Pickling is defined as the process of preserving a food by either anaerobic fermentation in brine or immersion in vinegar. The resulting food is called a pickle. Pickling can add a special flavor to food by themselves or mixed in with other foods.
Science of Pickles: What Is Pickling? | Exploratorium
What makes a pickle a pickle? According to The Accidental Scientist in an article on Exploratorium ”On a most general level, pickles are foods soaked in solutions that help prevent spoilage.” (All reliable sources agree that means an acidic environment with a pH below 4.7.)
Continuing from Exploratorium, “There are two basic categories of pickles. The first type includes pickles preserved in vinegar, a strong acid in which few bacteria can survive. Most of the bottled kosher cucumber pickles available in the supermarket are preserved in vinegar."
The other category includes pickles soaked in a salt brine to encourages fermentation—the growth of "good" bacteria that make a food less vulnerable to "bad" spoilage-causing bacteria. Common examples of fermented pickles include kimchi and many cucumber dill pickles.”
Pickling is a food-preservation technique that is international and has been around for thousands of years. Pickling does more than simply preserve foods, it changes their taste and texture creating a cornucopia of different pickled foods from all over the world,
In our series on Pickling we’ll be digging deeper into the two main techniques and applying them in some delicious recipes but a short overview here.
Refrigerator Pickles
If you have never canned before these are a good place to start. With any shelf-stable food i.e. not refrigerated or frozen, a tested recipe from a reliable source needs to be followed exactly because to be safe an exact ratio of acid to the food needs to be maintained. But because refrigerator pickles are stores below 40 degrees you can be a lot more creative combining almost any vegetable and even fruits and increasing combined with salt, vinegar, water, spices and optional sweetener.
Canning Pickles
Following a tested recipe. fresh vegetable and/or fruits are covered with a salt and 5% vinegar brine and water bath canned. Some spice and even sugar can be add.
Fermentation
Foods like cucumbers, cabbage and many other vegetables are covered with a very salty solution which discourages the growth of bad bacteria and allows the growth of Lactobacillus which produces Lactic acid.
The process does require some special equipment: a non-reactive container like a crock or jar, a way to keep the vegetable below the surface of the brine, something to keep the air out.
Using these techniques a multitude of products can be made at home from regular pickles to relishes, and chutneys.
You can easily use any of the Summer Squash for this recipe (see below), just be sure you harvest them early enough that the skins are still tender. This recipe also give us the opportunity to demonstrate a pickling technique used in many mixed relishes and sweet and sour pickles- placing the vegetables in a Short Brine, which is a different process then making a brined or fermented pickle.
Begin by defining a few terms that can be more complex than they appear at first glance.
Relish
Wikipedia describe it, “a pickled product made of chopped vegetables, fruits, pickles or herbs and is a food item typically used as a condiment or as a salsa to enhance a staple….Relish generally consists of discernible vegetable or fruit pieces in a sauce,”
Examples are found all over the world. Wikipedia suggests that a very partial list of 40 types includes: : Chow-Chow, Chutneys, Cranberry Relishes, Kimchi Relish, Mixed Indian Pickles Piccalilli, Pico de Gallo and salsas.
Summer Squash
“So, here's the thing: All zucchini are squash, but not all squash are zucchini. Are you even more confused now? The term "squash" refers to a plant species within the gourd family, which is further divided into winter squash and summer squash.” Food Network
“The primary difference between summer and winter squash is the skin; summer squash is harvested before it fully matures, which means its skin is still tender and full of flavor.” Southern Living
Types include: Zucchini (green, yellow, black, or two tone), Yellow Crookneck, Chayote, Round Zucchini, and Pattypan
Short Brine
This is the process of mixing your chopped produce with canning salt or making a strong salt solution and let it sit for 12 to 24 hours.
Paraphrasing an overview article from Dummies.com, “Chemically, it draws out the natural juices and allows them to be replaced with a salty, spicy, vinegar (the main pickling brine)solution, giving your veggies that familiar pickled flavor and texture.”
The vegetables are not in the salt brine long enough for the fermentation process, often called Long Brine, to produce lactic acid so it is not acidified and would not be shelf stable till the Pickling Brine is added and the product cooked and properly water bath canned or refrigerated.
Zucchini Relish Canning Recipe
From the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving
Shared on Grow A Good Life
Makes 8 half-pints (8 oz)
Ingredients
- 4 cups chopped zucchini
- 2 cups chopped bell peppers
- 2 cups chopped onions
- 1/8 cup pickling salt
- 3 1/2 cups cane sugar
- 1 tablespoon celery seed
- 2 teaspoons yellow mustard seed
- 2 cups apple cider vinegar 5% acidity
Instructions
Prepare the vegetables:
- Add the chopped zucchini, peppers, and onions to a large bowl.
- Sprinkle salt over the vegetables and toss to combine. Cover with crushed ice or ice cubes and water and let stand for 2 hours.
Cook the zucchini relish:
- Drain the vegetables and rinse well to remove the extra salt.
- Add the sugar, celery seed, mustard seed, and vinegar to a large pot.
- Bring the pot to a simmer and then add the drained vegetables to the pot. Stir to combine and simmer for 10 minutes.
Canning the zucchini relish:
This recipe is water bathed canned for 10 minutes at a rolling boil to make it shelf-stable.
Full instructions for canning the relish are at https://growagoodlife.com/zucchini-relish/
If you are new to water bath canning or as a good refresher check out Healthy Canning’s article and video at https://www.healthycanning.com/water-bath-canning-step-by-step
***
SOURCES
Summer Squash
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/articles/are-squash-zucchini-same
https://www.southernliving.com/veggies/squash/types-of-squash
Short Brine
https://www.dummies.com/home-garden/hobby-farming/homesteading-pickling-and-brining/
Relish
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relish
Everyone, or at least everyone I know, loves a good crisp cucumber pickle. One that bursts with flavor and gives a crisp crunch when you bite into it. Unfortunately, that perfect degree of crispness escapes many of us for years. I can’t say that I find it in every batch, but my success rate is much higher when I use these simple tips for making better pickles. I summarize 9 tips that are pretty consistent across the reliable sources I use. Most of these articles give additional detail so I have links at the end for those wishing to jump down the rabbit hole, so jump in Alice, I’ll drive.
Tips for Making Crisper Pickles
To explain how different methods of making pickles are often referred to:
Quick-Processing or Fresh-Pack is the method of covering the vegetables or fruits with a brine that is minimum ratio of 50/50, 5% vinegar to water. Spices are often added, then canned in a water bath to make shelf-stable.
Quick Refrigerator is basically the same process as Fresh-Pack but not water bath canned so not shelf stable and must be kept in a fridge. Because it is keep under refrigeration the vinegar/water ratio can vary.
Fermented Pickles have gone through a process of fermentation in a salt solution that promotes the growth of the kind of bacteria that produces lactic acid. Lactic acid acidifies the solution like vinegar does in the Quick process. Beneficial probiotics are also produced.
We are discussing cucumber pickles made through the Quick-Processing or Fresh-Pack method
Use Cucumbers that are designed for Pickling: Standard garden salad cucumbers are not ideal for making pickles. These cucumbers are too large and contain a thick seed base as compared to pickling cucumbers. You want to make sure to use smaller cucumbers that are made for pickling, such as National Pickling Cucumbers.
Pick young and often. Ideally, less than 24 from vine to jar. The best of all worlds is to have a garden in your backyard but in many areas like the Puget Sound there are local cucumber farms where you can purchase ones that were picked that morning or not more than the day before. If you do have a garden, the younger you pick off the vine that more your plants will produce.
If there is a delay between harvesting and caning try storing in a container of ice water in the fridge. Even if there is a short delay many canners I know swear by soaking in ice water for up to a few hours minutes before canning.to firm up the vegetable
Trim off about 1/6th of an inch on the blossom end which has an enzyme that will cause pickles to become soft.
Avoid over processing, can in pints rather than quarts. The larger jars take a longer processing time and expose. And make sure to follow the guidelines for how long to process at a rolling boil, not too short but not too long.
Look for trusted recipes which are for“raw pack”, i.e. the cucumbers are jared raw rather and hot brine poured over them rather than boiling in the brine before jarring.
Add a Tannin-containing agent to your jars. work well. Per pint, a quarter teaspoon of black tea leaves, or a small grape or horseradish leaf works well.
Skip using alum or lime. Although used traditionally, food safety expert believe they are not safe and should be avoided
Try Low Temperature Pasteurization Treatment. I would recommend that you have water bath canning experience and a lot of patience! The two main factors in safely water bath canning are time and temperature so the time that you need to hold the jars at a rolling boil depends on the boiling point of water at your altitude. This NCHFP table for standard dill pickles illustrates.
If you want to lower your processing temperature to help preserve crispness you need to lengthen the time.
The National Center for Home Food Preservation recommends 180 to 185 degrees for 30 minutes and using a recipe approved for use with this technique. For more information visit the NCHFP and Fillmore Container sites listed below
May Your Pickles Always Be Crisp!
CFPA Resources
For a complete picture of making Fresh-Pack Pickles we recommend our CFPA’s video, Stocking the Pantry: Garlic Dill Pickles” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3BByTnfPR8
CFPA Pickle Recipe Collection https://preservefoods.blogspot.com/p/recipes-conserves-pickles.html
Other Online Resources
Fillmore Container:Crisp Pickle Tricks https://www.fillmorecontainer.com/blog/2014/08/27/4-tips-for-crispy-pickles/?trk_msg=L0G1SNCJAE04J1FUPDTOHPRJDG&trk_contact=LBQJTRV4V84ORCL6V9LBJ1Q87O&trk_sid=5H7C21LDNQ9AVNU67A3PPGJNJ4&utm_source=Listrak&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=CRISPY+PICKLE+TIPS&utm_campaign=Pickling+-+July+2020&utm_content=Pickling+-+July+2020
The Prairie Homestead:Includes ice bath and tannins
https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2016/08/crispy-crunchy-pickles.html
A farm Girl in the Making: Pick the right cucumber
https://afarmgirlinthemaking.com/canning-crisp-crunchy-pickles-prevent-soft-pickles/
Old World Garden Farm: 7 Tips
https://oldworldgardenfarms.com/2021/06/08/crispy-dill-pickle-recipe-2/
Adding Tannins
NCHFP Recommendations for Low Temperature Processing
https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_06/low_temp_pasteur.html
Fillmore Container Recipe and additional information on Low Temperature Processing
Vinegar Brine is the foundation for non-fermented pickles, often referred to as ‘quick, or acid added’ pickles. These are different from refrigerator pickles which are not shelf stable. Quick pickles go the extra mile of water bath canning to make them shelf stable. The brine for making fermented pickles or sauerkraut is yet another brine.
Always used a recipe from a reputable source. Healthy Canning is one, and they have created a resource list to find tested recipes.
A basic vinegar brine recipe is used in many pickles. Spices are often heated in the brine for added flavor or added directly to the jar. Sometimes sugar is added and the amount of salt can vary by recipe.
Always use vinegar that clearly states that it has been diluted to 5% acidity, anything under 5% is unsafe for canning shelf-stable products. You can use either white, apple cider, or other vinegars as long as they meet that acidity.
Once brine has been heated to boiling it should either be used to pickle immediately or discarded. It is the acetic acid content in vinegar that makes it acidic and acetic acid boils at a lower temperature than water. Brine boiled too long or used may have a lower acidity than is safe.
Always use pickling salt which is free from additives including iodine. Iodine can make for soft pickles or effect color.
If you know you’ll be doing a number of small batch pickling batches of a particular vegetable the appropriate base of vinegar, water and salt can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. Sugar and spices should be added when the brine base is heated before making pickles.
To quote Healthy Canning, “The 50 / 50 vinegar/ water ratio guideline for pickling is a “harm reduction” safety guideline used as one of the factors in evaluating whether a pickling recipe is safe or not.It means that the brine should be no more than 50% water, with the other 50 (or higher) percent being vinegar (5% or higher in strength.) It applies to fresh-pack (aka vinegar) pickles meant for shelf-stable storage. It can also apply to other pickled products such as relishes and chutneys, etc.”
For more please visit Healthy Canning at the link below https://www.healthycanning.com/50-50-rule-pickling/
See our demonstrations a couple of easy small batch pickling recipes in videos, including Spicy Green Dilly Beans, and Favorite Garlic Dill Pickles. The recipes are available here on our website.
- Quick-Processing or Fresh-Pack is the method of covering the vegetables or fruits with a vinegar brine and then water bath canning to make shelf-stable.
- Quick Refrigerator is basically the same process as Fresh-Pack but not water bath canned so not shelf stable and must be kept in a fridge.
- Fermented Pickles have gone through a process of fermentation in a salt solution that promotes the growth of bacteria that produces lactic acid and acidifies the solution without adding vinegar.
As a post by Fermenting for Foodies states, “Sauerkraut is a good go-to for every fermentation newbie
because cabbage naturally has lactic bacteria on it. So all that you need to do to make sauerkraut is grate it!” So the process is pretty easy although there are a few more things to consider besides grating, like what we need to make a good pickled product.
Let's start with some information from The Prairie Homestead and a few other sources referenced below, which I’ve added a few of my own comments to.
All recipes start with one or more kinds of vegetables or fruit, pickling salt, and some water. The amount of salt you need is specified in each tested recipe to make sure the brine is salty enough to inhibit the “bad” microorganisms but allow the lactic acid producing ones to grow. The salt is mixed with the produce and placed in a container for fermentation. There needs to be enough brine to completely cover the vegetable or fruit and a weight added to keep it under. Then the container is covered to keep out oxygen but allows the carbon dioxide produced to escape.
CONTAINERS
Open Crocks are traditional, “As you can guess from the name, these crocks are simply jars (often ceramic or stoneware) that are used to hold veggies as they ferment” The most common sizes are 1 to 5 gallon. They can be found new online and in stores but also used at garage sales. If you choose to save a little money with a used one, make sure there are no chips or cracks that could trap food and make for an unsafe product. To keep the pickles submerged The Elliott Homestead suggests, “Place a crock weight (or plate if you don’t have one) over the top of the pickles so they remain completely
submerged...You can also layer on some grape leaves to help protect the cucumbers from oxygen as well.
Water-sealed Crocks have a lip to hold water and a lid that fits inside that lip. Once you pour water into that lip it creates a “seal” and prevents outside air from entering the crock but carbon dioxide created during fermentation, can still escape. Grape or other leaves can be layered on top and weights added. These crocks also come with weights that were made for that exact size crock.
Mason (Canning) Jars Probably the easiest way to make a small batch of sauerkraut is to pack it into
a mason jar and keep the vegetables below the brine with a weight. (A small jam jar filled with water or a zip lock bag inside another baggy filled with water works well as a weight in a wide-mouth mason jar.)
TOOLS
Glass Weights, as mentioned before, helps to keep produce submerged
Tamper, very useful for “tamping down" shredded vegetables in the or pounding in the salt before jarring. They came in wood and stainless steel. I think the wood looks cooler.
The use of wide-mouth canning jars for small batches has encourage the adaptation of many devices from the brewing industry to work as airlock to keep O2 out and allow CO2 to escape.
Airlocks include:
Plastic lids for canning jars with standard wine making airlock inserted
***
RESOURCES
Fermenting for Foodies a good discussion, many ideas and tools for making sauerkraut
https://www.fermentingforfoodies.com/easy-fermented-sauerkraut/
Fermenting for Foodies with a lot of basic safety information
https://www.fermentingforfoodies.com/how-to-ferment/
The Praire Homestead Containers and tools
##
No comments:
Post a Comment