break in the canner?

[doodlemaier]

Bread and Butter Pickles
From Ethel Wyckoff

• 4 quarts medium, unwaxed cucumbers (measure after slicing)
• 6 medium onions, sliced
• 2 green peppers, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/3 cup kosher salt
• 5 cups sugar
• 1½ tsp turmeric
• 1½ tsp celery seed
• 2 tbsp mustard seed
• 3 cups cider vinegar
• Cracked ice

Do not peel cucumbers, slice thin. Add onions, peppers, and whole garlic cloves. Add salt. Cover with cracked ice and mix thoroughly. Let stand 3 hours. Drain well. Combine remaining ingredients in separate bowl. Pour over cucumber mixture. Heat just to boil. Seal in hot, sterilized jars. Process for 10 minutes.

Yield: 8 pints

Things to add to registry:

• barn star
• canning jars
• blueberry bushes and fig trees
• vacuum sealer
• large terracotta ollays

Comments

[name-redacted.livejournal.com]

Thanks for that! I've been thinking that, after cheesemaking, pickling might be my next foray into controlled spoilage.

[doodlemaier.livejournal.com]

That's right! You're going for your black belt in controlled spoilage. Personally, I'd really rather be making ice cream with my mint and anise hyssop, but Pop's having a gardener's panic over a glut in cucumbers. . .

Perhaps I should share the source (http://www.pickleking.com/pps/0pickling.shtml), not that there aren't pickle recipes breeding on the innerwebz.

[name-redacted.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[doodlemaier.livejournal.com]

And because it's probably only a matter of time:

Simple Sauerkraut

• 2 large heads of cabbage (about 5 pounds)
• 2 to 3 tbsp non-iodized salt

Grate 1 cabbage and place in a crock or plastic bucket. Sprinkle half the salt over the cabbage. Grate the second cabbage, then add it to the crock along with the rest of the salt. Crush the mixture with your hands until liquid comes out of the cabbage freely. Place a plate on top of the cabbage, then a weight on top of the plate. Cover the container and check after 2 days. Scoop the scum off the top, repack and check every 3 days. After 2 weeks, sample the kraut to see if it tastes ready to eat. The flavor will continue to mature for the next several weeks. Canning or refrigerating the sauerkraut will extend its shelf life. Yields about 2 quarts.

[name-redacted.livejournal.com]

I dunno - I'm a little hesitant about any recipe that includes the word "scum" (unless it also includes the word "villany")...

It' s in there!

[doodlemaier.livejournal.com]

Villany is executing the recipe to begin with! Make up a batch and ask the Missus, I'm sure she'll concur.

[doodlemaier.livejournal.com]

Maybe it's a bit of overkill to pressure can pickles but today's was the maiden voyage of our $20 thrift store Presto Pressure cooker/canner! I've still something to learn about packing stuff in little jars, but all things considered, the processing went swimmingly.

[doodlemaier.livejournal.com]

NGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

• 5¼ pounds 3 to 4 inch long pickling cucumbers
• 2½ cups and 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 7¾ cups water
• 1¼ cup and 3 tablespoons pickling salt
• 10½ cloves garlic, peeled and halved
• 5¼ sprigs fresh dill weed
• 5¼ heads fresh dill weed

DIRECTIONS
This recipe's Ingredients were scaled to yield a new amount. The directions below still refer to the original recipe yield of 8 - 1 quart jars.

1. Wash cucumbers, and place in the sink ( I use a bucket) with cold water and lots of ice cubes. Soak in ice water for at least 2 hours but no more than 8 hours. Refresh ice as required. Sterilize 8 (1 quart ) canning jars and lids in boiling water for at least 10 minutes.
2. In a large pot over medium-high heat, combine the vinegar, water, and pickling salt. Bring the brine to a rapid boil.
3. In each jar, place 2 half-cloves of garlic, one head of dill, then enough cucumbers to fill the jar (about 1 pound). Then add 2 more garlic halves, and 1 sprig of dill. Fill jars with hot brine. Seal jars, making sure you have cleaned the jar's rims of any residue.
4. Process sealed jars in a boiling water bath. Process quart jars for 15 minutes.
5. Store pickles for a minimum of 8 weeks before eating. Refrigerate after opening. Pickles will keep for up to 2 years if stored in a cool dry place.
~from http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Dill-Pickles/Detail.aspx