Primer on producing people-pleasing pickles
Published 7:24 pm Monday, August 23, 2010
It’s the time of year when you encounter bins of pickling cukes at the farmers market. They look so fresh and inviting.
Luckily, my style of pickling is relatively easy.
If my leanings were toward fermented pickles, life would be a little more complicated because the tang you taste in this style of pickle is internally created, thanks to a carefully choreographed ballet that requires control over temperature, salt, water and sanitation.
It’s not horribly complicated — and actually, it’s a fascinating process to observe — but being persnickety is a virtue.
My way, however, is a genuinely straightforward form of pickling. That treasured whang is created by the vinegar you add. It’s that simple.
And even simpler — with fresh-pack pickles, if you don’t feel like processing them in a boiling water canner to store them at room temperature, you can simply store them in the refrigerator. In fact, your pickles will be crisper and zestier if you do.
Up until just a few years ago I was still packing the cukes into little jars before refrigerating them, a step that takes up room and time when you consider just how many people expect a jar (or two!) of homemade pickles. So I streamlined my method.
These days after scrubbing and trimming my pile of pickling cukes, I simply tumble them into large containers, throw in lots of sliced fresh garlic, fresh dill heads and red pepper flakes, and pour on my spicy, salty, boiling-hot vinegar and water brine.
Then it’s into the refrigerator for several weeks of aging. It’s akin to having an old-fashioned pickle barrel on hand since I dip into my refrigerator cache to fill little gift jars for visiting relatives or friends’ birthdays throughout the year.
The other streamlining step I’ve taken is to make a large batch of brine ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. Then, when I encounter some high- quality pickling cukes I can jump right into action.
So that’s it. I’m including my recipe for Jan’s Damn Good Garlic Dills as well as a sweet variation, more like a bread and butter pickle.
In both recipes, I encourage you to spin off in your own direction.
Make-ahead pickling brine for Jan’s Damn Good Garlic Dills
1quart cider vinegar
1quart water
1/4cup pickling spices (see note below)
1/3cup pickling salt (see note below)
2tablespoons sugar
1/2teaspoon ground turmeric
1cup chopped fresh dill heads (this is the umbelliferous seed head, which is usually sold in bundles, with each head still attached to its long stalk)
In a large non-aluminum pot, combine the vinegar, water, pickling spices, salt, sugar, turmeric and chopped dill heads. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes. If readying a batch for the refrigerator, then let the mixture cool, then strain off the seasonings and dill (be sure and press down on the strainer to extract as much flavor from the ingredients as possible before discarding them). Pour the brine into non-reactive containers, such as glass canning jars, or food-grade plastic tubs or jugs with tight-fitting lids. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Makes 1/2 gallon of brine (enough for 1 gallon of pickles).
Jan’s Damn Good Garlic Dills
4quarts pickling cucumbers, rinsed well
4heads of fresh pickling dill, halved
About 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
16 whole peeled garlic cloves, sliced
1batch of prepared brine (see recipe above)
After rinsing the cucumbers and removing any dirt, rub or trim away the blossom end of each cuke (the blossom end is opposite the stem end). If the cucumbers are too large, you may want to cut them into chunks, slices, or sticks. Otherwise, leave them whole. Pack the cucumbers into clean jars or food grade plastic containers, leaving 1/2-inch head space. Divide the sliced pieces of garlic and halved heads of fresh pickling dill among the containers. Add a pinch (about 1/4 teaspoon per quart) of the dried red pepper flakes to each container (another pinch of two should be used for those folks who enjoy more of a “bite” in their pickles).
If the brine has been refrigerated, then reheat in a non-aluminum pan. Ladle or pour the hot brine into the containers. Cover and let cool to room temperature, then store in the refrigerator.
The pickles are “becoming good” after 7 to 10 days of aging, but they won’t be “Damn Good” for at least a month. Even then, they will continue to improve and improve and improve for months and months. I’ve kept batches for up to 24 months and they’ve been fabulous down to the last pickle.
Make-ahead pickling brine for bread and butter pickles
6cups cider vinegar
2cups water
12/3 cups granulated sugar
1cup fresh dillweed
1cinnamon stick (optional)
2tablespoons salt
2teaspoons ground turmeric
In a large non-aluminum pot, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, dillweed, cinnamon stick (if using), salt, and turmeric. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes. If readying a batch for the refrigerator, then let the mixture cool, then strain off the dill and cinnamon stick. Pour the brine into non-reactive containers, such as glass canning jars, or food-grade plastic tubs or jugs with tight-fitting lids. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Makes 1/2 gallon of brine (enough for 1 gallon of pickles).
Bread and butter pickles
4quarts pickling cucumbers rinsed well, blossom ends rubbed off
2tablespoons yellow mustard seeds
2teaspoons celery seeds
2teaspoons red pepper flakes
1batch of prepared brine (makes 1/2 gallon)
Cut the prepared cukes into 1/4-inch thick slices. Pack the cucumbers into clean jars or food grade plastic containers, leaving 1/2-inch head space. Divide the mustard seeds, celery seeds and pepper flakes among the containers.
If the brine has been refrigerated, then reheat in a non-aluminum pan. Ladle the hot brine into the containers, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Attach lids. Let cool to room temperature, then store in the refrigerator.
The pickles need at least 7 to 10 days of aging, but will improve even more as time goes by. Even then, they will continue to improve and improve and improve for months and months. I’ve kept batches for up to 24 months and they’ve been fabulous down to the last pickle.
Jan Roberts-Dominguez is a Corvallis, Ore., food writer, cookbook author and artist. Readers can contact her by email at janrd@proaxis.com, or obtain additional recipes and food tips on her blog at www.janrd.com.
How to store pickles at room temperature
If you really don’t have enough refrigerator space and need to store batches in your pantry at room temperature, then you’ll have to process the jars in a boiling water canner. Here’s how:
Wash pint or quart-size canning jars (such as Ball or Kerr). Keep hot until used. Pack the pickles into the jars, leaving 1/2-inch head space. Divide the garlic slices among the jars (figure on 4 cloves per quart). Pour the strained hot brine into 1 jar at a time, leaving 1/2-inch head space. Wipe jar rim with a clean, damp cloth. Place the metal disc of the two-piece lids on top of the jar opening, then screw on the metal screw band. Fill and close remaining jars.
Process the jars, using the low temperature pasteurization treatment (this method keeps the pickles from being subjected to boiling water, which will help them stay a little firmer): Place jars in canner filled half way with warm (120 to 140 degrees) water. Then, add hot water to a level 1 inch above jars. Heat the water enough to maintain 180 to 185 degrees water temperature for 30 minutes. Check with a candy or jelly thermometer to be certain that the water temperature is at least 180 degrees during the entire 30 minutes. Temperatures higher than 185 degrees may cause unnecessary softening of pickles.
Note: there is not a processing time for 2-quart jars, so if you are using this size, the jar(s) must be refrigerated.
Basic pickling points
Cucumber quality: The fresher the better. If you can track down a supply of cukes that’s only been out of the field for 24 hours, you’re off to a good start. Refrigeration and humidity are important factors too, so if you must purchase your pickling cukes from a supermarket, do so only if they’ve been thoughtfully refrigerated and the cukes look firm, with no shrivelling at the tips.
Cucumber size: I used to obsess over finding the perfect pickling cukes. All one size, for example, or all 2 inches or less in length.
But now that I’m into high volume refrigerator pickling, I’ve grown to appreciate the advantages of working with mid- to large-size cukes as well, since small cukes are much more difficult to find.
Cukes larger than 3 inches get cut into rounds or mouth-sized chunks before packing them into containers. The added benefit of cut versus whole cukes is that you can pack a lot more cut cukes into each container.
Remove the blossom end: There’s an enzyme lurking at the blossom’s base which can lead to softening in the pickle, so always rub off the blossom end when washing the cukes.
Containers to consider: For refrigerator pickles, plastic works just fine, as long as it’s food-grade. Select whatever size and shape suits your refrigerator; the bigger the better.
I use Rubbermaid’s 1.3 gallon capacity “Servin’Saver” canisters, because they’re deep, so the cukes stay nicely submerged in the brine. If you do go with jars (they don’t have to be “canning” jars if you’re storing the pickles in the refrigerator), just make sure the lids are a firm fit to avoid spills during storage, and that the undersides are plastic coated so they aren’t reacting with the vinegar over time.
If you see that happening 2 or 3 months down the road, simply wash the lids or drape a bit of plastic wrap between the jar and the lid to create a barrier.
When you’re ready to give pickles away, simply transfer portions of pickles and juice, as needed, from the big tubs into appropriate-sized jars; don’t forget to inform the lucky recipient that the contents must be stored in the refrigerator to maintain freshness.
Salt: Although any food grade salt can be used, pickling/canning salt is recommended. Read the labels of most table salts and you’ll see that they include an anti-caking agent, which can create a cloudy pickling solution, or iodine, which can darken some vegetables.
Make-ahead brine: Consider making up a large batch of brine ahead of time. Store it in the refrigerator. Then, when you encounter some high-quality pickling cukes, you can jump right into action by putting up a small or large batch.
