Pickles

by hertzgamma

12K9716

Intro: 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).

STEP 2:

Put one bay leaf, about 10 black peper seeds, 1 tsp mustard seeds, one third of a tsp salt and 1 or 2 sprigs of dill in each jar.

STEP 3:

Cut the onion into round slices and divide equally. Pour each jar with a half cup of vinegar.

STEP 4:

Put the cucumbers in the jars as close to each one as you can.

STEP 5:

Fill the jars with water about 2 sm under the edge.

STEP 6:

Close the jars with a capsealer.

STEP 7:

Make a fire and put the jars in a  large cookware. Afterwards, fill the container with water, so that it was a little bit above the caps. When the water boil wait  just 3 minutes and get the jars out.

STEP 8:

Seems to be ready!

16 Comments

grt57 11 years ago

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

aldebaraan 11 years ago

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

hertzgamma 11 years ago

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 11 years ago

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

hertzgamma 11 years ago

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 11 years ago

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?

Kat Taylor 11 years ago

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 11 years ago

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 11 years ago

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

hertzgamma 11 years ago

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 11 years ago

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

hertzgamma 11 years ago

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 11 years ago

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 11 years ago

Yea, what kyrie said...