Re: Make your own pickles?
Totally forgot about this thread. Thanks for topping it gvarsity.
I'm still tweaking the recipie, but this is my latest recipie though.
Use smaller cucumbers, in the larger ones the seeds are fully developed and rather than pith (the bitter white flesh of the cucumber) they are surrounded by a membrane that turns to goo rapidly in the brine. The less developed the cucumber, the better.
Best results I've had are with what I believe are called "munchers" - small (about 6" to 8" length overall, 1-1/2" or so diameter) very crunchy and horribly bitter cucumber when you eat it raw. These make fantastic pickles...
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Enough cucumbers to fill a gallon jar, cut into spears (IIRC, about 4 lbs - I buy them by eye/volume, so I don’t pay that much attention to the weight)
3 cups white vinegar
3 cups distilled water
1 TBS dill seed
1/2 TBS dried dill weed
1 cup coarsely chopped garlic
3 TBS canning salt (if using kosher salt, use 5-1/2 TBS)
1/2 TBS brown mustard seed
1 TBS whole peppercorns
1 TBS Corriander seed
6 dried chilies jalopones (Japanese Chilies - look in the Mexican foods section of your market)
Clean and sterilize a 1 gallon jar, pack with cucumber spears.
Mix all other ingredients into a non-reactive saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for about a minute or two, and pour into jar over spears.
If it appears that you will not be able to pour all of the brine into the jar, use a spoon to get all of the spices into the jar and top with remaining brine.
Seal immediately and place into refrigerator for 10 days to 2 weeks.
Done properly, this recipe should not ferment.
All measurements are approximate - just keep the water and vinegar at 1:1 ratio and don’t go overboard on the salt.
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