Just found this
Soak your cucumbers (sliced or whole picklers) overnight in the fridge in the following brine solution:
1/2 Gal. of water combined with 1/3 Cup of Salt.
Rinse well in the morning. Place the following in each quart jar:
2 cloves garlic
1 TBSP dill seed ( dill flowers also add beauty and great flavor)
1/2 TBSP Mustard seed.
Bring the following to a boil:
4 1/2 cups of vinegar
9 TBSP salt
3 TBSP sugar
9 cups of water.
Pack the brined cucumbers in the jars already containing the garlic cloves, dill and mustard .Pour the prepared hot liquid over the packed jars, leaving a 1/2 inch headspace. Seal with 2 piece lids.
Worth a try?
As is Delia's thing on Sweet Cuke Pickle.
I know this recipe, good for whole pickling cukes, don't scrub them before ,just wash and wipe and you must remove a tiny slice off the blossom end where the enzyme is concentrated, it makes for a much better pickle.
The overnight soaking makes them crisp,and the water needs to be cold as possible, a few grape leaves in there helps that too.
The cukes need to be very very fresh, I pick and prepare same day.
I don't use the mustard seed, but other than that it is very similar to my one
DON'T eat for 6 weeks.
You didn't say how many to soak overnight. I do a big batch
XX Jeannine
How long do they store? With water in them, presumably refridgerate after opening?
Tim , mine raely store for long as they get munched pretty quick,apart from the mustard they are the same as the Kocha dill pickles in the shops so that may give you a guide.
I do seal mine in a boiling water bath though,my friend in Canada uses the same recipe and she doesn't as she is nervous they loose their crispness but she has said a couple of hers over the years have fermented in the jar and oozed.
XX Jeannine
Thanks.
Tim, this is mine, I think it is the same nore or less.
20 pounds of very fresh small cukes, straight from the vine is best, use a pickling type, if about 4 1/2 inches long they fit the jars well..
Wash, don't scrub and remove a 1/8inch slice of the blossom end.
Put in a large,container(I use a cooller box)
Cover with the coldest water available,I also chuck ice cubes in. This is to crisp them,a few grape leaves added also helps this. Leave only overnight. Then drain.
NOTE I do not add salt in the above.
Make the brine as follows.
20 cups water (each cup holds 8 fluid ounces)
10 cups white 5% vinegar.
Bring to full boil.
I use only standard canning(bottling jars) that hold 1/2 litre,wide mouth are best.
Put a sprig of fresh dill and 2 cloves of garlic in each sterilised jar.
pack cukes in ,as many as will fit in a jar. Leave 1 inch head space.
1 1/4 cups pickling salt ( don't use regular it will make the pickles cloudy)
Cover the cukes with hot brine, seal,place in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
Remove and cool.
Do not use for 6 weeks.
Tp make the above I get 20 pounds of cukes,8 heads of garlic and 1large bunch of dill.
I think there are slight variations,the amounts seem large but this is the only way we do them, it could be cut down I think
XX Jeannine