Pickling gherkins

[soozie]

I've a load of Parisian pickling gherkins coming along but they're all different sizes. Does anyone know if there's any easy way to pickle them a few at a time adding as I go along??

Thanks in anticipation.

Soozie  :-\

[soozie]

[sally_cinnamon]

I've got the same problem - I think I'm just going to do the pickling like normal and just add them into the jar as I go along, and then when the last one's in, then I'll leave it for the necessary time.  The first ones in can just be extra pickled!  Don't know if this is right though, first time I've even grown gherkins!
:)

Also.... I've been looking at recipes and it says to use dill seeds, so can I use the dill seeds that I bought to sow?  (Dim question I know, sorry!)


And, do I have to use pickling salt or will normal salt do okay?

:)

[Jeannine]

 

Pickled cuke tips.

Don't use regular salt, it is iodised and will make your pickles cloudyand dark use pickling salt only.

Dill plant is better than dill seeds if you can get it.

For Kosher style dill pickles add a clove of garlic to each jar.

Only use cukes that have been picked less than 24 hours

Use clear piclking vinegar

Use soft water, hard water can interefere with the pickling process. If your water is hard, use bottled water or boil your water for 15 minutes then let it cool . Let stand 24 hours, skim any sediment off the top.

Always remove 1/8 inch from blossom end. The is a concentration of enzymes there which can cause pickles to soften.

It is best to do a large batch , I do have recipes for ones that you do as they come along but they are long cure and take 5 weeks to make.  It is quite faffy though. For regular ones I have recipes for 4 pound at a time which is not many, and I guess you could cut it down to 2, get back to me if you need them

XX Jeannine

[sally_cinnamon]

Wow!  Thanks!  The long cure recipes would be great, if you have them to hand... I think I'd be able to wait that long before eating them!  (My mouth is watering at the thought of them!!)  :P

[Jeannine]

                            Long cure pickles.
This will make about 10 pounds of  pickles.
You will need a stone crock or something similar not aluminium. I use a 5 gallon stoneware crock.

Thoroughly scrub and sterilise the crock with boiling water.Be diligent or your pickles might spoil.

It needs to be kept in a constantly cool place while they are curing.40-50 f max.
Thoroughly wash a about 4 dill heads and lay them in the bottom of the crock.

Mix 1 gallon of pickling vinegar(5%) with 1/2 cup sugar,1 cup pickling salt.1 cup whole mustard seeds. Add to crock.

As you gather your cukes, wash but don't scrub them, rub off the blossom ends  or cut a tiny slice off the end. Drop them into the brine, push the newer ones to the bottom.

You will need a plate to go on top of the cukes under the brine, to keep it submerged with a weight. I use a large jar filled with water, the cukes must be submerged.You can use  palatic bag full of water if you are sure it won't leak.

Cover the crock with a layer of clean cheesecloth.

You will need to add more salt as the juices from the cukes are drawn into the brine.

If you  put all your cukes in at once. follow this rule.... After 3 days add 1 more cup of salt ,lay it on the plate where it will slowly dissolve dowwards.
One week later  and for the next  few weeks add 1/4 cup more salt to the plate as above. it takes about 4-5 weeks in all.

If you harvest your cukes a few at a time, say over a 2 week period,lay 1/2 cup salt on the plate when the crock is half full and add another half cup when it is full, then add 1/4 cup each week till done.

A gray white film will appear on the surface of the brine after a few days, skim it off and keep skimming it throughout the curing period. It is expected and is quite natural to the process, but you must skim it off as it will affect the acidity of the pickles if you don't. Once a week change the cheesecloth, and wash the plate and weight each time you skim.

When there is no more film the pickles will be cured. Test after a month, cut one crossways, if it firm, and clear throughout with no white centre it is ready to eat.

You can use commercial 1 gallon jars and cut down the ingredients to fit, but keep in a dark place.

After curing I bottle mine by packing into jars,  remove all seeds and dill heads and boil the brine, cover the pickles ,seal and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

You can leave them in the crock if you can keep them suberged, cool and covered.

They will last well into the winter, they have a excellent flavour and are very crisp.

DO NOT LET THEM COME INTO CONTACT WITH METAL AS THEY CURING


This is how I make my long cure pickles, but I did warn you it was faffy.

Good Luck XX Jeannine