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Can anyone tell me how they make such good pickles? Are they canned? Anyone out there know the secret?
I canned 17 quarts of dill pickles Saturday - slices, whole, spears and my pickles always turn out very good, but I really would like to know what Klausen does. They are so tasty and crunchy.
Mine always turn out crunchy as I don't boil them to death, but I sure do like the Klausen that you buy in the refrigerator section.
I googled this recipe, I have never made them.
Here is a recipe that I have used. Found it in the files at UCD. Do not alter the ratio of salt to vinegar to water. Another tip.....don't wash the cucumbers...just wipe off the obvious dirt. They need the bacteria for the fermentation process.Hope this works out for you.Fermented Dill Pickles – Refrigerated “Clausen” Type1 Gallon JarPickling Cucumbers 12 Fresh Dill Flower heads, or 2 Tbsp Dried dill weed and 2 Tbsp. Dried dill seed10 to 12 Cloves Garlic6 to 8 Peppercorns 1/4 Cup Vinegar1/2 Cup Salt1 1/2 Quarts WaterIn 1 gallon jar add pickling cucumbers Rinse but do not wash the cucumbers. Add Dill flower heads or dried dill weed and seed, garlic, peppercorns, and vinegar. Dissolve salt in water and add to jar. Fill jar the remaining way with water. Add weight to keep cucumbers under brine.Fermentation sequence1. Clear brine – no cloudiness for 1 to 3 days2. Cloudy brine with gas formation, 2-3 days3. Cloudy brine – no gas formation, 5 to 6 daysPickles ready to eat after 10-11 days.Refrigerate pickles if you do not want to process them.To process the picklesFill clean, sterilized quart jars with pickles to within 1/2inch of the top. Wipe, seal, and process in a hot water bath at 170 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove and place on towel in a draft free area. Let jars stand for 12 hours. Label and date. Store in a dark, cool area.
I have made these and they are very good. One of the guys at work thinks they are so yummy that he drinks some of the juice-yuck. Anyway, here is the recipe. You can make less and put it in a smaller crock.:
Deli-Style Half-Dill Pickles
1/2 bushel small pickling cucumbers
1/2 bunch dill
3 gallons water
2 cups pickling salt
5 garlic cloves, sliced
3/4 cup mixed pickling spice
Wash cucumbers. Remove blossom ends carefully to remove soil. Place cucumbers in large crocks. Distribute the dill heads evenly. Make a brine of the remaining items and add to the cucumbers. Cover with a heavy plate and weight down with a glass jar filled with water.
Store at moderate room temperature (70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit). If scum forms, remove it daily. Pickles may be eaten after third day but well done pickles need a 1-week fermentation. After 1 week, pack the pickles into clean jars and refrigerate to halt fermentation. These pickles must be kept in the refrigerator.
Thank you both for sharing your recipes~ Janie
I think you are correct Aubie, it is the wild yeast that gets the fermentation going and produces the lactic acid. I always wash my pickles before putting them in the crock and the grape leaves too when I use them.
So now I'm interested. Has anyone made the Fermented pickles? Did you have any problems? I'd love to try this.
My daughter buys pickles at a farmers market that are made this way and then processed. they are delicious, but expensive!
Any advice would be welcomed. Barbara
Yes, I have made the recipe I posted above and full sour dills. I'll post that one here. I didn't have any problems.
BRINED DILL PICKLES
Layer in a crock:
Grape leaves
Dill
Mustard seed
Mixed pickling spices
Chili peppers
Garlic cloves
Add all of the cucumbers (3" to 5")
Repeat the layer of spices. garlic, and, peppers ending with grape leaves.
Make sufficient brine to cover pickles:
3/4 c canning salt
1 gallon hot water
1 cup cider vinegar
Add the salt to the hot water to dissolve. Stir in vinegar. Cool and pour over pickles in crock. Make extra brine to fill an oven roasting bag. Seal and place over the pickles so it fits well against the sides of the crock. Let sit in a cool place until the pickles are well flavored and an even color throughout. Skim scum if any develops.
To can :
Brine:
½ c salt
¾ c cider vinegar
2 ½ quarts water
Drain pickles and rinse. Combine salt, vinegar, and water and bring to a boil. Pack pickles in jars adding one dill head, ½ t pickling spice, and garlic as desires. Cover with brine. Process in a simmering water bath for 10 minutes for quarts.
Aubie,
The half sour dills from the first recipe are pretty crunchy but they only ferment three days to a week. After that they have to go into the fridge to stop the fermentation. The second recipe makes ful sours. They are firm but not crunchy. Both are very tasty.