Showing posts with label pickles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pickles. Show all posts
Friday, August 11, 2006
Brined Zucchini Pickless Need More Work
Well, I'm not satisfied with how the brined zucchini pickles turned out. More experimentation is needed. Some possibilities are that they were cut, not whole, and that I may not have had a strong enough brine solution. When I get a chance I'll try some more with other solutions.
Monday, July 24, 2006
Brining Zucchini Pickles
On Friday I started some brined zucchini pickles. I happened to stop at a local discount store and saw a lovely, large glass vase. Clear glass, with a sort of swirled pattern, about 18-20 inches tall, lovely shape, narrowing down to an opening still large enough for me to put my hand in. Hmmm, looked perfect for pickles! And only $5.00. Home it came. I cleaned it, then tried to decide how to use all the lovely zucchini.
I decided on spears, since the zucchini's were pretty good sized (say mostly 3-day zuke's). We chunked them into spears about 3.5 to 4 inches long, either quartering each section, or cutting it into 8ths, depending on how big they were. As I layered the spears into the jar I added a pickling mix that we had purchased. I'd just found out the day before that pickling mixes were initialy intended for brined pickles, and this was my chance to try this one out.
Mixed up brine and put it over the full jar. I then used some of the remainder in a sandwich baggie, double bagged, which I put on top to keep the new pickles under the brine. It started bubbling by the next day. The spears are reducing in size, I presume as the salt pulls the water out of the spears. They sure look good. They should be ready in about 2 weeks.
I decided on spears, since the zucchini's were pretty good sized (say mostly 3-day zuke's). We chunked them into spears about 3.5 to 4 inches long, either quartering each section, or cutting it into 8ths, depending on how big they were. As I layered the spears into the jar I added a pickling mix that we had purchased. I'd just found out the day before that pickling mixes were initialy intended for brined pickles, and this was my chance to try this one out.
Mixed up brine and put it over the full jar. I then used some of the remainder in a sandwich baggie, double bagged, which I put on top to keep the new pickles under the brine. It started bubbling by the next day. The spears are reducing in size, I presume as the salt pulls the water out of the spears. They sure look good. They should be ready in about 2 weeks.
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Zucchini makes great pickles
Busy weekend pickling again. Last summer was the first I had made pickles, thanks to "The Joy of Pickling" by Linda Ziedrich. The Zucchini Bread & Butter recipe I liked even better than either of the other two Bread & Butter recipes, so this year we didn't plant cucumbers, instead planting lots and lots of zucchini and summer squash.
Well, those of you familiar with growing squash will know, when one has zucchini, one has lots of zucchini! We started picking the first of them this weekend. Sunday I canned 9 pints and 12 jelly jars (1/2 pints) of Zucchini Bread & Butter pickles. I used hot water bath canning as it's faster than the pressure canner for these high-acid foods.
I also tried another of the recipes that I'd enjoyed last year, an Asian type pickle. I don't have my book in front of me to verify the name of the recipe, but I think it was Sesame Pickle. This is a fresh pickle, which is ready to eat in just a few hours. One of my kids and I had enjoyed them very much last summer when made with Asian cucumbers.
This time I tried it with zucchini. We made a triple batch from two rather huge zucchini's, cutting out the seed area, and chunking the rest. I was thrilled with the results and will be eating a lot of this kind of pickle. I think I'll go through the book some more and see what else I can convert to use zucchini and summer squash!
Well, those of you familiar with growing squash will know, when one has zucchini, one has lots of zucchini! We started picking the first of them this weekend. Sunday I canned 9 pints and 12 jelly jars (1/2 pints) of Zucchini Bread & Butter pickles. I used hot water bath canning as it's faster than the pressure canner for these high-acid foods.
I also tried another of the recipes that I'd enjoyed last year, an Asian type pickle. I don't have my book in front of me to verify the name of the recipe, but I think it was Sesame Pickle. This is a fresh pickle, which is ready to eat in just a few hours. One of my kids and I had enjoyed them very much last summer when made with Asian cucumbers.
This time I tried it with zucchini. We made a triple batch from two rather huge zucchini's, cutting out the seed area, and chunking the rest. I was thrilled with the results and will be eating a lot of this kind of pickle. I think I'll go through the book some more and see what else I can convert to use zucchini and summer squash!
Friday, June 23, 2006
Sugar Snap Pea Pickles
Today my first batches of sugar snap pea pickles are done. Last night I just had to try them, though.
First I tried the brined peas. These were made using a recipe for brined green beans. The peas came out well, but I don't think I'll use dill as a flavoring for peas next time. Maybe tarragon. Perhaps I should put in a little of that cinnamon mint? More experimentation is needed. The flavor is good, and the texture a bit crisp.
Next we got the jar of vinegar pickled peas opened, which took a bit of wrestling. These pickles had been put in a jar with the flavorings, the cooled pickling solution poured over them, then left in the fridge for 2 weeks. Trying these immediately after the brined peas was a bit of a shock. The sourness of the wine vinegar was in direct contrast with the fermented brined peas.
However, while very different, they are also very good. We've been getting rain so with luck I'll be able to do another batch of sugar snap pea pickles before they're done for the season.
In the next day or so I'll move them from the pickling jars into small jars and hot water bath can them. Otherwise I'd have to keep them all in the fridge, which would in large part negate the advanages of pickling them!
First I tried the brined peas. These were made using a recipe for brined green beans. The peas came out well, but I don't think I'll use dill as a flavoring for peas next time. Maybe tarragon. Perhaps I should put in a little of that cinnamon mint? More experimentation is needed. The flavor is good, and the texture a bit crisp.
Next we got the jar of vinegar pickled peas opened, which took a bit of wrestling. These pickles had been put in a jar with the flavorings, the cooled pickling solution poured over them, then left in the fridge for 2 weeks. Trying these immediately after the brined peas was a bit of a shock. The sourness of the wine vinegar was in direct contrast with the fermented brined peas.
However, while very different, they are also very good. We've been getting rain so with luck I'll be able to do another batch of sugar snap pea pickles before they're done for the season.
In the next day or so I'll move them from the pickling jars into small jars and hot water bath can them. Otherwise I'd have to keep them all in the fridge, which would in large part negate the advanages of pickling them!
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