Making pickles ?
Question:I have a vegetable garden in my backyard with two cucumber plants. I want to make homemade pickles but don't know the first thing about it. Can anyone give me some ideas or point me in the right direction ?
Answers:
It is a blast. You'll have to google some canning instructions, but the gist of it is to get some "Ball" jars, go ahead and buy their pickle mixes too. You can choose sweet, kosher and/or dill. Then boil the jars and lids to sterilize them. Boil the pickle mix, you'll add white vinegar. Put the pickles cleaned in the empty jars, then pour mix into the jars. Now, if you don't have a pressure canner you'll be hurting for one because you have to boil the jars under a certain pressure and temp for 15 - 20 minutes.
Don't despair. I went around tag sales and found a free pressure canner, lots of free jars and lids from people who got tired of canning!
Go to foodtv.com.Alton Brown has some good easy recipes to follow... For a first-timer try some refrigerator pickles . They are sliced thin and sweet and don't require the canning process you just make the brine/cut the cucumbers and put it together in the fridge.. Also, called Hungarian pickles... good luck..
A lot of it depends on what kind of pickles you want to make. Try to go for a search on the Internet for both cucumbers and pickles. If you plan on "canning" your crop you will need canning material, jar, lids, large pot deep enough to cover the jars, etc. If you "can" them you will process them in boiling hot water for 5 minutes so will need something to get the jars out of the water. Lots of luck it feels great to see your accomplishment.
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