At Home In The Kitchen - PICKLES!

PICKLE BRINE INGREDIENTS

• 3 Quarts Water
• 1 Quart Cider Vinegar
• 1 Cup Canning Salt
• Half Recipe:
• 3 Pints Water
• 1 Pint Cider Vinegar
• ½ Cup Canning Salt

IN EACH JAR

• 1 sprig of Dill
• 1-2 whole dried red chili peppers (hot, spicy variety)
• 1 clove of garlic (whole or chopped in half)
• 1 inch hunk white onion
• ½ tsp. mustard seeds
• small-med. sized pickling cukes

(if you have time, go hand pick your selection from Carpintino Bros Farm in Kent, Wa)

METHOD

1. Put your canning bath water on to boil.
2. Put your brine mixture on to boil.
3. Place 7 new lids at a time in a pot with simmering water.
4. Pack jars with all ingredients, cukes in last.
5. Pack the jars within ½ inch of the top of jar.
6. Overpacked jars will not properly seal.
7. Pour boiling brine over 7 packed jars. (7 jars fit in a standard sized canning pot)
8. Remove new lids from boiling water and put on jars. Screw on rings only finger tight. Do not over tighten rings.
9. Put 7 jars in the canning bath for 10 minutes.
10. Add more brine ingredients to batch, bring to a boil.
11. Remove from bath, dry jar, place on towel or in box to cool. Label lid with the year you are making them.
12. After jars have cooled, check to see all lids have “popped” down and sealed. If there are any that have failed to seal, place in the fridge to cure. If you find seals later that have failed, i.e. when they are ready to eat, discard contents and do not eat.

Amount of supplies vary depending on cuke size, how much stuff is in the jar, how tightly they are packed, etc. The tighter they are packed, the better. Do not crush the cukes when packing them into the jars.

Estimate needed for 3-4 dozen jars

50-60 Lb pickling cukes, finger sized is best

4 cases of wide mouth Qt. jars, new lids and rings (jars and rings can be re-used. Lids must be brand new for canning.)

2-3 small jars of mustard seeds

2-3 bunches pickling dill (with yellow heads)

1 pkg. red hot dried chili peppers

1 gallon cider vinegar

1 box pickling salt

3-4 heads of garlic

3 -4 large white onion

Pickles are canned in late August/September and generally ready to eat around Thanksgiving.