Pickling season

[Astrocyte]

Originally Posted by Kim473

You should be able to find all your information here. Make sure you have all your ingrediants and jars. Jars might be rather hard to find now. Mostly sold out.
http://www.bernardin.ca/

Thanks. I do have jars. I do not have a pressure canner though.

However I have been doing some reading and refrigerator pickles might work out better for me. Has anyone done that? Seems simple enough. Recipes mention the brine, filling jars and keeping in the fridge for a week to only a couple of months. No pressure canners, fermentation, or long boiling mentioned. That is more what I would be looking to do since I would not make much and I would prefer to eat them sooner rather than later. If anyone has done this method any advice on vegetables to not use for the shorter pickling time? Probably not cukes?

[Kim473]

For the processing, all you need is a really deep pot and boil the filled jars for about 10 mins. Enough to heat contents and release air. When they cool the jars will seal. No preasure canner needed.

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/search...q=canning+pots

[Wild&Free]

Originally Posted by Astrocyte

Can someone help me out. I lost my pickling book but I remember it mentioning that when you are filling your jars with the brine that the jars themselves and the metal lid should be submerged in hot water. Not completely submerged but in a roasting pan with boiling water to keep everything hot. Is this necessary for any pickling?

And do you need to firmly seal the jars? I have been reading some saying do not do it firm and some saying as firm as possible.

I would like to buy a bunch of cukes, beets, and carrots at the St. Albert farmers market next week for pickling. Not sure the best approach for it though.

I think this is mostly for sterilization purposes. Mom taught me to boil everything first, jars, lids, rings and what not. leave the lids and rings in the boiling/boiled water until ready to use, then straight into the water bath for processing.

as for firmness of sealing, heat = expansion. finger tight no more. If you're not going to process a little tighter wouldn't be a huge issue. Just remember vinegar's acid is created by an enzyme and as that enzyme creates more acid it releases gas, just keep that in mind.

[Wild&Free]

Oh, for those fermenting for preservation check on your crocks from time to time and skim ANY and ALL foam that appears. This is the most common source of spoilage. top up with more brine and keep your veggies submerged.

[mikefromcanmore]

Check out ATCO'S Blue Flame Fall Canning Guide some great hints for newbies and remainders for old hands. Also check out used books in the second stores as a large number of Church Woman Groups put out cook books as fund raisers,some old school but great way to find a lost childhood memory.

[chewydog]

Awesome thread. Doing some wieners this week, just finished putting up hot pickles and carrots. Did moose meat last fall, it's all good eats.

[norwestalta]

Pickled some garlic sausage yesterday. Sure want to try some.

Couldn't wait 2 days and yep it's good.

[threeforthree]

Great for ceasars

[Kim473]

16 quarts of beets and 9 pints of borscht. Carrots in a few days.

[Astrocyte]

I was going to do a small jar or two of beets just to get the ratios and method down again before I make a large batch. I know it is not difficult, I just have not made any in a very long time and neither has anyone in the family.

For the beets I have been reading a general brine ratio is 2:2:1 of vinegar:water:sugar. Add about a tablespoon of pickling spice per cup of vinegar. Does that sound about right? I have had some pretty sugary "pickled" beets and beans in the past, basically candied even though they said pickled. I do not want to end up with that. And for filling the jars, do I want it packed tightly or like what some recipes have mentioned of adding the sliced beets to the brine and scooping that into jars making the pack much less tight.

And I do have a stock pot. Just need to find a wire rack. Although would a roasting pan work just as well instead of a stock pot? I have the rack for that. Jars will fit within the pan. Regardless, finger tight band, boil for 10 minutes?...submerged with about an inch of water over the jars? How long to sit on the shelf before I can test? Some recipes say a couple weeks others have mentioned 3 months. I know I have the general idea of the process it is just all the little things I need to remember.

[chewydog]

Originally Posted by threeforthree

Great for ceasars

Where did you buy that at?

[threeforthree]

At the distillery, they do sell it at Sask.liquor vendors.

[Kim473]

Originally Posted by Astrocyte

I was going to do a small jar or two of beets just to get the ratios and method down again before I make a large batch. I know it is not difficult, I just have not made any in a very long time and neither has anyone in the family.

For the beets I have been reading a general brine ratio is 2:2:1 of vinegar:water:sugar. Add about a tablespoon of pickling spice per cup of vinegar. Does that sound about right? I have had some pretty sugary "pickled" beets and beans in the past, basically candied even though they said pickled. I do not want to end up with that. And for filling the jars, do I want it packed tightly or like what some recipes have mentioned of adding the sliced beets to the brine and scooping that into jars making the pack much less tight.

And I do have a stock pot. Just need to find a wire rack. Although would a roasting pan work just as well instead of a stock pot? I have the rack for that. Jars will fit within the pan. Regardless, finger tight band, boil for 10 minutes?...submerged with about an inch of water over the jars? How long to sit on the shelf before I can test? Some recipes say a couple weeks others have mentioned 3 months. I know I have the general idea of the process it is just all the little things I need to remember.

We let ours sit for about 3 months before opening. 6 months is better. You can test right away but the real goodness wont be there for a few months.

Boil beets till slightly soft, then the skin will come off easy. Slice to about 1.5" in size as to fit in jars. Small beets are the best. no sliceing and taste the best.

Brine :
4 cup viniger
4 cup water
3 cup sugar
1 tbsp pickling spice wrap in cheese cloth
2 tbsp tumeric
1 tsp salt

2 batches of brine make about 13 jars

this is the recipe we use for the brine.

[Nester]

Ongoing discussion at home;


How long can we safely keep all those jars of fruit/meat downstairs? They all look good, remain sealed but some of them are over 5 years old

[Norwest Alta]

Bump this for the guy that pm'd me about the sausage pickling recipe.

[Crankbait]

Originally Posted by HunterDave

Might as well make some pickled weiners while we're at it.....LOL!

I once ate 24 pickled wieners on a bet. I almost died, near dislocated my hip when they exited.

glad my stupid years are over.

[HunterDave]

This might keep us going for awhile.

Quartered dill pickles, bread and butter pickles, 2 types of beets, senfgurkin (cukes), 2 types of beans (one hot), yellow zucchini relish, green zucchini relish, dill carrot sticks and sweet mixed veggies.

My Wife isn't done yet but I'm not sure what's next but I think that it'll involve tomatoes.

[recce43]

well made first batch 4 weeks ago dill pickles
dill carrots
beans and bread and butter pickles
time to start next batch of dulls this weekend
and friend is making Chow chow

[RandyBoBandy]

This site is GOLD when it comes to all pickling/canning information...I started last year and this site has helped immensely..on their FB page they have instructions on preserving wild game meat..
http://www.simplycanning.com/

[tbiddy]

Just did 52 jars of dill pickles and 24 jars of beet pickles. Mustard pickles are next on the list and then some salsa I think.

[ESOXangler]

30#s of dill pickles, two different ways, and 3 jars of yellow beans. I hate those things but the Inlaws like them so I'll hand them out!

[^v^Tinda wolf^v^]

2 dozen eggs
4 cups of white wine vinegar
2 cups of water
2 tablespoons of salt
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon tumeric
2 tablespoons pickling spice

Hard boil eggs shell eggs and cool

Cook brine for 10 minutes- vinegar, water, salt, brown sugar, tumeric and pickling spice.

Your wife will love you the next day!

[Red Bullets]

Since it is a pickling thread here is a recipe for pickled pike. Gonna have to go to the lake instead of the garden to get the main ingredient.

1 1/2 cups kosher salt
1 gallon water

3 lbs pike fillets cut into pieces as big or small as you would like
7.5 cups white vinegar
1/2 cup Aquavit
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds
2 tablespoons allspice berries
3 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
12 juniper berries
1 tablespoon coriander
10 cloves
1 tsp pickling salt

fresh dill
sliced shallots
lemon slices
Serrano chilies

1. mix together the kosher salt and water and make a salt water brine, put the fish pieces into the brine and refrigerate for 48 hours.

2. After the fish has brined for 48 hours drain the fish but do not rinse it, mix together all the ingredients from the white vinegar to the pickling salt and bring to a boil. let the pickling liquid cool to room temperature.

3. In your sterilized pint or quart jars layer the fish pieces with the dill, shallots, lemon and chillies. How much is up to you. I like a lot of dill and shallots and a couple thin slices of lemon per pint.
I didn't want the fish to be spicy but I did want a little flavor from the chilies so I only put 3-4 slices of chili per pint.

4. Don't over fill the jars as you need to pour the pickling liquid in after they are filled with fish. pour the room temperature liquid over the fish and place the lids on. refrigerate for 2-3 days before eating. this will last for up to a month in you fridge.

Makes 9 pints

[RandyBoBandy]

http://www.simplycanning.com/canning...ampaign=buffer

Venison canning

[Slicktricker]

Have any of you ever tried pickled lobster? A guy from Newfoundland brought some back on year it was amazing. If any of you have pickled carrots up for sale or fish id like to try that I'd buy some

[Norwest Alta]

Bump for the guys wanting pickled sausage recipe

[HunterDave]

What a coincidink. My Wife is making pickled eggs right now.

[sureshot]

Originally Posted by HunterDave

What a coincidink. My Wife is making pickled eggs right now.

When can I come taste test