relish

Barbara H. Ingham

Homemade Pickles &Relishes

B2267

University of Wisconsin-Extension Cooperative Extension

Wisconsin Safe Food Preservation Series

When your garden yields asurplus of fresh produce,or when the farm stand has

prices too low to resist, then it’s timeto make pickles. Follow the research-tested recipes in this bulletin for safeand easy preparation and preserva-tion of your garden bounty.

Pickling is one of the oldest knownmethods of preserving foods, and along-time favorite among homecanners. While cucumbers are themost popular pickled product, manyother vegetables and fruits can besuccessfully pickled at home.

To the inexperienced person, picklingmay seem to be a complex proce-dure, laden with mysterious stepsand unknown outcomes. In fact, youcan make safe, high quality pickles ifyou remember two basic rules:

1. Use high quality ingredients.

2. Follow tested recipes precisely.

The recipes in this bulletin tell youhow to make two different types ofpickles for canning: fermented orcrock pickles, andfresh pack orquick processpickles andrelishes.

Both types of pickles are preservedby acid. The acid may be:

■ acetic acid from commercialvinegar (5 percent acetic acid) —used in fresh pack or quickprocess pickles and relishes — or

■ lactic acid produced by bacteriain fermented or crock pickles.

Fermented picklesFermented pickles — also calledcrock pickles — are produced bycuring cucumbers or other vegeta-bles in a salt brine for several weeks.

During this treatment, salt-tolerantbacteria convert carbohydrates(sugars) in the vegetables into lacticacid by a process known as fermen-tation. Lactic acid preserves thepickles and gives them their charac-teristic tangy flavor.

The salt concentration is very impor-tant in this process, and is necessaryto encourage growth of the righttypes of bacteria. For this reason, youwill want to use the exact amountof salt stated in each recipe.

Cucumbers fermented in salt brinewithout added herbs or spices arecalled salt stock. They may be storedin the brine for several months andthen made into sour or sweet pickles.

Cucumbers fermented in salt brinewith added dill, spices and garlicmake genuine dill pickles. Whencompletely cured, the cucumber

H O M E M A D E P I C K L E S & R E L I S H E S 1

Fermented pickles 1

Fresh pack or quick process pickles 2

Refrigerator pickles 2

Freezer pickles 2

Use high quality ingredients 3

Vegetables and fruits 3

Start with the right ingredients 4

Water 5

Vinegar 5

Salt 6

Use the right amount of salt 7

Weigh salt for best accuracy 7

Sugar 8

Spices, garlic and dill 8

Grape leaves 9

Firming agents 9

Equipment for fermented or crock pickles 10

Equipment for all pickles 11

Processing in a boiling water canner 12

Sterilizing jars 12

Headspace 14

When jars fail to seal 14

Alternative low-temperature pasteurization process 14

Pickle recipes 15

Fermented or crock pickles 15

Brines for fermented pickles 16

Fermented pickle recipe 18

Fresh pack and quick process recipes 20

Vegetable pickle recipes 27

Fruit pickle recipes 34

Relish recipes 36

Refrigerator pickle recipes 40

Freezer pickle recipes 42

Family favorite pickle recipes 45

Wisconsin Safe Food PreservationSeries publications 48

Web sites 48

Recipe index

Contents

University of Wisconsin-Extension Cooperative Extension, 2002

Use high qualityingredientsVegetables and fruitsSelect fresh, firm, high quality veg-etables and fruits for pickling. Discardbruised, moldy or insect-damagedproduce.

Grow or purchase varieties of cucum-bers that are designed for pickling.Pickling cucumbers suited forWisconsin include Arkansas LittleLeaf H-19, Bush Pickle, Calypso,Carolina, County Fair 83, Liberty,Pioneer, Regal and Wisconsin SMR-18and SMR-58. Using varieties ofcucumbers designed for pickling willyield a high quality product.

Although pickling cucumbers makegood gherkin pickles at 1 to 2 inches,pickles are more typically made fromcucumbers that are 3 to 5 incheslong. You can leave them whole, orslice them lengthwise into spears orcrosswise into slices or chunks.

When cucumbers grow longer than5 inches, they are best chopped andmade into relish. Fresh-eating“slicing” varieties and ‘‘burpless’’cucumbers can be used in relishes orfor quick process bread-and-butterpickles, but are not suitable for fer-mented pickles or fresh pack dillpickles.


flesh becomes a transparent olive-green. The cured dills are packed incanning jars, covered with boilinghot brine, and heat processed in aboiling water canner for a productthat can be enjoyed all year long.

Fresh pack or quickprocess picklesMany popular kinds of pickles areknown as fresh pack or quickprocess pickles. Fresh pack picklesare not fermented. Instead, a hotsolution of vinegar and salt (andsometimes sugar) is prepared andpoured over the pickles before theyare processed. Pickles prepared inthis way include fresh pack dillpickles, bread-and-butter pickles, andbeet pickles.

Also in this category are:

■ Fruit pickles prepared from fruitssuch as peaches, pears or applessimmered in a spicy, sweet-soursyrup.

■ Relishes prepared from choppedvegetables or fruits simmered invinegar solutions.

After jars are filled, fresh pack picklesare processed in a boiling watercanner. Such pickles are preserved bythe acetic acid in the added vinegar,and the heat processing. Followtested recipes precisely.

Use the exact amount of vinegarstated in each recipe, or an unsafeproduct may result. Salt or sugarcan be decreased in fresh packpickles with safe results, but picklesmay lack some characteristic flavorand texture.

Refrigerator picklesSome pickle recipes that call forenough vinegar (5 percent aceticacid) can be stored safely in therefrigerator at 40° F or colder for upto 1 month.

These pickles do not require heatprocessing, but they must be keptrefrigerated. Do not decrease theamount of vinegar in these recipes,an unsafe product may result.

Freezer picklesIf you like to make sweet pickles —and want to make them quickly andin the coolest possible way — trymaking freezer pickles.

For some reason, cucumber andother vegetable slices packed invinegar and sugar remain crisp whenfrozen. Freezer pickles taste best ifchilled. Once thawed, these picklesmust be kept refrigerated for usewithin 2 weeks.

2 Wisconsin Safe Food Preservation Series

You can make many typesof delicious pickles.

Fermented pickles

are produced by

fermenting cucum-

bers or other vegetables in a salt brine

for several weeks. During fermentation

or curing, bacteria convert sugars in

the vegetables into lactic acid, which

preserves the pickles and gives them

their characteristic tangy flavor.

Fresh pack or quick process pickles are

quick and easy to prepare. Vegetables

or fruits are packed in jars, covered

with a hot vinegar solution, and imme-

diately heat processed. Also in this

category are pickles prepared from

fruits such as peaches, pears or apples

simmered in a spicy, sweet-sour syrup,

packaged and processed. Relishes are

prepared from chopped vegetables or

fruits simmered in a vinegar solution

before being heat processed.

Refrigerator or freezer pickles can be

prepared without heat processing.

Cucumbers and other vegetables are

packed in a strong vinegar and sugar

solution for storage in the refrigerator

or freezer.

Wax-coated cucumbers bought fromsupermarkets are not suitable forpickling because of varietal qualities,and because the pickling solutioncannot penetrate the wax coating.

For best quality, pickle fruits or veg-etables within 24 hours of harvest, orrefrigerate for no more than a fewdays. This is particularly important forcucumbers because they deterioraterapidly, and if stored for too long willnot make a quality product.

Just before pickling, sort fruits andvegetables for uniform size accord-ing to recipe directions. Wash care-fully, especially around the stems. Soiltrapped near the stem can be asource of bacteria that can causepickles to soften.

Discard floating or damaged cucum-bers, and fruits or vegetables that areover-ripe or damaged.

Remove all blossoms, and cut a 1⁄16-inch slice from the blossom end ofvegetables and discard. The blossomscontain enzymes that can cause soft-ening and result in an unacceptableproduct.

WaterSoftened water is recommended formaking pickles and relishes. Hardwater usually contains lime —calcium hydroxide — that may:

■ decrease acidity, resulting in anunsafe product, and

■ contain iron, magnesium orsulfur compounds that cancause discoloration or off-flavors.

If you use hard water, you canremove some of these minerals:

■ Boil the water for 15 minutes in alarge kettle, then let the waterstand in the kettle for 24 hours.

■ After 24 hours, pour off the watercarefully, leaving sediment in thekettle.

VinegarUse commercial vinegar that is stan-dardized at a 5 percent acetic acidcontent. Use the type of vinegar therecipe calls for, either white vinegaror cider vinegar. If the recipe doesnot specify a particular vinegar, useany of the following commercialvinegars of 5 percent acetic acid.

White vinegar has a mellow aromaand tart acid flavor, and maintainsthe appearance of light-colored veg-etables or fruits. Many recipes specifywhite vinegar to ensure uniformflavor and attractive color.

Apple cider vinegar can be a goodchoice for many pickles. Its mellow,fruity taste blends well with otherflavors. But cider vinegar darkensmost vegetables and fruits.

Apple cider flavored distilledvinegar looks and tastes like applecider vinegar, but is made by addingapple cider flavoring to white dis-tilled vinegar. Use this as you woulduse apple cider vinegar.


Start with the right ingredients

Select fresh, firm,

high quality veg-

etables and fruits

for pickling. Varieties recommended

for Wisconsin can be found in these

publications, available from your

county UW-Extension office or

Cooperative Extension Publications at

the address on the back cover:

Apple Cultivars for Wisconsin A2105

Disease-Resistant Vegetables for theHome Garden A3110

Growing Pumpkins and Other VineCrops in Wisconsin A3688

Harvesting Vegetables from the HomeGarden A2727

Home Fruit Cultivars for NorthernWisconsin A2488

Home Fruit Cultivars for SouthernWisconsin A2582

Vegetable Cultivars and Planting Guidefor Wisconsin Gardens A1653

To prepare safe,

high quality

pickles, use

softened water, undiluted commercial

white or cider vinegar, canning and

pickling salt and whole spices.

Never use homemade vinegar in

making pickles, or vinegar that has

been diluted, unless specified in the

recipe. Otherwise, an unsafe product

may result.

Firming agents such as calcium

chloride, calcium hydroxide (lime) and

aluminum (alum) are not necessary for

pickling, and using them may result in

an unsafe product. The use of these

compounds is not recommended.


Plain table salt, iodized table saltand sea salt are not recommendedfor pickling. Table salt contains anti-caking ingredients that make thepickling solution cloudy and leavesediment at the bottom of the jar.Iodine may also darken pickles, inaddition to producing a cloudy brine.

If you find you must use table salt,sea salt or salt substitutes forpickling, use these only for freshpack or quick process pickles.Avoid using these for fermentedpickles. The potassium chloride insalt substitutes cannot substitute forsodium chloride in the brines for fer-mented pickles.

Ice cream salt, rock salt and solarsalt should not be used for pickling.These salts are not considered food-grade, and contain impurities thatcan cause discoloration or otherdefects in pickled products.

H O M E M A D E P I C K L E S & R E L I S H E S 76 Wisconsin Safe Food Preservation Series

Do not dilute vinegar unless therecipe specifies. An unsafe productmay result. If you want a less sourproduct, add sugar rather than usingless vinegar. Vinegar also losesstrength as you boil it, so followrecipe instructions precisely.

Do not use homemade vinegar inmaking pickles. The acetic acidcontent of homemade vinegar ishighly variable and may be too lowto ensure safety.

Vinegar may naturally containsediment in the bottom of the bottle.You can remove the sediment bystraining the vinegar through doublelayers of cheesecloth. Avoid using ametal strainer, as it may darken thevinegar.

SaltCanning and pickling salt — puregranulated salt — is recommendedfor use in all kinds of pickles. This saltdoes not contain anti-caking agentsor iodine, and is available in mostsupermarkets. Recipes in this bookletcall for canning and pickling salt.

Never alter salt concentrations infermented pickles. Proper fermen-tation depends on correct propor-tions of salt and other ingredients.

Kosher pure flaked salt requiresspecial care if used for pickling.Flaked salt weighs less per volumethan canning and pickling salt, soyou need about 50 percent more —11⁄2 cups of flaked salt equals about1 cup of canning and pickling salt.

If you use Kosher salt for fermentedpickles, you must weigh out theproper amount. Weigh out 73⁄4

ounces (220 grams) of flaked salt,and you will have the equivalent of1 cup of canning and pickling salt.

Kosher salt is more expensive thancanning and pickling salt, and maybe harder to find.

Dairy salt used in making cheesecan also be used in making pickles,since it is pure salt. For best accuracy,weigh out 73⁄4 ounces (220 grams) ofdairy salt per cup of salt in a recipe.No other adjustments in the recipeare necessary.

Reduced-sodium (‘‘light’’) saltsmay be used in fresh pack or quickprocess pickles only, but maychange the flavor. For best results,use tested recipes designed to belower in sodium.

Use the right amount of salt

Recipes in this pub-

lication call for

canning and

pickling salt. If you use other pure salt

such as Kosher salt or dairy salt for

making fermented pickles, weigh salt

to equal each cup of canning and

pickling salt. For the same weight,

measures will vary (see chart below).

Plain or iodized table salt, sea salt,

reduced-sodium salts and salt substi-

tutes may be used for making fresh

pack or quick process pickles, but may

not yield a quality product. Ice cream

salt, rock salt and solar salt are not

considered food-grade and should not

be used for pickling.

Type of salt Weight equivalent Measure

Canning and pickling salt (Morton®)* 73⁄4 oz. (220 g.) 1 cup

Kosher flaked salt (Diamond Crystal®)* 73⁄4 oz. (220 g.) 11⁄2 cups

* Reference to products is not intended to endorse them, nor to exclude others thatmay be similar. If you use these products, follow the manufacturer’s current labeldirections.

oz. = ounce g. = gram

Weigh salt for best accuracy

Grape leavesGrape leaves have historically beenused in fermented pickles. Peoplefound that if they placed grapeleaves in the crock or brine duringfermentation, cucumbers were lesslikely to soften.

Researchers later discovered thatgrape leaves contain varyingamounts of a natural inhibitor thatreduces the effect of a softeningenzyme found on moldy cucumberblossoms.

If you remove the blossom endbefore soaking cucumbers in brine,you do not need to use grape leavesas a firming agent. Gently washcucumbers and then trim a thin slice(1⁄16 inch) from the blossom end anddiscard.

Firming agentsIf you use freshly picked cucumbers,follow an up-to-date tested recipe,and heat process pickles for thecorrect length of time, pickles willturn out crisp and you won’t need toadd firming agents.

A safe alternative for making crisppickles is to soak cucumbers in icewater for 4 to 5 hours beforepickling.

Use of a firming agent is no longerrecommended. Nevertheless, anumber of firming agents have beenused in pickle recipes over the years.These are mentioned here only todescribe the conditions under whichthey might be safely used.

Most firming agents provide calcium,which combines with natural pectinin vegetables and fruit to formcalcium pectate, giving the pickles afirmer texture.

Food-grade calcium chloride isavailable at some home canningsupply stores. Use at a rate of nomore than:

■ 1 teaspoon per gallon of picklingsolution in fresh pack pickles.

■ 1 teaspoon per gallon of brine infermented pickles.

Calcium hydroxide — also calledpickling lime or slaked lime — isavailable at some supermarkets orthrough home and garden catalogs.Do not use agricultural or burntlime, this is not food-grade.

Food-grade pickling lime can besafely used only if you follow eachof these three rules:

1. Lime is used as a lime-watersolution as an initial soak forfresh cucumbers 12 to 24 hoursbefore pickling them. It must notbe added to the final brine orpickling solution.


SugarEither white granulated sugar orbrown sugar can be used in picklerecipes, depending on your prefer-ence and the product color youdesire.

Some honey could be used inmaking the sweet-sour syrup for fruitpickles. But substitute sparingly —too much honey can mask fruitflavor.

Sugar substitutes (artificial sweet-eners) are not recommended inpickling because the heat processingrequired may cause a bitter flavor.

Spices, garlic and dillMost pickle recipes call for wholespices for fresher and more concen-trated flavor than ground spices.Spices deteriorate and lose theirpungency in heat and humidity.Store any unused spices in an air-tight container in a cool place.

To keep spices from discoloringpickles, tie them in a cheesecloth bagbefore adding to the pickling solution.After simmering in the picklingsolution, remove the spice bag.

Garlic should be mature and freefrom dark spots or discoloration.Separate the bulb into cloves. Tapeach clove with a knife to easilyloosen and peel off the thin paperyskin.

Dill heads — fresh green-seededheads of the dill plant — are best formaking dill pickles.

If dill is ready before cucumbers arein season, store it in the freezer asfollows:

■ Cut fresh dill heads, wash ifneeded, shake off excessmoisture, and allow to air dry foran hour.

■ Place dill heads in a heavy food-grade plastic bag, seal, label andfreeze.

You can also hold early dill by placingfreshly washed heads in a large cleanjar and covering the heads with undi-luted commercial white or cidervinegar (5 percent acetic acid). Coverthe jar and keep it in a cool placeuntil you are ready to make dillpickles. Use the dill-flavored vinegarwith the dill heads as you make freshpack dill pickles later on.

Fresh dill leaves, dried leaves (dillweed) or dried dill seeds can beused if fresh dill heads are not available.

Try this substitution: 1 tablespoonof dried dill seed or weed equalsabout one fresh dill head.

Another method for sealing a crock isto fill a heavy-duty food-grade plasticbag with 2 to 3 inches of brine, sealthe bag, and place it on the top ofthe crock, allowing it to completelycover the surface of the brine. Fillingthe bag with brine is a precaution, incase the bags are accidentally punc-tured.

Caution: Do not use plastic garbagebags for food storage. The chemicalsused to manufacture non-food-gradeplastic containers and bags may notbe safe for food.

Equipment for all picklesContainer for heating picklingsolution — Use a large stainlesssteel, aluminum or unchipped enam-elware pan or kettle for heating thepickling solution. Do not use copper,brass, galvanized steel or iron con-tainers or utensils. These metals reactwith acids or salt, discoloring picklesor forming dangerous compounds.

Measuring equipment — Usestandard cup and spoon measuresfor all liquid or dry ingredients.Kitchen scales are needed if recipesspecify quantities of ingredients byweight, or if you substitute Kosherflaked salt for canning and picklingsalt.

Canning jars and lids — Standardhome canning jars are recom-mended for pickled products.However, because the processingtime for pickles is short, glass jarsused to pack commercial productssuch as mayonnaise can be used —but only if standard two-piececanning lids fit their threaded rims.Do not reuse jars from commercialfood products that are designed forone-time use, such as peanut butter,jelly, canned vegetables or pickles.Most recipes call for pint or quartjars. Use only the size jar specified ineach recipe. Safe processing timesmay not have been calculated forlarger jars. If you use 11⁄2 pint jars,process them as if they were quarts.

Lids — Use new two-piece vacuumseal lids, consisting of a flat metal lidwith sealing compound and areusable metal screw band. Pretreatlids as the package directs.

Caution: Porcelain-lined zinc capsand rubber rings have not beenmade for years, and are not recom-mended.

Boiling water canner — A boilingwater canner is a large kettle with atight-fitting cover and a rack to keepjars from resting on the bottom. Thecanner should be deep enough forwater to cover the tops of the jars by1 or 2 inches without boiling over.The diameter of the canner shouldbe no more than 4 inches wider thanthe diameter of your stove’s burner


2. Lime is added at a rate of nomore than 2 tablespoons pergallon of water in the soakingsolution.

3. Excess lime absorbed bycucumbers is removed byrinsing. To remove excess lime,drain the lime-water solution,rinse and then cover the cucum-bers in fresh water. Soak in waterfor 1 hour. Repeat rinsing andsoaking two more times.

Caution: To make safe pickles, excesslime absorbed by cucumbers mustbe rinsed off thoroughly aftersoaking. Do not add lime to thepickling solution, use only as aninitial soak. Lime does not dissolvewell in water, and may be slightlycaustic (sting). Handle with care.Avoid inhaling lime dust whilemixing the lime-water solution. Keepout of reach of children.

Aluminum, found in alum, alsocombines with natural pectin to firmthe pickles’ texture. While alum haslong been used in home picklemaking, it can give pickles an objec-tionable bitter or astringent flavor.

Alum is not recommended and isnot included in the recipes in thisbulletin. If you choose to use alum,use it only for fermented cucum-bers. Alum does not work with freshpack or quick process pickles.

Equipment for fermented or crock picklesContainer for brining pickles —Use a clean container, usually 2 to 5gallons in size. Any of the followingwould be an appropriate container:

■ Crock or stone jar free of chipsand with a good glaze on theinterior surface

■ Heavy food-grade plastic con-tainer in which food productswere originally packed, includingplastic ice cream buckets andpails — If you are not surewhether a plastic container is safefor food, read its label or contactthe manufacturer. Another optionis to line the questionable con-tainer with several thicknesses offood-grade plastic bags.

■ Stainless steel or glass container— Do not use copper, brass, gal-vanized steel or iron containers orutensils. These metals react withacids or salt, discoloring pickles orforming dangerous compounds.

Cover and weight — A large glass orchina plate that will fit inside thecontainer is suitable for holding veg-etables beneath the brine. Weigh itdown by placing a sealed, water-filled jar on top of the plate. The veg-etables should be covered by 1 to 2inches of brine.


3. Pack hot jars with vegetables orfruit. Fill one jar at a time with thepickle product — with rawcucumber for fresh pack dills, orwith a heated pickle product. Donot pack too tightly. Immediatelyfill the jar with a boiling hotpickling solution, leaving theproper amount of headspacebetween the top of the liquid andthe top of the jar (see illustrationon page 14). When canningpickles and relishes, most recipescall for 1⁄2-inch headspace.

4. Remove air bubbles by sliding arubber spatula or bubble freerbetween the food and the sidesof the jar in several places. Addhot brine or pickling solution asneeded to adjust headspace torecommended level. Wipe jar rimswith a clean, damp cloth or towel.Place the lid on the jar. Screw themetal band on firmly, but not tootight.

5. Place filled jars in a boiling watercanner that has sufficient veryhot water (140˚ to 170˚ F) in it tocover the jars and lids by at least1 inch. Add boiling water carefullyaround jars if needed to bring thewater level in the canner to 1 to2 inches above the jar lids. Do notpour boiling water directly on jarlids.

6. Put the cover on the canner.When the water returns to a fullrolling boil, start counting theprocessing time. Processing timesin this publication are safe for allWisconsin elevations.

7. When the processing time iscomplete, carefully remove jarsfrom the canner, without tilting,and place them upright on a rackor counter. Do not cover the jarsduring cooling. Do not retightenthe bands on two-piece lids, eventhough they may be loose. Ifliquid has boiled out during pro-cessing, do not remove the lid toadd more. As the jars cool, the lidswill snap down in the center.

8. When jars have cooled, test forseal. Lid tops should bedepressed and remain that way,and will ring when tapped with aspoon. After 24 hours or whenjars are cool, you can carefullyremove the screw bands. Washand dry the jar lids and threads.Store jars without screw bands ina cool, dry place out of directsunlight for up to 1 year.


to ensure proper heat treatment forall jars. Do not use a large wash kettlethat fits over two burners becausethe middle jars may not get enoughheat.

A deep pressure canner can be usedas a boiling water canner. Just be surethe canner is deep enough to allowfor 1 to 2 inches of briskly boilingwater above the jar lids. Fill thepressure canner with hot water, addjars and enough water to cover themby 1 to 2 inches, and place the lid onthe canner. But do not lock the lid inplace, and leave the petcock open orweighted pressure control off.

Other equipment you may need —Candy or jelly thermometer (if youpasteurize pickles), bowls, mixingspoons, timer, jar-filling supplies(funnel, ladle, rubber spatula, lid andjar lifters), pot holders, wire rack,labeling supplies.

Processing in a boilingwater cannerExcept for refrigerator or freezerpickles, pickle products require heattreatment after jars are filled toobtain a safe, high quality product.Heat processing seals jars anddestroys harmful organisms andenzymes that can cause spoilage,softening or off-flavors.

For adequate heating, process in aboiling water canner for the correctlength of time.

Follow these steps for processingpickles and relishes in a boiling watercanner:

1. Pretreat two-piece lids as thepackage directs.

2. Thoroughly wash and rinse jars.Keep them hot until you fill them.If you have a dishwasher, runthem through a complete cycleand keep them hot in the dish-washer.

Sterilizing jars

If the recipe calls for a short process-ing time — less than 10 minutes —wash jars in warm, soapy water, andrinse. Sterilize jars by boiling for10 minutes. Keep hot until filled.

Recipes for refrigerator pickles arenot heat processed, and jars mustalso be sterilized by boiling for10 minutes before filling.


Pickle recipesHundreds of pickle recipes can befound in cookbooks and referencebooks published by canning equip-ment makers — but not all are testedto ensure safety. The recipes in thispublication are tested to ensure bothsafety and quality. Follow recipes pre-cisely, adding the proper proportionsof ingredients, and processing thefinal product for the correct length oftime.

In many cases, you can make slightadjustments in spices. But be sure tokeep proportions of vegetables orfruit, vinegar and water unchanged,and preparation steps intact.

For fermented pickles, you must alsoadd the exact proportion of saltcalled for in each recipe.

Follow heat processing instructionsaccurately to produce safe, highquality pickles. Follow the steps onpages 12-13 for safe processing.

Fermented or crock picklesFermented pickles — like Grandmaused to make in a crock — use bene-ficial bacteria naturally present toconvert cucumbers into pickles.Beneficial or “good” bacteria producethe acid that gives these pickles theirfamiliar taste — and also preservethem so they can be processed andstored in a jar for up to 1 year.

Cucumbers or other vegetables arefermented in a salt brine for severalweeks to prepare these pickles.

Do not alter the amount of salt infermented pickles. Salt concentra-tion is very important in fermenta-tion.

■ Too little salt will allow spoilage-causing microbes to grow.

■ Too much salt will slow thegrowth of desirable lactic acid-producing bacteria.

Accurately measure salt and waterfor pickle brine. If you substituteKosher flaked or dairy salt forcanning and pickling salt, weigh outsalt to make sure you have substi-tuted the correct amount: 1 cupcanning and pickling salt weighs 73⁄4

ounces (220 grams). See “Weigh saltfor best accuracy” chart on page 7.


When jars fail to seal If any jars fail to seal, refrigerate thejars and consume the pickles or relishwithin 1 week.

You can also reprocess pickles andrelishes within 24 hours:

■ Remove the contents of the jars.

■ Reheat the pickling solution orbrine to boiling.

■ Repack into clean, hot jars leavingproper headspace, removebubbles, wipe jar rims clean andcap with new pretreated lids.

■ Process in a boiling watercanner for the full length oftime.

Alternative low-temperature pasteurization processLow-temperature pasteurization canproduce a better pickle texture, butmust be done very carefully to avoidspoilage and is only acceptable forcertain recipes.

Fill jars with room temperature pickles.Pour 165° to 180° F liquid over theproduct, leaving the appropriate head-space. Remove bubbles with a rubberspatula.Wipe the jars clean and adjustlids.

Process at 180˚ F for 30 minutes.Be sure to use a thermometer.

Caution: Use this process only whena recipe indicates (see sweet picklerecipes, pages 22-25).

Reprinted with permission from Complete Guide to Home Canning. AgricultureInformation Bulletin No. 539 (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Agriculture),1994: http://extension.usu.edu/publica/foodpubs.htm

headspace

lid

level of liquid

Headspace


The chart below lists the proportionsof canning and pickling salt andwater required for various brinestrengths.

When cucumbers are placed in brine,they lose water and weight andbecome somewhat flexible orrubbery.

As cucumbers soak in the brine, theygradually absorb salt and becomefirm, crisp and tender. More salt isadded during brining to keep thebrine strong enough.

Properly fermented cucumbers willbreak when you bend them, and maygain weight as they absorb salt water.They will absorb sugar, vinegar andflavorings more readily than will freshcucumbers. The color inside curedcucumbers is a uniform translucentolive-green, in contrast with opaquewhite fresh cucumber flesh.

During fermentation, cucumbersmust be kept beneath the surface ofthe brine. A plate weighed down witha water-filled jar or a heavy-dutyfood-grade plastic bag filled withbrine can keep the vegetables sub-merged.

Complete curing will take from 4 to 8weeks, depending on the tempera-ture during fermentation.

Good quality pickles may beproduced when the crock is storedbetween 70˚ and 75° F. Temperaturesof 55˚ to 65° F are also acceptable,but fermentation will take longer.

Avoid temperatures above 80˚ F,because pickles will become soft andmay spoil.

After fermentation is complete,pickles should be heat processed in aboiling water canner. Canned fer-mented pickles can be stored on theshelf for up to 1 year.


The recipes in this

bulletin call for

canning and

pickling salt. If you substitute Kosher

flaked salt, for best accuracy weigh

73⁄4 ounces (220 grams) Kosher salt

per cup of canning and pickling salt.

For fresh pack or quick process pickles

only, you may use plain or iodized

table salt, sea salt, reduced-sodium

salt or salt substitutes. But using these

may not yield a quality product. Ice

cream salt, rock salt and solar salt

should not be used in any pickle

recipe. These salts are not considered

food-grade, and may be unsafe to use.

Note:

g. = gram

lb. = pound

oz. = ounce

tbsp. = tablespoon

tsp. = teaspoon

1 quart = 2 pints = 4 cups

Brines for fermented pickles

Brine strength Proportion of% salt salt and water Use

5% 3⁄4 cup (5.8 oz. or 164 g.) Short-term brining of salt per gallon of water cucumbers, green tomatoes,

green snap beans

10% 11⁄2 cups (11.6 oz. or 329 g.) Starting concentration salt per gallon of water for brining cucumbers

and cauliflower

15% 21⁄4 cups (19.2 oz. or 544 g.) Final brine strength for salt per gallon of water cucumbers and cauliflower

oz. = ounce g. = gram

Some people dislike the flavor andcloudiness of the fermentation brine,and prefer to prepare fresh brine forcanning.

To make fresh brine:Add 1⁄2 cup salt and 1 quart vinegar(5% acetic acid) to 1 gallon water.Heat to boiling, and simmer for5 minutes.

7. Pack the fermented pickles andsome of the dill into clean, hotquart jars. Do not pack too tightly.Add a fresh garlic clove to each jar,if desired. Cover with hot brine,leaving 1⁄2-inch headspace.Remove bubbles with a rubberspatula. Wipe jar rims with a clean,damp cloth.

8. Cap jars with pretreated lids.Adjust lids.

9. Process in a boiling water canner:15 minutes for pints, 20 minutesfor quarts.

Note: This recipe requires about 3weeks for the cucumbers to fermentwhen the crock is stored at 70˚ to75° F.

Yield: 9 to 10 quarts

o


F E R M E N T E D P I C K L E R E C I P EDill pickles

4 lbs. pickling cucumbers,3 to 6 inches long

4 to 5 heads fresh or dry dill weed,or 2 tbsp. dill seed

1⁄2 cup canning and pickling salt1⁄4 cup vinegar (5% acetic acid)

8 cups water

One or more of the following:2 tsp. whole mixed pickling spice

(optional)

2 garlic cloves, peeled (optional)

2 dried red peppers (optional)

1. Wash cucumbers, and drain on arack or wipe dry. Handle gently toavoid bruising. Trim 1⁄16 inch fromthe blossom end and discard. Butleave 1⁄4-inch stem attached. Placehalf of dill and spices on thebottom of a clean crock or a con-tainer of glass or food-grade plastic.Add cucumbers, remaining dill, andspices.

2. Mix the vinegar and watertogether. Add salt and stir todissolve. Pour the vinegar and saltmixture over cucumbers.

3. Cover with a heavy plate or lid thatfits inside the crock or container.

4. Use a weight to hold the platedown and keep the cucumbersunder the brine. Cover the crockloosely with a clean cloth. Keeppickles at room temperature (70˚ to75° F). Temperatures of 55˚ to 65˚ Fare acceptable, but then fermenta-tion will take 5 to 6 weeks. Avoidtemperatures above 80˚ F, orpickles will become too soft duringfermentation. Do not stir picklesaround in the container, but be surethey are completely covered withbrine. If necessary, make more brineusing the original proportions.Remove scum daily. Most scum canbe avoided if you use a brine-filledbag to seal the crock. See page 16.

Caution: If the pickles becomesoft or slimy, or develop a dis-agreeable odor, discard them.

5. In about 3 weeks, the cucumberswill have become olive green andshould have a desirable flavor.

6. Once the fermentation is complete,heat process pickles for storage. Toprocess fermented dill pickles, drainthe pickles, collecting the fermenta-tion brine. Strain the fermentationbrine through a double layer ofcheesecloth or paper coffee filtersinto a large pan. Heat to boiling,and simmer for 5 minutes.

F E R M E N T E D P I C K L E R E C I P E

Dill pickles, quick process


2 gallons water3⁄4 cups canning and pickling salt

Pickling solution:11⁄2 quarts vinegar (5% acetic acid)1⁄2 cup canning and pickling salt1⁄4 cup sugar

2 quarts water

2 tbsp. whole mixed pickling spice

3 to 4 tbsp. whole mustard seed (1 tsp. per pint jar)

10 to 12 fresh dill heads, washed (11⁄2 heads per pint jar), or 1 tbsp. dillseed or dill weed per pint jar

1 or 2 garlic cloves per jar, peeled(optional)

1. Wash cucumbers carefully. Trim 1⁄16

inch from the blossom end anddiscard. But leave 1⁄4-inch stemattached.

2. Prepare brine by dissolving 3⁄4 cupssalt in 2 gallons water. Pour overcucumbers, cover and let stand12 hours. Drain.

3. Prepare pickling solution ofvinegar, 1⁄2 cup salt, sugar and 2quarts water in a large saucepan.Add mixed pickling spices tied in aclean cheesecloth bag. Heat toboiling. Remove the spice bag.

4. Pack cucumbers into clean, hot pintor quart jars, leaving 1⁄2-inch head-space. If desired, add 1 teaspoonmustard seed, 11⁄2 fresh dill headsand 1 or 2 garlic cloves per jar.Cover cucumbers with hot picklingsolution, leaving 1⁄2-inch head-space. Remove bubbles with arubber spatula. Wipe jar rims with aclean, damp cloth.



Yield: 7 to 9 pints

o


Bread-and-butter pickle slices

6 lbs. pickling cucumbers,4 to 5 inches long, orslender zucchini or yellow squash (1 to 11⁄2 inches in diameter)

8 cups onions (about 3 pounds),peeled and thinly sliced

1⁄2 cup canning and pickling salt

Crushed or cubed ice

1 cup pickling lime (optional,see directions for firmer pickles)

Pickling solution:41⁄2 cups sugar

4 cups vinegar (5% acetic acid)

2 tbsp. mustard seed

11⁄2 tbsp. celery seed

1 tbsp. ground mustard

1. Wash cucumbers or squash care-fully. Trim 1⁄16 inch from theblossom end and discard. Cut into3⁄16-inch slices. Combine cucum-bers or squash and sliced onions ina large bowl. Add salt. Cover with2 inches crushed or cubed ice.Refrigerate 3 to 4 hours, addingmore ice as needed. Drain.

Or:

For firmer pickles: Wash cucum-bers or squash carefully. Trim 1⁄16

inch from the blossom end anddiscard. Cut into 3⁄16-inch slices. Mix1 cup pickling lime, 1⁄2 cup salt and1 gallon water in a 2- to 3-galloncrock, glass or enamelware con-tainer. Caution: Avoid inhalinglime dust while mixing the lime-water solution. Cover and soakcucumbers in lime-water solutionfor 12 to 24 hours, stirring occasion-ally. Remove cucumbers from limesolution, rinse well and resoak1 hour in fresh cold water. Repeatthe rinsing and soaking step twomore times. Rinse and drain.Handle carefully, as slices will bebrittle. Drain well.

2. Prepare pickling solution by com-bining sugar, vinegar and spices ina large kettle. Bring to a boil, andboil 10 minutes. Add well-drainedcucumbers (or squash) and onions,and slowly reheat to a boil.

3. Fill clean, hot pint or quart jars withslices and pickling solution, leaving1⁄2-inch headspace. Removebubbles with a rubber spatula.Wipejar rims with a clean, damp cloth.


5. Process in a boiling water canner:15 minutes for pints or quarts.

Note: After processing and cooling,store jars for 4 to 5 weeks to developideal flavor.

Yield: 7 to 8 pints

o20 Wisconsin Safe Food Preservation Series

F R E S H P A C K & Q U I C K P R O C E S S R E C I P E SF R E S H P A C K & Q U I C K P R O C E S S R E C I P E S

4. Hot pack — Add cucumbers topickling solution and heat slowlyuntil vinegar solution returns to aboil. Stir occasionally to make surethe mixture heats evenly. Fill hot,sterilized pint or quart jars (seepage 12) with cucumber slices orstrips, leaving 1⁄2-inch headspace.Cover with boiling hot picklingsolution, leaving 1⁄2-inch head-space. Remove bubbles with arubber spatula. Wipe jar rims with aclean, damp cloth. Cap jars withpretreated lids. Adjust lids.Process in a boiling water canner:10 minutes for pints or quarts.Or:

Raw pack — Fill clean, hot pint orquart jars with drained cucumberslices or strips, leaving 1⁄2-inchheadspace. Cover with boiling hotpickling solution, leaving 1⁄2-inchheadspace. Remove bubbles witha rubber spatula. Wipe jar rimswith a clean, damp cloth. Cap jarswith pretreated lids. Adjust lids.

Process in a boiling water canner:15 minutes for pints, 20 minutesfor quarts. Or use low-tempera-ture pasteurization (see pages 14-15).

Note: After processing and cooling,store jars for 4 or 5 weeks to developfull flavor.

Variation for firmer pickles: Washcucumbers. Trim 1⁄16 inch from theblossom end and discard. But leave1⁄4-inch stem attached. Cut cucum-bers into slices or strips. Mix 1 cuppickling lime and 1⁄3 cup salt in 1gallon water in a 2- to 3-gallon crockor enamelware container. Caution:Avoid inhaling lime dust whilemixing the lime-water solution. Soakcucumber slices or strips in limewater solution for 12 to 24 hours,stirring occasionally. Remove fromlime solution. Rinse, and soak for 1hour in fresh cold water. Repeat therinsing and resoaking two moretimes. Handle carefully, becauseslices or strips will be brittle. Drainwell. Pack jars and process asdirected for hot or raw pack.

Yield: 7 to 9 pints

o


Dill pickles, reduced sodium



6 cups sugar

2 tbsp. canning and pickling salt

11⁄2 tsp. celery seed

11⁄2 tsp. mustard seed

2 large onions, peeled and thinly sliced

8 fresh dill heads

1. Wash cucumbers carefully. Trim 1⁄16 inch from the blossom end anddiscard. Cut cucumbers into 1⁄4-inch slices.

2. Combine vinegar, sugar, salt, celeryseeds and mustard seeds in a largesaucepan. Bring mixture to a boil.

3. Place 2 slices onion and 1⁄2 dillhead on the bottom of each clean,hot pint jar. Fill jars with cucumberslices, leaving 1⁄2-inch headspace.Add 1 slice onion and 1⁄2 dill headon top. Pour hot pickling solutionover cucumber slices, leaving 1⁄4-inch headspace. Removebubbles with a rubber spatula.Wipe jar rims with a clean, dampcloth.


5. Process in a boiling water canner:20 minutes for pints.

Yield: 8 pints

o

Quick sweet pickles

1 gallon pickling cucumbers,3 to 4 inches long (about 8 lbs.)


Crushed or cubed ice

1 cup pickling lime (optional, for firmerpickles — see variation, next page)

Pickling solution:41⁄2 cups sugar

31⁄2 cups vinegar (5% acetic acid)

2 tsp. celery seed

1 tbsp. whole allspice


1. Gently wash cucumbers. Trim 1⁄16

inch from the blossom and discard.But leave 1⁄4-inch stem attached.Slice cucumbers, or cut into strips.

2. Place cucumbers in a bowl andsprinkle with 1⁄3 cup salt. Coverwith 2 inches of cubed or crushedice. Refrigerate 3 to 4 hours. Addmore ice as needed. Drain well.

3. Combine sugar, vinegar, celeryseed, allspice and mustard seed in a6-quart kettle to make the picklingsolution. Heat to a boil.



Day 4Morning:Drain cucumbers, reserving picklingsolution. Return cucumbers to con-tainer. Add 2 cups sugar and 1 cupvinegar to the reserved picklingsolution. Heat to a boil, and pour overpickles.

Afternoon (6 to 8 hours later):Drain cucumbers, collecting picklingsolution in a large saucepan. Addremaining 1 cup sugar to picklingsolution. Heat to a boil. Pack cucum-bers into clean, hot pint jars andcover with boiling pickling solution,leaving 1⁄2-inch headspace. Wipe jarrims with a clean, damp cloth. Capjars with pretreated lids. Adjust lids.

Process in a boiling water canner:10 minutes for pints. Or use low-temperature pasteurization (seepages 14-15).

Yield: 9 to 10 pints

o

Sweet 14-day cucumber or cauliflower pickles

4 to 6 quarts whole pickling cucumbers,2 to 5 inches long (4 lbs.) or freshcauliflower, separated into flowerets(4 lbs.)

3⁄4 cup canning and pickling salt,separated(1⁄4 cup on each of the 1st, 3rd and5th days)

Pickling solution:2 tsp. celery seed

2 tbsp. mixed pickling spices

51⁄2 cups sugar


Day 1Wash cucumbers carefully. Trim 1⁄16

inch from the blossom end anddiscard. But leave 1⁄4-inch stemattached. Wash cauliflower well. Packcarefully washed whole cucumbersor cauliflower flowerets into asuitable 1-gallon container. Add 1⁄4

cup salt to 2 quarts water and bringto a boil. Pour over cucumbers orcauliflower. Weigh down vegetableswith a plate to keep them sub-merged, and cover the containerwith a clean towel. Allow to stand for2 days at about 70° F.

(continued)


Sweet 4-day gherkins orchunk pickles

5 quarts whole small cucumbers,11⁄2 to 3 inches long (7 lbs.) ormedium cucumbers (7 to 8 lbs.)


Pickling solution:8 cups sugar

6 cups vinegar (5% acetic acid)3⁄4 tsp. turmeric

2 tsp. celery seed


2 sticks cinnamon

Day 1Morning:Wash cucumbers thoroughly andremove all blossoms; drain. Trim1⁄16 inch from the blossom end anddiscard. But leave 1⁄4-inch stemattached. Place cucumbers in a largecontainer and add boiling water tocover. Let stand, covered, at roomtemperature (65° to 75° F).

Afternoon (6 to 8 hours later):Drain cucumbers and return to con-tainer. Sprinkle with 1⁄4 cup salt andcover with fresh boiling water. Letstand, covered, at room temperature.

Day 2Afternoon:Drain cucumbers and return to con-tainer. Sprinkle with 1⁄4 cup salt andcover with fresh boiling water. Letstand, covered, at room temperature.

Day 3Morning:Drain. For gherkins (small cucum-bers), prick cucumbers in severalplaces with a table fork. Cut mediumcucumbers in chunks or slices 1⁄2-inch thick. Return whole cucumbersor slices to container. Make picklingsolution of 3 cups sugar and 3 cupsvinegar. Add turmeric and otherspices. Heat to boiling and pour overcucumbers. Cucumbers may be onlypartially covered at this point.

Afternoon (6 to 8 hours later):Drain cucumbers, reserving picklingsolution. Return cucumbers to con-tainer. Add 2 cups sugar and 2 cupsvinegar to the reserved picklingsolution. Heat to a boil, and pour overpickles.




Dilly beans

4 quarts whole green or wax beans(about 4 lbs.)

8 fresh dill heads, or 11⁄2 tsp. dill seed ordill weed per jar

8 garlic cloves (optional)1⁄4 tsp. cayenne pepper or 1 small dried

hot pepper per jar (optional)

Pickling solution:4 cups white vinegar (5% acetic acid)

4 cups water1⁄2 cup canning and pickling salt

1. Wash pint canning jars. Keep hotuntil filled.

2. Wash beans thoroughly, and drain.Cut into lengths to fit pint jars.

3. In each hot pint jar, place dill, garlicand pepper, if desired. Pack beansupright, leaving 1⁄2-inch headspace.

4. Prepare pickling solution ofvinegar, water and salt in asaucepan, and bring to a boil. Pourboiling hot pickling solution overbeans, leaving 1⁄2--inch headspace.Remove bubbles with a rubberspatula. Wipe jar rims with a clean,damp cloth.



Yield: 7 to 8 pints

o

Pickled three-bean salad

11⁄2 cups green or yellow beans,cut and blanched (see step 1)

11⁄2 cups canned red kidney beans,drained

1 cup canned garbanzo beans (chick peas), drained

1⁄2 cup onion, peeled and thinly sliced(about 1 medium onion)

1⁄2 cup celery, trimmed and thinly sliced(11⁄2 medium stalks)

1⁄2 cup green peppers, cored and sliced(1⁄2 medium pepper)

Pickling solution:1⁄2 cup white vinegar (5% acetic acid)1⁄4 cup bottled lemon juice3⁄4 cup sugar

11⁄4 cups water1⁄4 cup cooking oil (optional)1⁄2 tsp. canning and pickling salt

1. Wash fresh beans and snap offends. Cut or snap into 1- to 2-inchpieces. Blanch beans 3 minutes inboiling water as follows: Placebeans in actively boiling water.Cover and start timing the blanch-ing process as soon as the waterreturns to a boil. After 3 minutes,transfer beans immediately to apan of ice water and cool for 3minutes. Drain.

(continued)

V E G E T A B L E P I C K L E R E C I P E SSweet 14-day cucumber or cauliflower pickles(continued)

Days 3 and 5Drain off brine and discard. Rinsevegetables. Remove any scum thathas formed. Scald the container,cover, and dish or plate used toweigh down vegetables. Return veg-etables to container. Add 1⁄4 cup saltto 2 quarts fresh water in a saucepan.Bring to a boil. Pour over vegetables.Replace cover and weight. Cover witha clean towel. Allow to stand for 2days at 70° F. Repeat.

Day 7Drain brine and discard. Rinse veg-etables. Scald containers, cover andweight.

Important: Slice cucumbers now,either lengthwise or crosswise, toprevent shriveling.

Return vegetables to container.

Place celery seed and pickling spicesin a small cheesecloth bag. Combine2 cups sugar and 4 cups vinegar in asaucepan. Add spice bag, bring to aboil, and pour hot pickling solutionover vegetables. Add cover andweight. Cover with a clean towel.

Days 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13Drain pickling solution and spice bagand save. Add 1⁄2 cup sugar each dayto drained pickling solution, andbring to a boil in a saucepan. Removevegetables from container and rinse.Scald container, cover and weightdaily. Return rinsed vegetables tocontainer, add boiled picklingsolution, cover and weight. Coverwith a clean towel.

Day 14Drain pickling solution into a kettle,add 1⁄2 cup sugar, and bring to a boil.Discard spice bag. Pack vegetablesinto clean, hot pint or quart jars.Cover with boiling pickling solution,leaving 1⁄2-inch headspace. Removebubbles with a rubber spatula. Wipejar rims with a clean, damp cloth. Capjar with pretreated lids. Adjust lids.

Process in a boiling water canner:10 minutes for pints, 15 minutesfor quarts. Or use low-temperaturepasteurization (see page 15).

Yield: 8 to 10 pints

o

F R E S H P A C K & Q U I C K P R O C E S S R E C I P E S


4. Cap jars with pretreated lids. Adjustlids.

5. Process in a boiling water canner:35 minutes for pints or quarts.

Yield: 7 to 8 pints

oCauliflower or Brusselssprouts sweet pickles

12 cups cauliflower flowerets,1 to 2 inch pieces, or small Brusselssprouts (about 3 quarts)


2 cups sugar

2 cups onions, peeled and thinly sliced

1 cup sweet red peppers, cored and diced


1 tbsp. celery seed

1 tsp. turmeric

1 tsp. hot red pepper flakes

1. Wash cauliflower flowerets orBrussels sprouts. Remove stems andblemished outer leaves, and boil insalt water — 4 teaspoons canningand pickling salt per gallon ofwater — 3 minutes for cauliflowerand 4 minutes for Brussels sprouts.Drain and cool.

2. Prepare pickling solution by com-bining vinegar, sugar, onion, dicedred pepper and spices in a largesaucepan. Bring to a boil andsimmer 5 minutes. Distribute onionand diced pepper among jars.

3. Fill clean, hot pint jars with cauli-flower pieces or Brussels sproutsand cover with hot picklingsolution, leaving 1⁄2-inch head-space. Remove bubbles with arubber spatula. Wipe jar rims with aclean, damp cloth.


5. Process in a boiling water canner:15 minutes for half-pints or pints.

Yield: 5 to 6 pints

oGreen tomato dill pickles

6 quarts small, firm green tomatoes orgreen cherry tomatoes (12 to 15 lbs.)

6 garlic cloves, peeled

6 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch pieces

6 green peppers, seeded, cored and cutinto strips

4 cups white vinegar (5% acetic acid)

8 cups water

1 cup canning and pickling salt

6 fresh dill heads, or 6 tbsp. dill seed ordill weed

1. Carefully wash tomatoes. Removestems.

2. Place a dill head and garlic clove ineach clean, hot quart jar. Fill jarswith green tomatoes, scattering afew pieces of celery and greenpepper throughout each jar.

(continued)

V E G E T A B L E P I C K L E R E C I P E SPickled three-bean salad(continued)

2. Rinse kidney and garbanzo beanswith cold tap water and drainagain. Prepare and measure allother vegetables.

3. Prepare pickling solution ofvinegar, lemon juice, sugar andwater, and bring to a boil. Removefrom heat. Add oil and salt and mixwell. Add beans (fresh and canned),onions, celery and green pepper topickling solution, and bring to asimmer.

4. Cover and refrigerate 12 to 14hours, then heat to a boil. Fill clean,hot half-pint or pint jars with hotpickled bean salad, leaving 1⁄2-inchheadspace. Remove bubbles with arubber spatula. Wipe jar rims with aclean, damp cloth.


6. Process in a boiling water canner:20 minutes for pints or half-pints.

Yield: About 3 pints, or 5 to 6 half-pints

o

Beet pickles

7 lbs. red beets (2 to 21⁄2 inches indiameter), sliced, or whole babybeets (1 to 11⁄2 inches in diameter)

4 to 6 onions (2 to 21⁄2 inches diameter),peeled and thinly sliced (optional)


11⁄2 tsp. canning and pickling salt

2 cups water

2 cups sugar

12 whole cloves

2 sticks cinnamon

1. Wash beets and trim off tops,leaving 1 inch of stem and theroots intact (to prevent bleeding ofcolor). Cook unpeeled until skinscan be slipped off easily and beetsare tender, about 25 to 30 minutes.Drain and discard liquid.

2. Cool beets. Trim off roots and stemsand slip off skins. Cut into 1⁄4-inchslices or leave baby beets whole.Peel and thinly slice onions.

3. Combine vinegar, salt, water andsugar to make pickling solution. Tiespices in a cheesecloth bag andadd to pickling solution. Bring to aboil; add beets and onions, andsimmer 5 minutes more. Removespice bag.

3. Pack hot beets and onions intoclean, hot pint jars. Pour boiling hotpickling solution over beets, leaving1⁄2-inch headspace. Removebubbles with a rubber spatula.Wipejar rims with a clean, damp cloth.

V E G E T A B L E P I C K L E R E C I P E S


Green tomato dill pickles(continued)

3. Combine vinegar, water and salt tomake pickling solution. Add dill,and boil 5 minutes. Fill each jar withboiling hot pickling solution,leaving 1⁄2-inch headspace.Remove bubbles with a rubberspatula. Wipe jar rims with a clean,damp cloth.


5. Process in a boiling water canner:20 minutes for quarts.

Note: Pickled tomatoes will be readyto eat in 4 to 6 weeks.

Yield: 6 quarts

oGreen tomato sweet pickles

16 cups green tomatoes, sliced (10 to 11 lbs.)

2 cups onions, peeled and sliced 1⁄4 cup canning and pickling salt

3 cups brown sugar



1 tbsp. allspice

1 tbsp celery seed

1 tbsp. whole cloves

1. Wash and slice tomatoes andonions. Place in a bowl, sprinklewith 1⁄4 cup salt, and let stand 4 to6 hours. Drain.

2. Mix vinegar with sugar in asaucepan. Heat and stir until sugardissolves. Make a spice bag ofmustard seed, allspice, celery seedand cloves. Add to vinegar withtomatoes and onions. If needed,add just enough water to coverpieces. Bring to a boil and simmer30 minutes, stirring as needed toprevent scorching. Tomatoesshould be tender and translucentwhen properly cooked. Removespice bag.

3. Fill clean, hot pint or quart jars withtomatoes and onions. Cover withboiling hot pickling solution,leaving 1⁄2-inch headspace.Remove bubbles with a rubberspatula. Wipe jar rims with a clean,damp cloth.



Yield: 9 pints

o


Pickled onions

4 quarts tiny pickling onions

1 cup salt

1 gallon cold water

Pickling solution:2 cups sugar1⁄4 cup mustard seed

21⁄2 tbsp. prepared horseradish

2 quarts white vinegar (5% acetic acid)

3 or 4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

7 small hot red peppers

7 bay leaves

2 tbsp. mixed pickling spice, tied in spicebag (optional)

1. Peel pickling onions. For easierpeeling, cover with boiling waterand let stand 2 minutes. Drain, dipin cold water, and peel.

2. Combine 1 gallon cold water and 1cup salt. Pour over onions. Let stand12 to 18 hours in the refrigerator.Drain, and rinse thoroughly. Drainagain.

3. While onions are draining, preparethe pickling solution by combiningvinegar, sugar, horseradish, spicesand crushed garlic in a saucepan.Simmer 15 minutes. If you usemixed pickling spices, tie them in aclean cheesecloth bag and add topickling solution. Remove spice bagbefore filling jars.

4. Pack onions into clean, hot pint jars.Pour boiling hot pickling solutionover onions in the jars, leaving 1⁄2-inch headspace. Remove bubbleswith a rubber spatula. Wipe jar rimswith a clean, damp cloth.



Yield: 7 pints

oPickled peppers

4 quarts long red, green or yellowpeppers, sweet or hot (6 to 7 lbs.)

31⁄2 cups sugar


3 cups water

41⁄2 tsp. canning and pickling salt

9 garlic cloves, peeled

1. Wash peppers. Cut large peppersinto quarters, remove cores andseeds and slice into strips. If smallpeppers are left whole, slash 2 to 4slits in each.

Caution: The oils in hot pepperscan cause burns. Wear rubbergloves when you cut thesepeppers. Do not touch your face,particularly near your eyes. Washhands thoroughly with soap andhot water if you do handle hotpeppers.

(continued)

V E G E T A B L E P I C K L E R E C I P E SV E G E T A B L E P I C K L E R E C I P E S


Vegetable mix sweet pickles


2 lbs. small onions, peeled and quartered

4 cups celery, cut in 1-inch pieces

2 cups carrots, peeled and cut in 1⁄2-inchpieces

2 cups sweet red peppers, seeded, coredand cut in 1⁄2-inch pieces

2 cups cauliflower flowerets

Cubed or crushed ice

Pickling solution:5 cups white vinegar (5% acetic acid)1⁄4 cup prepared mustard1⁄2 cup canning and pickling salt

31⁄2 cups sugar

3 tbsp. celery seed

2 tbsp. mustard seed1⁄2 tsp. whole cloves1⁄2 tsp. ground turmeric

1. Wash cucumbers carefully. Trim 1⁄16

inch from the blossom end anddiscard. Cut cucumbers into 1-inchslices. Combine cucumbers withother prepared vegetables, coverwith 2 inches of cubed or crushedice, and refrigerate 3 to 4 hours.Drain vegetables.

2. In an 8-quart kettle, combinevinegar and mustard and mix well.Add salt, sugar, celery seeds,mustard seeds, cloves and turmericto make the pickling solution. Bringto a boil. Add drained vegetables tohot pickling solution. Cover andbring slowly back to a boil.

3. Drain vegetables, saving picklingsolution. Pack vegetables into hotclean pint or quart jars, leaving 1⁄2-inch headspace.

4. Pour boiling hot pickling solutionover vegetables, leaving 1⁄2-inchheadspace. Remove bubbles with arubber spatula. Wipe jar rims with aclean, damp cloth.



Yield: 10 pints

oZucchini bread-and-butterpickles

Follow the recipe on page 20 forbread-and-butter pickle slices, substi-tuting slender (1 to 11⁄2 inches indiameter) zucchini or yellow squashfor cucumbers.

o

V E G E T A B L E P I C K L E R E C I P E SPickled peppers (continued)

2. Combine vinegar, water, sugar andsalt in a saucepan to make picklingsolution. Boil for 1 minute. Addpeppers and return to a boil.

3. Place 1 clove garlic and 1⁄2

teaspoon salt into each hot pint orhalf-pint jar. Add pepper strips orwhole peppers to jars, flatteningsmall peppers.

4. Pour boiling hot pickling solutionover peppers, leaving 1⁄2-inchheadspace. Remove bubbles with arubber spatula. Wipe jar rims with aclean, damp cloth.


6. Process in a boiling water canner:10 minutes for half-pints or pints.

Yield: 7 to 8 pints

oVegetable mix hot pickles

4 cups cauliflower, separated intoflowerets (1 medium head)

1 sweet red pepper, seeded, cored andcut into strips

11⁄2 cups celery, cut diagonally into 1-inch chunks

2 cups carrots, sliced

2 medium onions, peeled and quarteredor 1 cup small round onions, peeledand whole

5 or 6 dried red chili peppers1⁄4 cup canning and pickling salt

1 quart water


1 cup water1⁄2 cup sugar

1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

1. Prepare vegetables as indicated.Combine 1 quart water and 1⁄4cup salt. Add vegetables and soakfor 1 hour.

2. Prepare pickling solution by com-bining vinegar, water, sugar andcrushed garlic clove. Simmer for15 minutes.

3. Drain vegetables and pack intoclean, hot pint jars. Place one driedhot pepper in each jar. Pour boilinghot pickling solution over vegeta-bles in the jars, leaving 1⁄2-inchheadspace. Remove bubbles with arubber spatula. Wipe jar rims with aclean, damp cloth.



Yield: 5 to 6 pints

o

V E G E T A B L E P I C K L E R E C I P E S



Yield: 6 to 8 pints

oWatermelon rind pickles

3 quarts watermelon rind (about 6 lbs.)3⁄4 cup salt

3 quarts water

2 quarts ice cubes (about 2 trays)

Syrup:9 cups sugar


3 cups water


6 cinnamon sticks, 1-inch pieces

1 lemon, thinly sliced, with seedsremoved

1. Wash and peel watermelon rind,and remove all the pink flesh. Cutrind into 1⁄2-inch by 2-inch strips orfancy shapes. Mix 3⁄4 cup salt and 3quarts water. Add watermelon rindand ice cubes. Let stand 3 to 4hours. Drain, rinse in cold water, andcook until tender when piercedwith a fork, about 10 minutes. Donot overcook. Drain fruit into alarge bowl, discarding liquid.

2. Tie cloves and cinnamon sticks in aclean cheesecloth bag. Mix sugar,vinegar and water and add spicebag to make syrup. Boil 5 minutesand pour over the watermelon rind.Add lemon slices. Let standovernight in the refrigerator.

3. Heat watermelon rind in syrup toboiling, and cook slowly 1 hour.Remove spice bag, savingcinnamon sticks.

4. Pack hot rind loosely into clean, hotpint jars. To each jar, add 1 piece ofstick cinnamon from spice bag.Cover with boiling hot syrup,leaving 1⁄2-inch headspace.Remove bubbles with a rubberspatula. Wipe jar rims with a clean,damp cloth.



Yield: 4 to 5 pints

o


Sweet and spicy fruit

8 lbs. fruit for pickling (peaches, pears,whole crabapples)

Basic sweet spiced syrup:6 cups sugar


2 cups water

2 sticks cinnamon


1 tsp. ground ginger or 1 tbsp.ginger root


1. Prepare fruit syrup as follows: Tiespices loosely in a clean cheese-cloth bag and pound lightly to helprelease flavor into the syrup. Mixsugar, vinegar and water, add spicebag, and bring to a boil.

2. Wash 8 pounds of fruit. Peelpeaches or pears, remove cores orpits, and cube. Leave crabappleswhole and unpeeled. Place fruit inthe sweet spiced syrup and cookgently until somewhat tender.Cover and let stand in syrupovernight in the refrigerator.

3. Reheat fruit-syrup mixture to a boil.Pack fruit loosely into clean, hotpint or quart jars. Cover withboiling hot syrup, leaving 1⁄2-inchheadspace. Remove bubbles with arubber spatula. Wipe jar rims with aclean, damp cloth.


F R U I T P I C K L E R E C I P E SF R U I T P I C K L E R E C I P E S

Whole peaches,

pears, crabapples

and sliced water-

melon rind are the most popular fruit

pickles. The fruits, usually left whole,

are simmered in a spicy, sweet-sour

syrup before packing and processing.

Peaches or pears are peeled before

pickling. Crabapples are unpeeled.

To soften very hard pears, peaches and

crabapples, precook them in water for

about 10 minutes before cooking in

syrup. You may want to use the cooking

water as the liquid in the syrup recipe.

The following basic recipe is suitable

for crabapples, peaches or pears.

Note:

g. = gram

lb. = pound

oz. = ounce

tbsp. = tablespoon

tsp. = teaspoon


3. Mix soaked and cooked vegetableswith remaining ingredients in alarge kettle and boil 10 minutes.

4. Pack hot into clean, hot pint jars,leaving 1⁄2-inch headspace.Remove air bubbles with a rubberspatula. Wipe jar rims clean with adamp cloth.



Yield: 6 to 8 pints

oCorn relish

10 cups fresh whole-kernel corn (16 to 20 medium ears), orsix 10-oz. packages frozen corn

21⁄2 cups sweet red peppers,seeded, cored and diced

21⁄2 cups sweet green peppers,seeded, cored and diced

21⁄2 cups celery, chopped

11⁄4 cups onion, peeled and diced

13⁄4 cups sugar


21⁄2 tbsp. canning and pickling salt

21⁄2 tsp. celery seed

21⁄2 tbsp. dry mustard

11⁄4 tsp. turmeric

1. Boil ears of corn 5 minutes. Dip incold water, drain, and cut wholekernels from cob. Or use six 10-ounce packages of frozen corn andthaw before using.

2. Combine peppers, celery, onions,sugar, vinegar, salt, and celery seedsin a saucepan. Bring to a boil, andsimmer 5 minutes. Mix mustard andturmeric in 1⁄2 cup of the simmeredmixture. Add this mixture and thefresh (or frozen and thawed) cornto the hot mixture. Return to boiland simmer 5 more minutes. Ifdesired, thicken mixture with apaste of 1⁄4 cup flour blended in 1⁄4

cup water, and stir frequently.Caution: Do not thicken morethan stated in this recipe or anunsafe product may result.

3. Fill clean, hot pint jars with hot cornmixture, leaving 1⁄2-inch head-space. Remove bubbles with arubber spatula. Wipe jar rims with aclean, damp cloth.



Yield: 9 pints

o


Chowchow

2 cups of each of the following (16 cups total):

cabbage, cored and chopped

carrots, peeled and sliced

cucumbers, sliced

green beans, cut

green tomatoes, chopped

lima beans

onions, peeled and sliced

sweet peppers, seeded, cored and chopped

11⁄2 cups canning and pickling salt

2 quarts water

Pickling solution:2 tbsp. celery seed



2 cups water

4 cups sugar

4 tsp. turmeric

1. Wash and prepare vegetables,remove blossom ends from cucum-bers. Soak cabbage, cucumbers,onions, peppers and tomatoesovernight in the refrigerator in abrine of 11⁄2 cups salt to 2 quartswater. Drain.

2. Cook lima beans, green beans andcarrots until tender. Drain.


R E L I S H R E C I P E SR E L I S H R E C I P E S

To make relishes,

mixtures of vegeta-

bles and/or fruits

are chopped, seasoned, and simmered

in vinegar solutions. They are packed

into jars and heat processed.

Because the safety of these products

depends on using enough vinegar and

processing for the correct time, follow

recipes carefully.

Note:

g. = gram

lb. = pound

oz. = ounce

tbsp. = tablespoon

tsp. = teaspoon


Sweet pickle relish

4 cups cucumbers, chopped (about 4 medium)

2 cups onions, peeled and chopped

1 cup sweet red pepper, seeded,cored and chopped

1 cup green pepper, seeded,cored and chopped

1⁄4 cup salt

31⁄2 cups sugar

2 cups cider vinegar (5% acetic acid)

1 tbsp. celery seed


1. Wash vegetables and trim 1⁄16 inchfrom blossom ends of cucumbers.Chop and combine vegetables with1⁄4 cup salt. Cover with ice coldwater and let stand 2 hours. Drainvegetables and press in a cleanwhite cloth to remove all liquid.

2. Combine sugar, vinegar and spicesin a large kettle, and heat to a boil.Add drained vegetables andsimmer 10 minutes.

3. Fill clean, hot pint jars with hotmixture, leaving 1⁄2-inch head-space. Remove bubbles with arubber spatula. Wipe jar rims with aclean, damp cloth.



Yield: 4 to 5 pints


Green tomato relish

10 lbs. small, hard green tomatoes,chopped

11⁄2 lbs. sweet red peppers,seeded, cored and chopped

11⁄2 lbs. green peppers, seeded,cored and chopped

2 lbs. onions, peeled and chopped1⁄2 cup canning and pickling salt

4 cups water

4 cups sugar

4 cups vinegar (5% acetic acid)1⁄3 cup prepared mustard

2 tbsp. cornstarch

1. Wash and coarsely grate or finelychop tomatoes, peppers and onions.

2. Dissolve 1⁄2 cup salt in 4 cupswater, and pour over vegetables ina large kettle. Heat to a boil, andsimmer 5 minutes. Drain vegeta-bles, discarding salt solution.

3. Mix sugar, vinegar, mustard andcornstarch in a large kettle. Adddrained vegetables. Heat to a boil,and simmer 5 minutes.

4. Fill clean, hot pint jars with hotrelish, leaving 1⁄2-inch headspace.Remove bubbles with a rubberspatula. Wipe jar rims with a clean,damp cloth.



Yield: 8 pints

Piccalilli

6 cups green tomatoes, chopped

11⁄2 cups sweet red peppers, seeded,cored and chopped

11⁄2 cups green peppers, seeded, coredand chopped

21⁄4 cups onions, peeled and chopped

71⁄2 cups cabbage, cored and chopped1⁄2 cup canning and pickling salt


41⁄2 cups vinegar (5% acetic acid)

3 cups brown sugar

1. Wash, chop and combine vegetableswith 1⁄2 cup salt. Cover with hotwater, and let stand in the refrigera-tor 12 hours or overnight. Drain veg-etables, and press in a clean whitecloth to remove all liquid.

2. Combine vinegar and brown sugarin a large saucepan. Add spices tiedloosely in a clean cheesecloth bag,and heat to a boil. Add drained veg-etables, and boil gently 30 minutesor until the volume of the mixtureis reduced by one-half. Removespice bag.

3. Fill clean, hot pint jars with hot veg-etable mixture, leaving 1⁄2-inchheadspace. Remove bubbles with arubber spatula. Wipe jar rims with aclean, damp cloth.



Yield: 4 to 5 pints


R E L I S H R E C I P E SR E L I S H R E C I P E S

Pickled horseradish sauce

2 cups freshly grated horseradish (3⁄4 lb.)

1 cup white vinegar (5% acetic acid)1⁄2 tsp. canning and pickling salt1⁄4 tsp. ascorbic acid, powdered** (if

desired, to prevent browning)

1. Wash horseradish roots, and peeloff brown outer skin. The pungencyof fresh horseradish fades within 1to 2 months, even when refriger-ated. So make only a small batch ata time.

2. Grate peeled roots in a foodprocessor, or cut into small cubesand put through a food grinder.

3. Combine grated horseradish withvinegar, salt, and ascorbic acid (ifdesired). Fill sterilized* half-pintjars, leaving 1⁄4-inch headspace.Remove bubbles with a rubberspatula. Wipe jar rims with a clean,damp cloth.

4. Cover jars tightly with clean lids.Label and date, and store in therefrigerator at 40° F or colder for upto 2 months.

This pickle is not heat processedand must be kept refrigerated.

Yield: 2 half-pints

o


Cucumber pickles withonions or vegetable medley

8 cups cucumbers, thinly sliced

1 cup onion, peeled and sliced (2 medium onions), or in place ofonion, an equal amount of other veg-etables such as cauliflower, peppersor carrots as desired

Pickling solution:4 cups vinegar (5% acetic acid)

2 cups sugar1⁄3 cup canning and pickling salt

11⁄2 tsp. each of celery seed, mustardseed and turmeric

1. Mix pickling solution ingredientstogether until sugar is dissolved.This mixture does not have to beheated, but heating will morerapidly dissolve the sugar andpickle the vegetables.

2. Wash and prepare vegetables, trimblossom ends from cucumbers anddiscard.

3. Fill hot sterilized* pint or quart jarswith thinly sliced cucumbers andother vegetables. Cover vegetableswith hot pickling solution, and capjars with clean lids. Label and date,and store in the refrigerator at 40° For colder for up to 2 weeks. Thispickle is not heat processed andmust be kept refrigerated.

Yield: 2 quarts

o


R E F R I G E R A T O R P I C K L E R E C I P E SR E F R I G E R A T O R P I C K L E R E C I P E S

Many fresh pack

pickles can be stored

in the refrigerator

for short periods of time (several weeks)

without heat processing. However,

quality will deteriorate rapidly, and

these products may become unsafe if

stored for extended periods.

For pickles that can be stored in the

refrigerator, follow the directions in this

bulletin for refrigerator pickles. The rel-

atively strong vinegar/sugar solution

will maintain the quality of cucumbers,

cauliflower, peppers or other vegeta-

bles that you may choose to pickle for

up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

Wash standard home canning jars in

hot, soapy water and rinse well. Sterilize

jars by boiling for 10 minutes. Keep

them in hot water until you are ready to

fill them, to prevent them from

breaking when filled with hot pickling

solution.

Note:

g. = gram

lb. = pound

oz. = ounce

tbsp. = tablespoon

tsp. = teaspoon


* Note: See page 12 for instructions on sterilizing jars.** Powdered ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is available at some pharmacies or cooking supply stores.

Cucumber dill slices

8 cups pickling cucumbers,thinly sliced (21⁄2 lbs.)

1 cup sweet red pepper, seeded, coredand chopped

Pickling solution:3 tbsp. canning and pickling salt

4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced1⁄3 cup fresh dill weed, minced

1 tsp. dill seed

11⁄2 cups sugar

11⁄2 cups cider vinegar (5% acetic acid)


inch from the blossom end anddiscard. Thinly slice cucumbers andmeasure out 8 cups. In a large bowl,toss the cucumbers with the salt.Let the cucumbers stand 2 hours,and then drain.

2. In another bowl, stir together theremaining ingredients. Pour themixture over the drained cucum-bers, and stir well. Refrigerate themixture for 8 to 10 hours.

3. Pack the cucumber slices andpickling solution in freezer bags orrigid containers, leaving 1-inchheadspace. Label and datepackages, and freeze at 0° F orcolder for up to 6 months.

4. Thaw pickles for about 8 hours inthe refrigerator, and serve chilled.Thawed pickles must be keptrefrigerated; use within 2 weeks.

Yield: 4 pints

o

Cucumber pickles with carrots

8 cup pickling cucumbers,thinly sliced (about 21⁄2 lbs.)


Syrup:2 medium carrots, peeled and grated

(about 1 cup, firmly packed)

11⁄2 cups sugar


1 tbsp. dill weed, chopped



2. In another bowl, stir together theremaining ingredients. Pour themixture over the cucumbers, andstir well. Refrigerate the mixture for8 to 10 hours.

3. Pack the cucumbers and syrup infreezer bags or rigid containers,leaving 1-inch headspace. Labeland date packages, and freeze at0° F or colder for up to 6 months.

4. Thaw pickles for about 8 hours inthe refrigerator before serving.Freezer pickles taste best chilled.Thawed pickles must be keptrefrigerated; use within 2 weeks.

Yield: 4 pints

o


F R E E Z E R P I C K L E R E C I P E SF R E E Z E R P I C K L E R E C I P E S

Cucumber andother vegetableslices packed in

vinegar and sugar will remain crispwhen stored in the freezer. Packfreezer pickles in rigid plastic contain-ers, freezer bags or wide-mouthcanning jars. Label, date and store inthe freezer at 0° F or colder for up to 6months.

Freezer pickles taste best chilled, so

serve them right from the refrigerator

once thawed. Keep thawed pickles

refrigerated and use within 2 weeks.

Note:

g. = gram lb. = pound

oz. = ounce

tbsp. = tablespoon

tsp. = teaspoon



Lime-mint cucumber pickles

8 cups pickling cucumbers, thinly sliced(about 21⁄2 lbs.)


Pickling solution:1 small sweet red pepper, seeded, cored

and chopped1⁄4 cup mint leaves, minced1⁄2 cup onion, peeled and sliced

(1 medium onion)

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

Grated zest of 1 lime

11⁄2 cups sugar

11⁄2 cups distilled white vinegar (5%acetic acid)



2. In another bowl, stir together theremaining ingredients. Pour themixture over the drained cucum-bers, and stir well. Refrigerate themixture for 8 to 10 hours.

3. Pack the cucumbers and picklingsolution in freezer bags or rigidcontainers, leaving 1-inch head-space. Label and date packages,and freeze at 0° F or colder for upto 6 months.

4. Thaw pickles for about 8 hours inthe refrigerator, and serve chilled.Thawed pickles must be keptrefrigerated; use within 2 weeks.

Yield: 4 pints

oPickled cabbage

2 lbs. green cabbage, cored andshredded

1 cup green pepper, seeded, cored andshredded

1 cup onion, peeled and shredded

1 cup carrot, peeled and shredded


2 cups sugar


1. Wash and prepare vegetables. In abowl, toss the shredded vegetableswith the salt. Let the mixture stand2 hours. Drain the vegetables,pressing out excess liquid.

2. Combine the sugar and vinegar,stirring to dissolve. Pour the syrupover the drained vegetables, andmix well.

3. Pack the vegetables and syrup infreezer bags or rigid containers,leaving 1-inch headspace. Labeland date packages, and freeze at0° F or colder for up to 6 months.

4. Thaw cabbage for about 8 hours inthe refrigerator, and serve chilled.Thawed pickles must be keptrefrigerated; use within 2 weeks.

Yield: 2 quarts

o44 Wisconsin Safe Food Preservation Series

F R E E Z E R P I C K L E R E C I P E S

Many families

enjoy a tradition

of pickled eggs or

pickled meats. For others, wild game

or grape leaves are traditional fare.

Follow the tested recipes on pages 46-

47 to safely prepare these pickled

items.

Eggs can be pickled and then stored in

the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Venison, elk or other wild game can be

cooked and then stored in a pickling

solution in the refrigerator for up to

2 weeks. Tongue and other variety

meats can also be successfully

prepared in this way.

If you like to make dolmades — stuffed

grape leaves — you may be glad to

know that you can easily preserve

your own leaves for this purpose. Use

tender, light-green leaves from a

variety of grapevines.

Note:

g. = gram

lb. = pound

oz. = ounce

tbsp. = tablespoon

tsp. = teaspoon


F A M I L Y F A V O R I T E P I C K L E R E C I P E S

Grape leaves

About 30 tender, light-green grapeleaves, stemmed

2 tsp. canning and pickling salt

4 cups water

1 cup water plus 1⁄4 cup bottled lemonjuice

1. Measure 2 teaspoons salt and 4cups water into a large saucepan,and bring to a boil. Add grapeleaves, and blanch them for 30seconds. Drain.

2. Stack the leaves in small piles ofabout 6 each, and roll the stacksloosely from the side. Pack into aclean, hot pint home canning jar,folding the ends over if necessary.

3. In a small saucepan, bring to a boil1 cup water and 1⁄4 cup lemonjuice. Pour the hot liquid over therolled leaves, leaving 1⁄2-inch head-space. Remove bubbles with arubber spatula. Wipe jar rim with aclean, damp cloth.

4. Cap jar with a pretreated lid.Adjust lid.


Note: These leaves are not salty, andwill not have to be rinsed beforestuffing them.

Yield: 1 pint

o


Pickled eggs

16 fresh eggs


2 tbsp. whole peppercorns

2 tbsp. ground ginger


2 tbsp. sugar

1. Sterilize* clean wide-mouth homecanning jars by boiling for 10minutes. Wash two-piece lids.

2. Cook eggs in simmering water for15 minutes. Drain eggs and cool incold water, then remove shells. Packinto hot sterilized wide-mouth jars.

3. In a pot, combine vinegar, sugarand spices. Bring to a boil, reduceheat, and simmer 5 minutes. Pourhot liquid over hard-cooked eggs.Wipe jar rims with a clean, dampcloth. Cap with clean lids. Store inthe refrigerator at 40° F or colderand use within 2 weeks. Do notcan.

Caution: This recipe is not intendedfor long-term storage or storage atroom temperature. Pickled eggsmust be kept refrigerated.

Yield: 2 quarts

*Note: See page 12 for instructionson sterilizing jars.

o

Pickled elk or venison

2 to 3 lbs. elk or venison roast

1 bay leaf

Pickling solution:1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced1⁄2 lemon, sliced


1 cup sugar

2 tsp. whole pickling spices

2 tsp. canning and pickling salt1⁄2 cup white port wine (optional)

1. Cook meat in lightly salted waterwith bay leaf for several hours untiltender. Or pressure cook at 15pounds for 90 minutes. Remove allfatty tissue while still very warm.Cut into serving-size pieces.

2. In a glass, plastic or nonreactivemetal container, arrange meat withlemon and onion slices. Tie picklingspices in a clean cheesecloth bag.Put vinegar, sugar, spice bag andsalt in a saucepan and bring to aboil. Remove spice bag, and pourpickling solution over meat. Coolslightly, cover, label and date, andrefrigerate at 40° F or colder for upto 2 weeks.

Note: This recipe is not intended forlong-term storage, but allows for apickled product that is stored in therefrigerator for up to 2 weeks.Pickled game meat must be keptrefrigerated.

Yield: 2 to 3 quarts


F A M I L Y F A V O R I T E P I C K L E R E C I P E S F A M I L Y F A V O R I T E P I C K L E R E C I P E S

Family favorite pickles

Eggs, pickled, 46

Elk or venison, pickled, 46

Grape leaves, 47

Fermented pickles

Brines for fermented pickles, 16

Dill pickles, 18

Weigh salt for best accuracy, 7

Fresh pack and quick processpickles

Bread-and-butter pickle slices, 20

Dill pickles, quick process, 21

Dill pickles, reduced sodium, 22

Quick sweet pickles, 22

Variation for firmer pickles, 23

Sweet 4-day gherkins or chunkpickles, 24

Sweet 14-day cucumber or cauliflower pickles, 25

Freezer pickles

Cabbage, pickled, 44

Cucumber dill slices, 43

Cucumber pickles with carrots, 43

Lime-mint cucumber pickles, 44

Fruit pickles

Basic sweet spiced syrup, 34

Peaches, pears, whole crabapples,sweet and spicy, 34

Watermelon rind pickles, 35

Headspace, 14

Refrigerator pickles

Cucumber pickles with onions orvegetable medley, 41

Horseradish sauce, pickled, 41

Relishes

Chowchow, 36

Corn relish, 37

Green tomato relish, 38

Piccalilli, 38

Sweet pickle relish, 39

Salt, weigh for best accuracy, 7

Sterilizing jars, 12

Vegetable pickles

Beans, dilly, 27

Beans, pickled three-bean salad,27

Beet pickles, 28

Cauliflower or Brussels sproutssweet pickles, 29

Green tomato dill pickles, 29

Green tomato sweet pickles, 30

Onions, pickled, 31

Peppers, pickled, 31

Vegetable mix hot pickles, 32

Vegetable mix sweet pickles, 33

Zucchini bread-and-butterpickles, 33

Wisconsin Safe FoodPreservation SeriespublicationsCanning Fruits Safely B0430

Canning Salsa Safely B3570

Canning Vegetables Safely B1159

Freezing Fruits and Vegetables B3278

Homemade Pickles and Relishes B2267

Making Jams, Jellies and FruitPreserves B2909

Tomatoes Tart and Tasty B2605

Using and Caring for a Pressure CannerB2593

Wisconsin’s Wild Game: Enjoying theHarvest B3573

To start with the rightingredients, see also:Apple Cultivars for Wisconsin A2105

Disease-Resistant Vegetables for theHome Garden A3110

Growing Pumpkins and Other VineCrops in Wisconsin A3688

Harvesting Vegetables from the HomeGarden A2727

Home Fruit Cultivars for NorthernWisconsin A2488

Home Fruit Cultivars for SouthernWisconsin A2582

Vegetable Cultivars and Planting Guidefor Wisconsin Gardens A1653

These are all available from yourcounty UW-Extension office, or theaddress on the back cover.

Web sitesComplete Guide to Home Canning.Agriculture Information BulletinNo. 539 (Washington, D.C.: U.S.Department of Agriculture), 1994.Use this food preservation databaseto search the guide:http://foodsafety.cas.psu.edu/Presqueryform.htm

Also on-line at:http://extension.usu.edu/publica/foodpubs.htm

If you do not have a computer, tryyour local library. Most libraries havea computer connected with theInternet.


Recipe index

Acknowledgments

Freezer pickle recipes reprinted with per-mission from The Joy of Pickling by LindaZiedrich (Boston, Mass.: The HarvardCommon Press), 1998. Titles of recipesappear in the book as Freezer Dill Slices,Freezer Pickle with Carrots, Lime-MintFreezer Pickle, Freezer Pickled Cabbage.To order, call: (888) 657-3755

Recipe for pickled eggs adapted with per-mission from So Easy to Preserve, 4th ed.Bulletin 989, by Elizabeth L. Andress andJudy A. Harrison (Athens, Ga.: CooperativeExtension Service, The University ofGeorgia), 1999.

© 2002 by the Board of Regents of theUniversity of Wisconsin System doingbusiness as the division of CooperativeExtension of the University of Wisconsin-Extension. Send inquiries about copyrightpermission to: Director, CooperativeExtension Publishing, 103 Extension Bldg.,432 N. Lake St., Madison, WI 53706.

Author: Barbara H. Ingham, food sciencespecialist, Department of Food Science,University of Wisconsin-Madison andUW-Extension. Based on a previous publi-cation by Mary E. Mennes (retired), profes-sor, Food Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and food management specialist,UW-Extension.

Reviewers: Jaime Ackerman, extensionassociate, Department of Human Nutrition,Ohio State University; Elizabeth L. Andress,associate professor and extension foodsafety specialist, University of Georgia-Athens; Barbara Barker, 4-H youth develop-ment agent, Waushara County UW-Extension; Danielle Dalsoren, outreach spe-cialist, UW-Extension; Julie Garden-Robinson, assistant professor and food andnutrition specialist, North Dakota StateUniversity Extension Service; Judy Harrison,

extension food specialist, University ofGeorgia Cooperative Extension; PatriciaKendall, Colorado State University; GregMatysik, youth development specialist, UW-Extension; Donna Peterson, nutrition edu-cation coordinator and 4-H volunteer, IowaCounty UW-Extension; Carolyn Raab, exten-sion food and nutrition specialist, OregonState University; and Karen Schmidt, nutri-tion education coordinator, Burnett CountyUW-Extension. Thanks to Judy Reith-Rozelle.

Produced by Cooperative ExtensionPublications, UW-Extension: Rhonda Lee,editor; Susan Anderson, designer.

University of Wisconsin-Extension,Cooperative Extension, in cooperationwith the U.S. Department of Agricultureand Wisconsin counties, publishes thisinformation to further the purpose of theMay 8 and June 30, 1914, Acts of Congress.UW-Extension provides equal opportuni-ties and affirmative action in employmentand programming, including Title IX andADA requirements. If you need this materialin an alternative format, contactCooperative Extension Publications at (608)262-2655, or the UW-Extension Office ofEqual Opportunity and Diversity Programs.Before publicizing, please check this publica-tion’s availability.

This publication is available from yourWisconsin county UW-Extension office or:

Cooperative Extension Publications

45 N. Charter St.

Madison, WI 53715

Toll-free: (877) 947-7827

(877-WIS-PUBS)

Madison: 262-3346

Fax: (608) 265-8052

Internet: www1.uwex.edu/ces/pubs

B2267 Homemade Pickles & Relishes (2002) R-08-02-2.5M-400

Spiritual

relish