Canned Sour Pickles And Pickling Spice Recipes

CANNED SOUR PICKLES AND PICKLING SPICE

Steps:

• For the pickling spice, blend 3 tablespoons whole black peppercorns, 3 tablespoons of yellow mustard seeds, 4 teaspoons of allspice and 1 cinnamon stick, crumbled. Makes 1/2 cup.
• On the first day:Trim blossom ends from cucumbersand cut lengthwise intoquarters or halves. Put in a bowl;add salt (A). Cover with coolwater and mix to dissolve salt (B). Place a small plate inside bowl on top of cucumbers to keep them submerged. Let stand at cool room temperature or in refrigerator for 12 to 18 hours.
• On the second day:Prepare jars as described inGeneral Rules. Drain cucumbers,rinse, and drain again. Bringvinegar, water, and 1 teaspoon Koshersalt to a boil.
• Lift jars out of hot water one at a time, draining water. Fill with cucumbers (C). (It helps to lay jar on side and fill edges first, then center -- this keeps cucumbers from falling over.) If desired, add 2 cloves garlic and 2 or 3 sprigs dill to each jar. Sprinkle 2 teaspoon pickling spice into quart jars. (If you're going to store pickles for longer than a month, rather than adding spices directly, put them in a cheesecloth bag and simmer in pickling liquid for 5 minutes. Remove before filling jars.) Fill with boiling pickling liquid. Leave 1/2-inch headspace.
• Slide a nonmetallic spatulaor chopstick between cucumbersand jar; release air bubblesby pressing gingerly on cucumbers.Repeat 2 or 3 times.
• Wipe rim and threads of jarwith a clean, damp cloth. Removelid from hot water and place onjar. Screw band down, just untilresistance is met. As each jar isfilled, set it onto rack in boiling-watercanner. Keep canner waterat a simmer.
• After all jars are filled andplaced on rack, bring water to aboil. Lower rack into canner.Water level must cover caps onjars by 1 to 2 inches. If needed,add more boiling water.
• Put lid on canner. As soon asjars are lowered, start countingtime. Return to a boil. Processquarts 15 minutes at a gentlebut steady boil.
• Remove jars from canner and set them upright on a dry towel or rack to cool. Do not retighten bands. Let jars cool for 12 hours minimum, 24 hours maximum. After jars have cooled, check lids for a good vacuum seal by pressing on center of each. If center is pulled down and does not flex, remove band and gently try to lift lid off with your fingertips. If lid does not flex and you cannot lift it off, seal is set. Wipe lid and jar surface with a damp cloth to remove food particles and residue. Label. Store jars in a cool, dry, dark place. Pickles will continue to absorb brine over time, deepening the intensity of both flavor and color (D).

CANNED SPICED PICKLED BEETS

Steps:

• In a large pot, mix the white vinegar, sugar, water, cinnamon, salt, and cloves together; bring the mixture to a boil, and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Stir in the beets, and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Sterilize the jars, lids, and rings in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, pack the sliced beets into the hot, sterilized jars, and pour in the beet liquid to fill the jars to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a sterilized knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids, and screw on rings.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then carefully lower the jars into the pot using a holder. Leave a 2 inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary until the water level is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a full boil, cover the pot, and process for 30 minutes. Add more time if you are at high altitude.
• Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Store in a cool, dark area.

MONDO'S HOT & SPICY PICKLES

Steps:

• Clean cucumbers in cold water.
• Place water, vinegar, sugar, salt in large pot.
• Place sprigs of dill (stems and all) and pickling spices in cheesecloth. Knot the cheesecloth and place in pot with the rest of ingredients.
• Bring to a boil to make a brine solution.
• Place a few peppercorns, few garlic cloves or chopped garlic, 1/8 teaspoons Alum, a couple dried whole chile peppers in each empty canning jar that is going to be used. If you desire hotter pickles, add optional 1 - 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes to each jar.
• Then place pickles in jar and fill with brine solution.
• Wipe rims of jars with clean cloth, place lids and screw on bands fingertip-tight.
• Process for 8 minutes in water bath.
• Remove to cloth-protected counter and let rest undisturbed for 24 hours to cool.
• Pickles are ready to eat in about 2 weeks. Enjoy!