Topic: Pickled Gherkins to boil or not???

[steve76]

Hi all
Sorry if this has allready been asked.
1st time for me growing gherkins and i have found 2 recipies for picking them the thing is i want to slice mine 1st and keep them crunchy but all the recipies i found are for whole gherkins....So do i boil them or just the vinager and then pour that over while stil hot??? Or boil the gherkins in brine let them cool then put vinager over them???

Thanks for your help

Steve

[jennym]

I wonder if you are going to ferment the gherkins first, as in the US recipes? if so, a good link was published here a while back, I've kept it, here it is:
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/usda/GUIDE%206%20Home%20Can.pdf
but you will have to do it their way, and translate the measurements.

I've found you can pickle them safely another way, but the taste isn't the same as you get in shop bought gherkins, they're a bit sharper, but it's acceptable to me.
Wash the gherkins thoroughly. Slice into large chunks. Soak in brine made with 50g salt to 500ml water for 24 hours in fridge, pour off the brine, make up some fresh brine and soak for another 24 hours in fridge. Drain off and keep gherkins chilled while you make up the vinegar. For each 100g of gherkins, you'll probably need 150ml of good quality vinegar, I use white distilled malt vinegar. Heat the vinegar in a pan with your spices. Place the gherkins into warm sterilised jars, then pour over the spiced vinegar, and lid them immediately. I use new jars and lids. They are ready to eat in about 4 weeks.

[mpdjulie]

The 12th of July this year was when I started my first jar of pickled gherkins.  I am now on my fourth.  I simmer the gherkins whole in brine for 10 mins.  Drain them and then let them cool completely before slicing them how you wish.  Put them in steralised jars.  Add malt vinegar and pickling spices.  Voila!!
Julie
 :)

[Jeannine]

What kind do you want to end up with, I have tons of recipes for pickles cukes. They are a great many. How big are your "gherkins"  the word  means differnt things in different places.

If they are smalll pickling cukes  as I would expect I would guess about 3- 4 inches. From these I make bread and bitter pickles(sliced) whole Kosher Dill pickle, sweet pickles(sliced) whole fermented and unfermented..it goes on and on.

Can you describe what type of flavour and crunch you want to finish with and I can help you better.

Jennym, I need to give you a great big hug..I have been giving this link to folks for years as to how to can safely.I usually get laughed at by pushing the US way of food prep.The UK is so behind the times when it comes to this it scares me.

I will  add a new link which gives the whole book not just the pickling part  ,it is a large document well worth printing off in sections and covers everything you need to know about home preservation
    

   http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/publications_usda.html                     

          

XX Jeannine

[Columbus]

Hi Steve, Hi all,  :)

I tried salting my pickles first but I couldn`t get the salty taste out and they were inedible. I don`t boil them first as that would make them soft and I want them crunchy.

So I just wash them and pack them into jars with pickling vinegar.
I slice big ones and put small ones in whole.

They are fine up to two years later.

Col

[steve76]

Thanks for the help ;) that link is a good site

I've got plenty of them so im going to try a couple of ways and see what  taste the best for me.

[Jeannine]

Try bread and butter pickles I think it is there, if not I can give it to you, and please read part1 about sealing etc.XX Jeannine