Recipe - Pickling Basics

Pickling Basics See
Below:

~Salt to use: use only pickling or Dairy salt, it is free from additives
which might deter porcessing or cloud liquid. Is using garlic as a
seasoning, blanch it 2 minutes before adding it to other ingredients, or
remove it from the jar before sealing. Water used should be soft. If the
water contains iron or sulphur compounds the pickles will become dark. You
can use distilled water. Vinegar should test 5% to 6% acetic acid.
Distilled white vinegar gives the lightest color. Ciderbased malt and herb
flavored vinegars, although they yield a richer flavor, will darken
pickles. Do not use Homemade wine vinegars as they have uncertain
strength and the vinegar will "Mother". * to make pickles crisp use grape
or cherry leaves during brining. Or, in short brine pickles, after the
brining period, soak the pickles for 2 hours in enough of the following
lime water solution to cover. Allow: 1 Tablespoon calcium oxide to 1
quart of soft water Stir will, and after stirring allow the solution to
settle. Use only the clear portion of the liquid to cover the pickles.
After the 2 hour soaking, drain and cover with the hot pickling liquid as
directed. Alum is not recommended for crisping, as just a trifle too much
may make the pickles bitter. About ShortBrine Pickling Most homemade
pickles are of the less exacting shortbrine type. They are soaked in a
salt solution only 24 hours or so . This bringing period is sufficiently
long to draw out moisture, but not long enough to induce the fermentation
needed for adequate keeping.. An essential furtherstep, afterdraining off
the brine, is to pour over the produce a hot vinegar solution which
penetrates the softened vegetable tissue and so preserves it. Although in
the shortbrine process, the hot vinegar also tends to firm the produce,
itis advisabl, for greater crispness, to add to the jars a few fresh grape
or sherry leaves, or to use the lime water process described above.
Firmness in pickled produce contributes both to its KEEPING and eating
qualities. Pickling Spices: Generally contains such ingredients as
mustard seed, cinnamon, allspice, bay leaf, black pepper, giner, red
pepper, cardamom, tumeric, and mace. We also know that the french use
tarragon with their cornichons we use dill and garlic etc. The spice
blend for pickles are specific to the type of pickle you are preparing.

Recipe By : CHEF MCH

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