When I was a kid the pickle barrel was just leaving the grocery stores. We did not do much pickling in Brooklyn. However, when I married as a young girl and became a farmer's wife I learned canning and pickling real fast.
The Chinese had been pickling vegetables as early as the third century BC and the Romans by the first century BC.
I learned there were two types of pickling. The fermented or brined method which took a couple of weeks of "curing" at room temperature and the vegetables usually turned a different color during that time and then there was the unfermented or quick pickling method whereby pickles were made in one or two days by adding acid in the form of vinegar. The vinegar prevented bacteria growth.
Here are some recipes.
Bread and Butter Pickles
Ingredients:
5 med Cucumbers
1 c Water
3 med Onions
1/2 ts Mustard seed
1/4 c Salt
3/4 c Sugar
1 c Vinegar
1/2 tsp Ginger
1/2 tsp Celery seed
1/4 tsp Turmeric
Instructions:
Wash cucumbers. Cut in thin slices. Peel and slice onions. Combine onions and cucumbers. Add salt. Let stand 2 hours. Drain. Heat vinegar, water, celery seed, mustard seed, sugar, ginger, and turmeric to boiling. Add cucumbers and onions. Boil slowly until tender. Pack while Hot in freshly sterilized jars.
Brined Dills Ingredients:
48 small Cucumbers
1 pt White vinegar
1 Box whole pickling spices
2 gallons Water
3 bunches Dry dill
1 lb Salt
Instructions:
Wash and drain cukes. Put down a layer of dill in a large crock. Layer cukes, dill, pickling spices (and whole rocambole and washed grape leaves if desired) in crock. Stir together remaining ingredients and pour over cucumbers until well covered. (Make more brine as necessary) Place a heavy plate on top of cukes, and weight it down with a large jar filled with water. Do not fill crock to the top as it may overflow when the cukes release water. Let sit for approx 3 weeks, or until cukes are uniformly colored throughout and well flavored with dill. Remove cukes from brine and wash, discarding any soft cukes. Pack pickles into clean quart jars adding 1-2 cloves sliced rocambole (or garlic), 1 t peppercorns, 1/4 t pickling spices, and 1/2 t turmeric. Make up fresh brine from recipe above, bring to a boil and pour over dills in jar leaving 1" of headroom. Seal jars and process in boiling water bath 5 minutes. Start counting time the second the jars are placed in the boiling water. Wait at least three weeks before eating.
Easy Sauerkraut
Instructions:
Chop cabbage until very fine. Pack in quart jars. Allow 2 teaspoons salt to each quart cabbage. Pour Hot water over cabbage, filling jars to shoulders. Seal. Sauerkraut will be ready for use after two weeks.
"Tread the Earth Lightly" and in the meantime May your day be filled with
Peace, Light and Love,
Author's note: This article was originally written for GreenThumbArticles.com
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