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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