Pickles are high in vitamin A and low in calories.
Canning pickles with a pressure or water bath canner can be time consuming, and the equipment can be expensive. Instead of canning your pickles, you can store them in the refrigerator. The pickles must remain in the refrigerator to prevent them from spoiling, but you will have fresh homemade pickles to enjoy well after the growing season ends. Select your preferred pickling spice to make your desired flavors such as kosher dills, sweet pickles or bread and butter.
Instructions
1. Select fresh, crisp pickling cucumbers. Avoid cucumbers that have large areas of yellow or white. You need three or four pickling cucumbers for each pint jar.
2. Slice the ends off the cucumbers so that they fit into the canning jars. Leave 1/4 inch of headspace from the top of the cucumbers to the top of the jar. Rinse the cucumbers under cool running water to remove dirt and debris.
3. Slice the cucumbers lengthwise into spears, crosswise for round pickles or leave them whole if you desire.
4. Sanitize the canning jars in boiling water for 10 minutes to kill dangerous bacteria. Boil the lids in a separate pot for five minutes.
5. Purchase a pickling mix from your local grocery store. Follow the instructions on the package to mix the pickling spices properly. You can make your own pickling spice by combining 1/2 tsp. canning salt, 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp. celery seeds, 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric, 1 1/2 cups white vinegar, 1 1/2 cups sugar or honey, 2 cups onions sliced thinly and 1/2 cup fresh dill. Avoid altering this recipe because the pickles must remain submerged in this particular brine to prevent them from spoiling.
6. Bring the mixture to a near boil on the stovetop in a cooking pot. Most store mixes require the addition of vinegar or water to create the solution, so read the package carefully. Heat the solution in a non-metal cooking pot because metal reacts with the vinegar and will alter the appearance of the mixture.
7. Remove the solution from the stovetop once it simmers. Pack the cucumbers into the jars. Pour the simmering solution over the cucumbers and leave 1/4 inch of headspace. Place the lids on the canning jars and tighten them with the screw rings.
8. Allow the pickling solution to cool to room temperature for 2 hours. Place the pickles in the refrigerator for 24 hours before you consume them. The longer the pickles cure, the better they will taste. Consume the pickles within 12 months for best results.
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