Grow It Eat It Preserve It! Dills, Sweets, Kraut, Relishes and Other Foods Preserving the Perfect Pickle

Grow It Eat It Preserve It! Overview Types of pickled products The process Ingredients Equipment Types of pickled products The process Ingredients Equipment

Grow It Eat It Preserve It! Pickled Products Brined or fermented pickles Cured in brine (salt and water) solution for one or more weeks Either produce an acid or you add an acid Fresh pack or quick process pickles Sometimes brined for a few hours Covered with boiling hot vinegar, spices and seasonings (adding an acid) Brined or fermented pickles Cured in brine (salt and water) solution for one or more weeks Either produce an acid or you add an acid Fresh pack or quick process pickles Sometimes brined for a few hours Covered with boiling hot vinegar, spices and seasonings (adding an acid)

Grow It Eat It Preserve It! Other Pickles Fruit pickles Whole or sliced fruits Simmered in a spicy, sweet-sour syrup made with vinegar or lemon juice Relishes Chopped fruits and vegetables Cooked in a spicy vinegar solution Fruit pickles Whole or sliced fruits Simmered in a spicy, sweet-sour syrup made with vinegar or lemon juice Relishes Chopped fruits and vegetables Cooked in a spicy vinegar solution

Grow It Eat It Preserve It! What kind of pickles did Aunt Bee make? What kind of pickles did Aunt Bee make? 1.Use a brine that is less heavy 2.Add extra sprig of parsley or two steeped in the vinegar 3.Use younger cucumbers 4.Drain them more 5.Use fresher spices 6.Boil the vinegar two seconds more 1.Use a brine that is less heavy 2.Add extra sprig of parsley or two steeped in the vinegar 3.Use younger cucumbers 4.Drain them more 5.Use fresher spices 6.Boil the vinegar two seconds more Fresh pack or quick process

Grow It Eat It Preserve It! What Makes a Pickle a Pickle? Form an acid Brined Fermented Produces “lactic acid” Acid is added Vinegar Lemon Juice Form an acid Brined Fermented Produces “lactic acid” Acid is added Vinegar Lemon Juice

Grow It Eat It Preserve It! Why Add Acid? Do not need to be pressure canned if they have a pH of 4.6 or lower A pH of 4.6 or less will not support growth of Clostridium botulinum Do not need to be pressure canned if they have a pH of 4.6 or lower A pH of 4.6 or less will not support growth of Clostridium botulinum Source: National Center for Home Food Preservation

Grow It Eat It Preserve It! Why Process in Water Bath? Kills spoilage organisms Yeasts Molds Bacteria Controls enzyme activity Flavor Color Texture Kills spoilage organisms Yeasts Molds Bacteria Controls enzyme activity Flavor Color Texture Source: USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning

Grow It Eat It Preserve It! Ingredients in Pickling Produce Salt Vinegar Sugar Spices Water Firming agents Produce Salt Vinegar Sugar Spices Water Firming agents

Grow It Eat It Preserve It! Produce Tender vegetables and firm fruit, selected by size Pickling cucumbers (not “table” or “slicing”), unwaxed Pickle within 24 hours after picking for best quality Wash well Discard produce with mold Tender vegetables and firm fruit, selected by size Pickling cucumbers (not “table” or “slicing”), unwaxed Pickle within 24 hours after picking for best quality Wash well Discard produce with mold

Grow It Eat It Preserve It! Salt Pure granulated salt “pickling” salt “canning” salt No anti-caking materials Do not alter salt concentrations Do not reduce salt in a recipe unless it is in a tested recipe using less salt—salt is a preservative Pure granulated salt “pickling” salt “canning” salt No anti-caking materials Do not alter salt concentrations Do not reduce salt in a recipe unless it is in a tested recipe using less salt—salt is a preservative

Grow It Eat It Preserve It! Vinegar Preservative Cider or white vinegar Cider vinegar can discolor light produce White distilled for onions, cauliflower and pears 5% acidity Use amount stated in recipe Preservative Cider or white vinegar Cider vinegar can discolor light produce White distilled for onions, cauliflower and pears 5% acidity Use amount stated in recipe

Grow It Eat It Preserve It! Sugar White sugar unless recipe states brown Sugar substitutes Can develop off-flavor or bitterness Can lose sweetening properties Follow tested recipes specific to the type of sugar substitute White sugar unless recipe states brown Sugar substitutes Can develop off-flavor or bitterness Can lose sweetening properties Follow tested recipes specific to the type of sugar substitute

Grow It Eat It Preserve It! Spices Use fresh whole spices for best quality and flavor Powdered spices can make pickles dark and cloudy Tie whole spices in a clean white cloth or cheesecloth bag, remove before packing jars Use fresh whole spices for best quality and flavor Powdered spices can make pickles dark and cloudy Tie whole spices in a clean white cloth or cheesecloth bag, remove before packing jars

Grow It Eat It Preserve It! Water Drinking quality or “potable” Soft water is preferred Iron: discoloration Calcium: shriveling Boil hard water for 15 minutes and let stand, covered, for 24 hours Drinking quality or “potable” Soft water is preferred Iron: discoloration Calcium: shriveling Boil hard water for 15 minutes and let stand, covered, for 24 hours

Grow It Eat It Preserve It! Firming Agents Not needed when Good quality ingredients are used Up-to-date methods are used Soak cucumbers in ice water for 4 to 5 hours Cut 1/16-inch off blossom end Not needed when Good quality ingredients are used Up-to-date methods are used Soak cucumbers in ice water for 4 to 5 hours Cut 1/16-inch off blossom end

Grow It Eat It Preserve It! Blossom End of a Cucumber Blossom EndStem End

Grow It Eat It Preserve It! Lime Calcium in lime does improve firmness Use food grade pickling lime (not agricultural or burnt lime) Soak cucumbers in lime-water solution 12 to 24 hours before pickling Excess lime absorbed by the cucumbers must be removed to make safe pickles Calcium in lime does improve firmness Use food grade pickling lime (not agricultural or burnt lime) Soak cucumbers in lime-water solution 12 to 24 hours before pickling Excess lime absorbed by the cucumbers must be removed to make safe pickles Do not inhale dust

Grow It Eat It Preserve It! To Remove Excess Lime Drain lime-water solution Rinse Re-soak in fresh water 1 hour Repeat rinsing and soaking two more times Failure to remove lime adequately may increase the risk for botulism Drain lime-water solution Rinse Re-soak in fresh water 1 hour Repeat rinsing and soaking two more times Failure to remove lime adequately may increase the risk for botulism

Grow It Eat It Preserve It! Alum Aluminum potassium sulfate Can be safely used, but not recommended Used for fermented pickles, does not work for quick process Powdered form found in spice section of grocery stores Aluminum potassium sulfate Can be safely used, but not recommended Used for fermented pickles, does not work for quick process Powdered form found in spice section of grocery stores

Grow It Eat It Preserve It! Food Scales Recipe specifies ingredients by weight Important for pickled products Recipe specifies ingredients by weight Important for pickled products

Grow It Eat It Preserve It! Pans Heat liquids in Stainless steel Aluminum Glass Unchipped enamelware Do not use Copper Brass Galvanized or iron utensils Heat liquids in Stainless steel Aluminum Glass Unchipped enamelware Do not use Copper Brass Galvanized or iron utensils

Grow It Eat It Preserve It! Fermenting and Brining Small quantities: crock or stone jar, unchipped enamelware, large glass jar or bowl Large quantities: enamel, glass or paraffin-lined keg or barrel Cover for container An undersized lid to hold food below surface of brine Food-grade plastic bag When using lime, do not soak in an aluminum container Small quantities: crock or stone jar, unchipped enamelware, large glass jar or bowl Large quantities: enamel, glass or paraffin-lined keg or barrel Cover for container An undersized lid to hold food below surface of brine Food-grade plastic bag When using lime, do not soak in an aluminum container

Grow It Eat It Preserve It! Process in Water-Bath Canner

Grow It Eat It Preserve It! Pickle Principles 1.Do not alter vinegar, food, or water proportions in a recipe or use a vinegar with unknown acidity. 2.Use only recipes with tested proportions of ingredients. 3.There must be a minimum, uniform level of acid throughout the mixed product to prevent the growth of C. botulinum bacteria. 1.Do not alter vinegar, food, or water proportions in a recipe or use a vinegar with unknown acidity. 2.Use only recipes with tested proportions of ingredients. 3.There must be a minimum, uniform level of acid throughout the mixed product to prevent the growth of C. botulinum bacteria.