The Beginner's Guide to Preserving Food at Home - Janet Chadwick [48]
14 cloves garlic
7 whole cayenne peppers (dried)
Preheat hot tap water in the canner. Prepare quart jars and lids. In a saucepan, mix the salt, sugar, vinegar, water, and grape leaves, if using. Add the whole pickling spices tied in a spice bag. Heat to boiling. Meanwhile, scrub the cucumbers.
Place 3 dill heads, 2 cloves garlic, and 1 cayenne pepper in each jar. Pack the cucumbers in the jars.
Fill the jars with hot brine to cover the cucumbers. Place 1 grape leaf (if using) in each jar. Leave ½-inch headspace.
Process for 15 minutes once water returns to a boil.
Cool sealed jars. Check seals. Remove screw bands. Label. Store.
Sweet Chunk Pickles
Makes 4 pints
8 cucumbers, 5 inches long
½ cup pickling salt (or more)
4 cups white vinegar
4 cups water
2 large grape leaves (optional)
4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon mixed pickling spices
Scrub the cucumbers. Place in a large nonreactive container and cover with cold salt brine made with ½ cup salt for each quart of cold water used. Let the cucumbers stand for 3 days.
Drain. Cover with cold water. Let stand for 24 hours.
Repeat step 2 twice.
Combine 2 cups of the vinegar, 4 cups water, and grape leaves, if using, in a saucepan. Heat to boiling. Meanwhile, cut the cucumbers into ½-inch chunks. Pour the hot brine over the cucumbers. Let stand for 2 days.
Drain. Discard brine and grape leaves. Combine sugar, the remaining 2 cups vinegar, and spices in a saucepan. Heat to boiling. Pour over chunks. Let stand for 24 hours.
Pour off brine into a saucepan and heat to boiling. Pour hot brine over chunks. Let stand for 24 hours.
Repeat step 6. Let stand for 24 hours.
Fill the canner with hot tap water. Sterilize jars by boiling in the canner for 10 minutes. Prepare lids. Meanwhile, pour off brine into a saucepan and reheat to boiling.
Pack the jars with pickles. Fill with hot brine. Leave ½-inch headspace.
Process for 10 minutes once water has returned to a boil.
Cool jars. Check seals. Remove screw bands. Label. Store.
Freezer Pickles
Makes 4 pints
30 cucumbers, 5 inches long (2 quarts sliced)
2 medium onions
2 tablespoons pickling salt
1½ cups sugar
1 cup cider vinegar
1 teaspoon celery seed
Scrub and slice the cucumbers. Peel and thinly slice the onions. Combine in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt. Mix well.
Cover bowl and let stand for 3 hours.
Rinse the vegetables with cold tap water, and drain thoroughly. Return to the rinsed bowl. Meanwhile, mix sugar, vinegar, and celery seed in a separate bowl.
Pour the brine over the vegetables. Mix, cover. Refrigerate overnight.
Pack the pickles in straight-sided containers. Cover with brine. Leave 1-inch headspace. Seal. Freeze. Defrost in the refrigerator for 8 hours before serving.
Sunshine Pickles
Makes 7 pints
3 cups sugar
3 cups cider vinegar
1 tablespoon pickling salt
1 tablespoon celery seed
3 large grape leaves (optional)
10 firm cucumbers or zucchini, 6 to 8 inches long (5 quarts peeled and seeded)
4 large onions
1 tablespoon turmeric
Combine the sugar, vinegar, salt, celery seed, and grape leaves, if using, in a preserving kettle. Heat on low while preparing cucumbers.
Peel and seed cucumbers; cut into diagonal slices (2½- to 3-inch slices). Peel and slice the onions.
Place the vegetables in the hot brine. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until translucent. Meanwhile, fill the canner with hot tap water. Sterilize jars by boiling in the canner for 10 minutes. Prepare lids.
Remove the grape leaves from the brine; add the turmeric. Stir well. Pack the pickles in jars and fill with hot brine. Leave ½-inch headspace. (If pickling zucchinis, add 1/3 grape leaf to each jar.)
Process for 10 minutes once water has returned to a boil.
Cool jars. Check seal. Remove screw bands. Label. Store.
Sour Pickles
Makes 7 to 8 pints
Larger, slender cucumbers can be used for this recipe, but they should be cut in small chunks or spears.
2 quarts cider vinegar
½ cup dry mustard
½ cup sugar
½ cup