Pickles

Ingredients:

• about 4.5 kilos cucumbers
• 2 onions
• 10 bay leaves
• 5 cups of vinegar
• some salt
• some dill
• some mustard seeds
• some black pepper seeds

Step 1:

Cut the back sides of the cucumbers (about 2 sm).

Comments

[grt57]

Great Instructable, Thanks! I'm guessing your make your own sauerkraut as well... I'd love to hear how you make yours.

[aldebaraan]

My problem is always crispness. The taste comes out fine, but they end up mushy. Any suggestions?

[hertzgamma]

One more thing! If you overboil them the effect will be the same. Try and boil them a bit more. 3 minutes after the water starts boiling you take them off.

[aldebaraan]

Oooh, that makes sense...I'll try less boiling. Thanks!

[hertzgamma]

The problem might be the sort of the cucumbers. It should be for preserving (if possible gherkin). An other reason could be not putting mustard seeds which actually keep the pickles crispy. Hope it is useful.

[shugdahl]

Ok, I'm ready to try this! I assume a quart jar would do? so 1/2 c of vinegar per quart? and when you say 3 minutes after coming to a boil that means from putting cool or warm water over them then wait til it boils, then 3 minutes? I will be using canning lids and rings, is that okay?

[hertzgamma]

Yes, this is all right!

[Kat Taylor]

I'm with Drews1 and Kyrie, where did you get your caps and capsealer? I use the seal with rings. will those do the same with your way to can the pickles?

[hertzgamma]

If the caps have a seal under the edge and they are not plastic, you can use them. You will see if the cap has formed a hermetical sealing, it will bend in to the bottom of the jar and if you knock on it, it won't vibrate at all.

[kyrie]

I love your caps & capsealer. Where did you get them from?

[hertzgamma]

My family lives in Bulgaria and these caps are well spread in there. The capsealer is from there too- really really old but troublefree.

[Penolopy Bulnick]

Wonderful! How long does it take until they are pickles?

[hertzgamma]

Well, frankly, we make them for the winter when there are no fresh-picked cucumbers (we grow some vegetables ourselves) and it lasts a few months, but as AntonOlsen says a week should be truely enough.

[AntonOlsen]

I'm not sure with this recipe, but I generally wait a week before opening mine. It takes a while for the dill flavor to make its way into the pickle.

[drews1]

Yea, what kyrie said...