Make your own pickles?

Could I use cucumbers from the store to make my own pickles?

[TheBeard]

Originally Posted by Darrell

Could I use cucumbers from the store to make my own pickles?

Yes, but you'll find that the "pickling cucumbers" make better pickles--they're shorter and fatter. Standard pickles might do alright, but they'll probably end up getting quite soft during the pickling process.

[T.G]

Originally Posted by TheBeard

Yes, but you'll find that the "pickling cucumbers" make better pickles--they're shorter and fatter. Standard pickles might do alright, but they'll probably end up getting quite soft during the pickling process.

That's exactly what happens to them. I made two one gallon jars of "regular" cucumber pickle slices a month or so ago when I couldn't get pickling cucumbers at the farmers market here. On the thinner slices the cores got very soggy and some collapsed entirely. The thicker slices held together though.

Also, I discovered for "regular" cucumbers, you need to peel them, as the rinds tend to stay rather tough for a long time in the brine.

On the recipe I used - it started out a number of years ago as Alton Brown's Bread and Butter pickles, which are really good, but I grew tired of the B&B and was looking to re-create a real deli pickle ala Chasens or Jerry's. Ended up cutting the sugar way back, yes there is still some in there to balance things (you can't taste it - but it rounds out the flavor), omitting the turmeric, cutting the celery seed quantity down, and using nothing but distilled white vinegar (it's cheap) rather than the fancy vinegars he calls for - I also upped the amount of vinegar a bit, about the called for amount of pickling spices, with some additional brown mustard seed and a metric asston worth of chopped fresh garlic in the jar with the slices. While I didn't duplicate the deli pickle I was aiming for, but I'm really liking the results.

[jkorp]

Originally Posted by T.G

Also, I discovered for "regular" cucumbers, you need to peel them, as the rinds tend to stay rather tough for a long time in the brine.

I like that "toughness", it gives it that crisp snap when you take a bite.


The recipe I used called for tumeric and mustard seed, but I did not add them (because I didn't want to spend the money, lol) also black pepper corns, but I just used ground black pepper, which I thought gave it a nice peppery taste. In the gallon jar along with the cukes I added about 4 pinches of dill weed and 4 pinched of dill seed, about a teaspoon or 2 of black pepper, about a tablespoon of minced garlic and 3-4 jalapenos.

I was very please with the results. I think next time I will get the tumeric.

[T.G]

Originally Posted by T.G

Also, I discovered for "regular" cucumbers, you need to peel them, as the rinds tend to stay rather tough for a long time in the brine.

Originally Posted by jkorp

I like that "toughness", it gives it that crisp snap when you take a bite.

That might not be bad, if it was possible to bite though the rind on the ones I bought - some of them are like shoe leather.

[jkorp]

Originally Posted by T.G

That might not be bad, if it was possible to bite though the rind on the ones I bought - some of them are like shoe leather.

Interesting. These were the pickling cukes or regular? How was the ripeness, dark or light green?

[Veritas]

I have made a few batches of pickled green beans that turned out excellent. Fresh dill, white onions, fresh garlic, a pile of cayenne all went into the wide mouth jar before stuffing it with the beans and filling with brine. I added a habanero to some of the jars to really kick up the heat. In my celery-averse opinion, these things are the only way to garnish a Bloody Mary.

I think the next batch will have black pepper added.

[gvarsity]

Originally Posted by G.Elrod

I have made a few batches of pickled green beans that turned out excellent. Fresh dill, white onions, fresh garlic, a pile of cayenne all went into the wide mouth jar before stuffing it with the beans and filling with brine. I added a habanero to some of the jars to really kick up the heat. In my celery-averse opinion, these things are the only way to garnish a Bloody Mary.

I think the next batch will have black pepper added.

I'm glad to hear some one mention beans. That was next on my list of things to try. I love pickled beans and hadn't tried making them yet but figured there was no difference between beans and cukes in terms of process. Anyone pickle any other veggies I was tempted to do some pickled mushrooms or brussle sprouts as well.

[tuxpuff]

Originally Posted by gvarsity

Anyone pickle any other veggies I was tempted to do some pickled mushrooms or brussle sprouts as well.

I can vouch for this recipe for pickled jalapeños ...absolutely delicious...

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/pic...nos_escabeche/