grow it eat it preserve it! dills, sweets, kraut, relishes and other foods preserving the perfect...
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Grow It Eat It Preserve It!
Dills, Sweets, Kraut, Relishesand Other Foods
Preserving the Perfect Pickle
Preserving the Perfect Pickle
Grow It Eat It Preserve It!
OverviewOverview
• Types of pickled products• The process• Ingredients• Equipment
• Types of pickled products• The process• Ingredients• Equipment
Grow It Eat It Preserve It!
Pickled ProductsPickled Products
• Brined or fermented pickles• Cured in brine (salt and water)
solution for one or more weeks• Either produce an acid or you add
an acid• Fresh pack or quick process
pickles• Sometimes brined for a few hours• Covered with boiling hot vinegar,
spices and seasonings (adding an acid)
• Brined or fermented pickles• Cured in brine (salt and water)
solution for one or more weeks• Either produce an acid or you add
an acid• Fresh pack or quick process
pickles• Sometimes brined for a few hours• Covered with boiling hot vinegar,
spices and seasonings (adding an acid)
Grow It Eat It Preserve It!
Other PicklesOther Pickles
• Fruit pickles• Whole or sliced fruits• Simmered in a spicy, sweet-sour
syrup made with vinegar or lemon juice
• Relishes• Chopped fruits and vegetables• Cooked in a spicy vinegar solution
• Fruit pickles• Whole or sliced fruits• Simmered in a spicy, sweet-sour
syrup made with vinegar or lemon juice
• Relishes• Chopped fruits and vegetables• Cooked in a spicy vinegar solution
Grow It Eat It Preserve It!
What kind of pickles did Aunt Bee make?What kind of pickles did Aunt Bee make?
1. Use a brine that is less heavy 2. Add extra sprig of parsley or two
steeped in the vinegar3. Use younger cucumbers4. Drain them more5. Use fresher spices6. Boil the vinegar two seconds
more
1. Use a brine that is less heavy 2. Add extra sprig of parsley or two
steeped in the vinegar3. Use younger cucumbers4. Drain them more5. Use fresher spices6. Boil the vinegar two seconds
more
Fresh
pack or
quick pro
cess
Grow It Eat It Preserve It!
What Makes a Pickle a Pickle?What Makes a Pickle a Pickle?
• Form an acid• Brined• Fermented• Produces “lactic acid”
• Acid is added• Vinegar• Lemon Juice
• Form an acid• Brined• Fermented• Produces “lactic acid”
• Acid is added• Vinegar• Lemon Juice
Grow It Eat It Preserve It!
Why Add Acid?Why Add Acid?
• Do not need to be pressure canned if they have a pH of 4.6 or lower
• A pH of 4.6 or less will not support growth of Clostridium botulinum
• Do not need to be pressure canned if they have a pH of 4.6 or lower
• A pH of 4.6 or less will not support growth of Clostridium botulinum
Source: National Center for Home Food Preservation
Grow It Eat It Preserve It!
Why Process in Water Bath?Why Process in Water Bath?
• Kills spoilage organisms • Yeasts• Molds• Bacteria
• Controls enzyme activity• Flavor• Color • Texture
• Kills spoilage organisms • Yeasts• Molds• Bacteria
• Controls enzyme activity• Flavor• Color • Texture Source: USDA Complete Guide
to Home Canning
Grow It Eat It Preserve It!
Ingredients in PicklingIngredients in Pickling
• Produce• Salt• Vinegar• Sugar• Spices• Water• Firming agents
• Produce• Salt• Vinegar• Sugar• Spices• Water• Firming agents
Grow It Eat It Preserve It!
ProduceProduce
• Tender vegetables and firm fruit, selected by size
• Pickling cucumbers (not “table” or “slicing”), unwaxed
• Pickle within 24 hours after picking for best quality
• Wash well• Discard produce with mold
• Tender vegetables and firm fruit, selected by size
• Pickling cucumbers (not “table” or “slicing”), unwaxed
• Pickle within 24 hours after picking for best quality
• Wash well• Discard produce with mold
Grow It Eat It Preserve It!
SaltSalt
• Pure granulated salt• “pickling” salt• “canning” salt
• No anti-caking materials• Do not alter salt concentrations• Do not reduce salt in a recipe
unless it is in a tested recipe using less salt—salt is a preservative
• Pure granulated salt• “pickling” salt• “canning” salt
• No anti-caking materials• Do not alter salt concentrations• Do not reduce salt in a recipe
unless it is in a tested recipe using less salt—salt is a preservative
Grow It Eat It Preserve It!
VinegarVinegar
• Preservative• Cider or white vinegar
• Cider vinegar can discolor light produce
• White distilled for onions, cauliflower and pears
• 5% acidity• Use amount stated in recipe
• Preservative• Cider or white vinegar
• Cider vinegar can discolor light produce
• White distilled for onions, cauliflower and pears
• 5% acidity• Use amount stated in recipe
Grow It Eat It Preserve It!
SugarSugar
• White sugar unless recipe states brown
• Sugar substitutes• Can develop off-flavor or
bitterness• Can lose sweetening
properties• Follow tested recipes
specific to the type of sugar substitute
• White sugar unless recipe states brown
• Sugar substitutes• Can develop off-flavor or
bitterness• Can lose sweetening
properties• Follow tested recipes
specific to the type of sugar substitute
Grow It Eat It Preserve It!
SpicesSpices
• Use fresh whole spices for best quality and flavor
• Powdered spices can make pickles dark and cloudy
• Tie whole spices in a clean white cloth or cheesecloth bag, removebefore packing jars
• Use fresh whole spices for best quality and flavor
• Powdered spices can make pickles dark and cloudy
• Tie whole spices in a clean white cloth or cheesecloth bag, removebefore packing jars
Grow It Eat It Preserve It!
WaterWater
• Drinking quality or “potable”• Soft water is preferred
• Iron: discoloration• Calcium: shriveling• Boil hard water for
15 minutes and let stand, covered, for 24 hours
• Drinking quality or “potable”• Soft water is preferred
• Iron: discoloration• Calcium: shriveling• Boil hard water for
15 minutes and let stand, covered, for 24 hours
Grow It Eat It Preserve It!
Firming AgentsFirming Agents
• Not needed when• Good quality ingredients are used• Up-to-date methods are used
• Soak cucumbers in ice water for 4 to 5 hours
• Cut 1/16-inch off blossom end
• Not needed when• Good quality ingredients are used• Up-to-date methods are used
• Soak cucumbers in ice water for 4 to 5 hours
• Cut 1/16-inch off blossom end
Grow It Eat It Preserve It!
Blossom End of a CucumberBlossom End of a Cucumber
Blossom End Stem End
Grow It Eat It Preserve It!
LimeLime
• Calcium in lime does improve firmness
• Use food grade pickling lime (not agricultural or burnt lime)
• Soak cucumbers in lime-water solution 12 to 24 hours before pickling
• Excess lime absorbed by the cucumbers must be removed to make safe pickles
• Calcium in lime does improve firmness
• Use food grade pickling lime (not agricultural or burnt lime)
• Soak cucumbers in lime-water solution 12 to 24 hours before pickling
• Excess lime absorbed by the cucumbers must be removed to make safe pickles
Do not inhale dust
Grow It Eat It Preserve It!
To Remove Excess LimeTo Remove Excess Lime
• Drain lime-water solution• Rinse• Re-soak in fresh water 1 hour• Repeat rinsing and soaking two
more times• Failure to remove lime
adequately may increase the risk for botulism
• Drain lime-water solution• Rinse• Re-soak in fresh water 1 hour• Repeat rinsing and soaking two
more times• Failure to remove lime
adequately may increase the risk for botulism
Grow It Eat It Preserve It!
AlumAlum
• Aluminum potassium sulfate• Can be safely used, but not
recommended• Used for fermented pickles, does not
work for quick process• Powdered form found in spice
section of grocery stores
• Aluminum potassium sulfate• Can be safely used, but not
recommended• Used for fermented pickles, does not
work for quick process• Powdered form found in spice
section of grocery stores
Grow It Eat It Preserve It!
Food ScalesFood Scales
• Recipe specifies ingredients by weight
• Important for pickledproducts
• Recipe specifies ingredients by weight
• Important for pickledproducts
Grow It Eat It Preserve It!
PansPans• Heat liquids in
• Stainless steel• Aluminum• Glass• Unchipped enamelware
• Do not use• Copper• Brass• Galvanized or iron utensils
• Heat liquids in• Stainless steel• Aluminum• Glass• Unchipped enamelware
• Do not use• Copper• Brass• Galvanized or iron utensils
Grow It Eat It Preserve It!
Fermenting and BriningFermenting and Brining• Small quantities: crock or stone jar,
unchipped enamelware, large glass jar or bowl
• Large quantities: enamel, glass or paraffin-lined keg or barrel
• Cover for container• An undersized lid to hold food below
surface of brine• Food-grade plastic bag
• When using lime, do not soak in an aluminum container
• Small quantities: crock or stone jar, unchipped enamelware, large glass jar or bowl
• Large quantities: enamel, glass or paraffin-lined keg or barrel
• Cover for container• An undersized lid to hold food below
surface of brine• Food-grade plastic bag
• When using lime, do not soak in an aluminum container
Grow It Eat It Preserve It!
Process in Water-Bath CannerProcess in Water-Bath Canner
Grow It Eat It Preserve It!
Pickle PrinciplesPickle Principles
1. Do not alter vinegar, food, or water proportions in a recipe or use a vinegar with unknown acidity.
2. Use only recipes with tested proportions of ingredients.
3. There must be a minimum, uniform level of acid throughout the mixed product to prevent the growth of C. botulinum bacteria.
1. Do not alter vinegar, food, or water proportions in a recipe or use a vinegar with unknown acidity.
2. Use only recipes with tested proportions of ingredients.
3. There must be a minimum, uniform level of acid throughout the mixed product to prevent the growth of C. botulinum bacteria.