PICKLED FOODS

Since biblical times, home canners have enjoyed the art of pickles. It is one of the oldest known methods of preserving food. Most folks think of cucumbers being pickles, but any fruit, vegetable or meat preserved in vinegar or brine is pickled. There are unlimited varieties and endless uses of pickled foods. The zesty flavors enhance everything and make any meal special.

Getting Started

Pickled products are generally grouped into 5 classes.

1) Brined Pickles-Brined or fermented pickles are made from vegetables, usually cucumbers, are submerged in a salt brine solution to ferment ot cure for about 6 weeks. Dilled cucumbers and sauerkraut belong in this group; green tomatoes may also be brined. Dill, garlic and other herbs and spices are often added to the pickling solution for flavoring.

2) Fresh Pack Pickles-Sometimes fresh pack pickles are canned in a spicy vinegar solution without brining, but frequently they are brined for several hours to overnight. Whole cucumber dills, sweet gherkins and dilled green beans are amoung the products that may be prepared using this method. Fresh pack dill pickles are processed the same as brined pickles.

3) Relishes-Relishes are prepared using chopped fruits and/or vegetables cooked in a spicy vinegar solution. Sometimes sugar is added if a sweet relish is desired. Often hot peppers or other spices are added for a hot relish. Relishes include Piccalilli, Pepper-Onion Relish and Corn Relish.

4) Fruit Pickles-Fruit pickles are usually prepared from whole fruits and simmered in a spicy, sweet-sour syrup. Pears, peaches and watermelon rind are amoung the products prepared in this manner.

5) Chutneys and Sauces-Both of these categories are a combination of vegetables and/or fruits, spices and vinegar cooked for long periods to develope flavor and texture. Chutneys are highly spiced and have a sweet-sour blending of flavors. Sauces range from hot to mild. Apple Chutney, Peach or Pear Chutney, Catsup, Chili Sauce and Red Hot Sauce are just a few included in the pickling family.

PREPARATION

Pickling is one area of canning where it is essential to have top-quality ingredients and to follow proper procedures to achieve satisfactory results. The ingredients and procedures may be right; but, if the correct proportions of sugar, salt, vinegar and spices are not maintained, the quality and safety can be affected.

A) Fruits And Vegetables-Ideally, fruits and veggies should be fresh from the garden, gathered no more than 24 hours before pickling, if possible. If preparation is delayed, refrigerate until ready to use. Cucumbers, especially, deteriorate rapidly at room temp.
Fruits and veggies must be washed thoroughly in cold water. Remove 1/16th inch from blossom end of cucumbers. Ingredients for relishes should be chopped into uniform pieces for an attractive product.

B) Salt-Brine solutions must be carefully prepared. The salt acts as a preservative and adds flavor and crispness to pickles. Brine draws juices and sugars from foods and forms lactic acid, a preservative. Pure granulated salt or canning and pickling salt should be used. Table salt and iodized salt have additives that prevent caking and may make brine cloudy. Also, iodized salt may darken pickles.

C) Vinegar-Vinegar gives pickles a tart taste and acts as a preservative. Use a high-grade cider or white distilled vinegar of 5 percent acidity (sometimes listed as 50 grain). Vinegar must not be diluted unless specified in the recipe.

D) Sugar-Use white graanulated cane or beet sugar unless the recipe calls for another sweetener. Brown sugar, honey and maple syrup are sometimes called for in a recipe. Sugar substitutes are not recommended.

E) Spices And Herbs-Spices and herbs flavor pickles, adding immeasurably to their tastiness. Only fresh spices and herbs should be used. Whole fresh spices are prederred; dry powdered and slat forms may cloud the pickling mixture. Spices and herbs lose their pugency rapidly in heat and humidity; they keep best when stored in air tight containers in a cool place. Seasoning can be added directly to pickling mixtures; but, usually, spices and herbs are tied in a spice bag or cheesecloth and held in the solution to impart their flavor, similar to a tea bag.

F) Water-Soft water may be used for making brine. The minerals in hard water will have a negative effect on the quality of pickles.

G) Other Ingredients- Some recipes call for the use of alum and/or lime to add crispness or firmness to pickles.

Equipment and Utensils

Very little specialized quipment is needed for pickling. Utensils made of zinc, iron, brss, copper, galvanized metal or enamelware with cracks or chips in the enamel should not be used. The metal in these may react with acids or salts and cause undesirable color and taste changes in pickles.
For the fresh pack method, which uses vinegar as the pickling ingredient, almost any large container in good condition is suitable. This includes unchipped enamleware, stainless steel, glassware or food-grade plastics.
For fermenting and brining, a crock or stone jar, an unchipped enamel-lined pan, a large glass jar or bowl can be used for small quantities. An enamel, glass or paraffin-lined hardwood keg or barrel can be used for large recipes.
The container must be fitted with a lid to hold the food below the surface of the brine. A glass jar filled with water and closed wwith a two-piece cap makes a good weight to hold the lid in place and keep cucumbers submerged.
Another method for covering fermenting products consists of placing a food-grade plastic bag filled with salt brine over the food. The brine-filled bag seals the surface from exposure to air, prevents growth of film, yeast or molds and serves as a weight. The brine for the food-grade bag should be made of 1 1/2 tablespoons salt per 1 quart water. For extra protection, the brine-filled bag can be placed inside another food-grade plastic bag. The amount of brine in the plastic bag can be adjusted to give just enough pressure to keep the fermenting product under the brine.

Step-By-Step Canning Of Pickled Foods

1) Assemble all equipment and utensils. Make sure everyting is clean and in good working order.

2) Examine jars for nicks and cracks. Examine lids for scratches and defects. Check bands for proper fit. Wash jars and two-piece caps in hot, soapy water. Put jars and lids in a saucepan filled with water; bring water to a simmer. Remove from heat. Allow jars and lids to remain in hot water till needed. DO NOT BOIL LIDS. Dry bands; set aside.

3) Select top-quality produce. Wash thoroughly before preparing recipe.

4) Prepare only one recipe at a time. Follow recipe instructions.

5) Pack pickles into hot jars and cover with hot liquid. Leave recommended head space.

6) Remove air bubbles with a nonmetallic spatula.

7) Wipe top and threads of jar with a clean, damp cloth. Adjust two-piece caps.

8)Place each jar as it is filled onto elevated rack over canner containing simmering water. When rack is filled, lower into canner and add boiling water to cover caps by 1 to 2 inches. Cover canner and bring water to a boil. Adjust heat to hold water at a steady boil. Start counting processing time when water reaches a rolling boil.

9) When processing fermented cucumbers and freash pack dills, start counting processing time as soon as jar lowered in boiling water. Start counting processing time after water returns to a rolling boil for all other fresh pack pickles. Adjust heat to hold water at a steady boil. If during processing time water should boil away and the caps become exposed, add boiling water to cover caps by 1 to 2 inches.

10) When processing time is complete, remove jars from canner. Stand jars upright on a towel out of drafts. Allow 1 to 2 inches of space between jars.

11) After 12 to 24 hours, test seals and remove bands.

12) Wash outside of jars and lid surface. Label. Store sealed jars in a cool, dry, dark place.

Fermented Or Brined Pickled Vegetables

The brine is very important in pickle making. Carelessly making or maintaining brine increases the possibility of soft and unfit pickles. Cucumbers are placed in a salt brine and fermented approximately 6 weeks.

General Directions

1) Use only fresh-harvested, slightly immature, pickling cucumbers.
2) Weight cucumbers. Put cucumbers in a clean pickling container; cover with a 10 percent brine solution made by dissolving 1 cup salt in 2 quarts water. (Cucumbers may be added during the first day ot two of curing process if enough brine is added to cover them and salt is in correct amounts to maintain a 10% brine solution.)
3) Weight cucumbers under brine.
4) Store container in a cool, dark place.
5)Day Two, add 1 cup salt for each 5 pounds of cucumbers. This is necessary to maintain a 10% brine solution. Salt must be added on top of plate or clean cloth (not directly on the cucumbers) for even distribution throughout the brine.
6)Remove scum when it forms on top of the brine. Scum will destroy the acidity of the brine and result in spoilage of the product if not removed.
7)At the end of one week, add 1/4th cup salt for each 5 pounds of cucumbers. Add salt in the same manner as #5. Repeat adding slat for the next 4 to 5 succeeding weeks.
8) Fermentation resulting in bubble formation should contiue about 4 weeks. Test bubbles by tapping container on the side with your hand. As a second test, cut a cucumber in half; if it is the same color throughout and has no noticeable rings or white spots, fermentation is complete.
9) Cucumbers may be kept in this 10% brine solution-no additional salt is added after they are cured- until cucumbers are used in a pickle recipe. The best temperature for brining cucumbres is 70 to 75 degrees F.
10)To use cucumbers in pickle recipes, they need to be soaked in water to remove salt.

Desalting Cucumbers

1) Cover cucumbers with hot water (180 degrees),at least 3 times as much water as cucumbers. Let stand about 4 hours. Stir occasionally.
2) Lift cucumbers out of water; discard water; rinse container.
3) Cover cucumbers again with hot water (180 degrees). Let stand 4 hours. Stir occasionally.
4) Lift cucumbers out of water; discard water; rinse container.
5) Cover cucumbers a third time with hot water. let stand another 4 hours. Stir occasionally.
6) Lift cucumbers out of water; discard water; rinse container.
7) Use a silver or stainless steel fork to prick cucumbers in several places to prevent pickles from shriveling.
8) Let cucumbers stand in a weak vinegar solution ( 1 part vinegar to three parts water) for 12 hours.
9) Taste to see if sufficient salt has been removed; if not,let stand 12 hours longer.
10) Place the "desalted" cucumbers into your favorite pickling solution.

Those are the basics for preparing brined cucumbers for pickling.
For FRESH PACK Pickled Foods, the product is placed in clean jars, the pickling liquid is added and the jars are processed. Then 4 to 6 weeks are allowed for the product to cure and develope a satisfactory flavor.
You can find my favorite recipes for both brined and fresh pack on my Pickle RecipesPage. If you need a certain recipe that you don't find there, please E-Mail me. If I have it, I'll sure send it!

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