbers are low acid vegetables and need enough added acid to make them safe to can. You also must have a boiling water bath processing for all foods to be stored on the shelf. Otherwise, this is called "open kettle" in which nothing has actually been done to preserve that food. You need to process to kill yeasts, molds, etc. Plus, just putting a lid on will not make a true vacuum seal, but only a weaker surface seal. Processing drives out the air of the jars, and allows the true vaccum to take place. Alum only works in a fully fermented pickle. It can actually make the fresh pack pickles more soft the longer they sit in the jars. Pickle Crisp, or calcium chloride will work. It is the safest thing to use for keeping pickles crisp. I do agree, using the freshest picked produce results in the best product. Link to comment
Canned Nerd Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 Did people actually add Alum to jars instead of brining with it? That doesn't sound too safe either. I'm with Violet on this recipe. Link to comment
Violet Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 Yes, they added alum to the jars of pickles. Link to comment
Cat Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 Thank you, Violet! Now, when I saw this, as an experienced canner: Pour hot vinegar solution over cucumbers and seal . I assumed it meant "seal by boiling water bath (since it's pickles) with the times shown in the Blue Ball book for similar pickles." That's not what it means? And so are you saying that if I would use 2 quarts of cider vinegar to 2 quarts of water and follow the rest of the directions, it's an acceptible recipe to use? Just trying to figure this out... Link to comment
Violet Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 Cat, Yes, it would be fine if you use equal parts of 5 % acidity vinegar and water. The old method was often just to get things hot, put on a lid and let seal. But, nothing was done to kill and bacteria, molds, etc. Everything is sealed up in that jar. Also, as I explained, it isn't a true vacuum seal. Needs to be canning and pickling salt, too. Link to comment
Cat Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 YUP on the canning & pickling salt... I learned that one a LONG time ago! THANK YOU! Link to comment
Crazy4Canning Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 Let us know how it works, Cat! Link to comment
ol'momma Posted June 12, 2009 Author Share Posted June 12, 2009 I don't want to have to say this, but I also do not want anyone getting botulism. Well, I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but this is an old recipe, based on vinegar that was much stronger than our current acidity vinegar. You need at least half vinegar (5 % acidity) to water ratio. In order to prevent botulism, you would need to make the brine half and half. Remember cucumbers are low acid vegetables and need enough added acid to make them safe to can. You also must have a boiling water bath processing for all foods to be stored on the shelf. Otherwise, this is called "open kettle" in which nothing has actually been done to preserve that food. You need to process to kill yeasts, molds, etc. Plus, just putting a lid on will not make a true vacuum seal, but only a weaker surface seal. Processing drives out the air of the jars, and allows the true vaccum to take place. Alum only works in a fully fermented pickle. It can actually make the fresh pack pickles more soft the longer they sit in the jars. Pickle Crisp, or calcium chloride will work. It is the safest thing to use for keeping pickles crisp. I do agree, using the freshest picked produce results in the best product. I told Cat that the recipe would likely cause a stir.... But I'm very glad to see your notes on it. Thank you. I'm suprised you didn't get the shivers from my original Lola's pickle story (in Pogo's Blue Book raffle thread). Just for the record here---I do process mine in a boiling water bath. Link to comment
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