INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Use only the freshest ingredients, straight from the garden if possible.
Avoid produce with a waxed coating; it won't absorb brine.
2. Wash produce and cut off any bruised or discolored bits. Dirt and
spoilage that wouldn't be harmful when eaten fresh could breed dangerous
bacteria when seated in a jar.
3. Use salt without additives, such as kosher or pickling salt. Avoid sea
salt, which contains minerals, and iodized table salt.
4. Only white and cider vinegars have high enough acid levels for safe
pickling. If your pickles are too tart, don't decrease the vinegar-add more
sugar instead. Never boil the syrup beyond the time specified; prolonged
boiling breaks down acetic acid, making it too weak to prevent bacterial
growth.
5. Only jars specified for home canning are made to withstand the stresses
and high temperatures of the process. Use vintage canning jars only if they
are in perfect condition and can be used with new two-piece screw lids for
a secure fit. Use the flat lid only once. Screw bands can be reused if they
are rust-free and not bent.
6. Keep everything at its proper temperature. Pickles, jars, and lids
should be hot. Begin timing sterilizing of jars and water bath after the
water has come to a boil.
7. Leave pickles out to cool for twenty-four hours after processing. Before
storing them, check seals: The lids should be taut and sucked slightly
inward by the vacuum inside. Jars with loose seals should be refrigerated
and the pickles eaten within a week.
8. Date the pickles. "Mine could sit in the cabinet for ten years," says
Salli LaGrone. "I wouldn't want to serve them to company."
9. Store jars in a cool, dry, dark place. Moisture affects the seal; light
can bleach pickles.
10. Inspect each jar before opening it. Press down on the lid; if it gives
or "clicks," the seal has broken and the pickles must be discard- ed. When
you open the jar, check for mold, leakage around the rim, gas or bubbling
inside, funny smells, and slimy pickles. If any of these are the case,
throw away the entire jar where children and pets will not find it.
Martha Stewart Living/October/94 Scanned & edited by Di Pahl & <gg>
Posted to MM-Recipes Digest V4 #037 by John Merkel <jmerk@doitnow.com> on
Feb 4, 1997.

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