Preparing Pickled And Fermented Foods

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

The many varieties of pickled and fermented foods are classified by
ingredients and method of preparation.  Regular dill pickles and
sauerkraut are fermented and cured for about  3 weeks. Refrigerator
dills are fermented for about 1 week. During  curing, colors and
flavors change and acidity increases. Fresh-pack or  quick-process
pickles are not fermented; some are brined several  hours or overnight,
then drained and covered with vinegar and  seasonings. Fruit pickles
usually are prepared by heating fruit in a  seasoned syrup acidified
with either lemon juice or vinegar. Relishes  are made from chopped
fruits and vegetables that are cooked with  seasonings and vinegar.  Be
sure to remove and discard a 1/16-inch slice from the blossom end  of
fresh cucumbers. Blossoms may contain an enzyme which causes  excessive
softening of pickles.  Caution: The level of acidity in a pickled
product is as important to  its safety as it is to taste and texture.
Do not alter vinegar, food, or water proportions in a recipe or use a
vinegar with unknown acidity. Use only recipes with tested  proportions
of ingredients. There must be a minimum, uniform level of  acid
throughout the mixed product to prevent the growth of botulinum
bacteria.  INGREDIENTS  Select fresh, firm fruits or vegetables free of
spoilage. Measure or  weigh amounts carefully, because the proportion
of fresh food to other  ingredients will affect flavor and, in many
instances, safety.  Use canning or pickling salt. Noncaking material
added to other salts  may make the brine cloudy. Since flake salt
varies in density, it is  not recommended for making pickled and
fermented foods. White  granulated and brown sugars are most often
used. Corn syrup and  honey, unless called for in reliable recipes, may
produce undesirable  flavors. White distilled and cider vinegars of 5
percent acidity (50  grain) are recommended. White vinegar is usually
preferred when light  color is desirable, as is the case with fruits
and cauliflower.  PICKLES WITH REDUCED SALT CONTENT  In the making of
fresh-pack pickles, cucumbers are acidified quickly  with vinegar. Use
only tested recipes formulated to produce the  proper acidity. While
these pickles may be prepared safely with  reduced or no salt, their
quality may be noticeably lower. Both  texture and flavor may be
slightly, but noticeably, different than  expected. You may wish to
make small quantities first to determine if  you like them. However,
the salt used in making fermented sauerkraut  and brined pickles not
only provides characteristic flavor but also  is vital to safety and
texture. In fermented foods, salt favors the  growth of desirable
bacteria while inhibiting the growth of others.  Caution: Do not
attempt to make sauerkraut or fermented pickles by  cutting back on the
salt required.  FIRMING AGENTS  Alum may be safely used to firm
fermented pickles. However, it is  unnecessary and is not included in
the recipes in this publication.  Alum does not improve the firmness of
quick-process pickles. The  calcium in lime definitely improves pickle
firmness. Food-grade lime  may be used as a lime-water solution for
soaking fresh cucumbers 12  to 24 hours before pickling them. Excess
lime absorbed by the  cucumbers must be removed to make safe pickles.
To remove excess  lime, drain the lime-water solution, rinse, and then
resoak the  cucumbers in fresh water for 1 hour. Repeat the rinsing and
soaking  steps two more times. To further improve pickle firmness, you
may  process cucumber pickles for 30 minutes in water at 180 degrees F.
This process also prevents spoilage, but the water temperature should
not fall below 180 degrees F. Use a candy or jelly thermometer to
check the water temperature.  PREVENTING SPOILAGE  Pickle products are
subject to spoilage from microorganisms,  particularly yeasts and
molds, as well as enzymes that may affect  flavor, color and texture.
Processing the pickles in a boiling-water  canner will prevent both of
these problems. Standard canning jars and  self-sealing lids are
recommended. Processing times and procedures  will vary according to
food acidity and the size of food pieces.
======================================================= === * USDA
Agriculture Information Bulletin No. 539 (rev. 1994) * Meal-Master
format courtesy of Karen Mintzias  From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster
collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini

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