Sweet Heat Pickles Recipes

EMERIL'S HOMEMADE SWEET AND SPICY PICKLES

Steps:

• Place cucumbers, onions, pickling salt, and water in a large, non-reactive bowl. Cover and allow cucumbers to soak for 2 hours. Drain the water from the onions and cucumbers through a colander and rinse well for 5 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
• Combine the vinegars, sugar, mustard seeds, turmeric, cloves, garlic, and peppers in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and add the cucumbers and onions. Bring to a simmer and remove the saucepan from the heat.
• Fill each of the hot sterilized pint-size preserving jars with the pickle mixture, dividing them evenly, and enough of the liquid to come within 1/2-inch of the top. Add 1/2 teaspoon of Natural Pickle Crisp to each jar, if desired. With a clean damp towel, wipe the rim and fit with a hot lid. Screw on the metal ring just until the point of resistance is met. Process the jars in a hot-water bath for 15 minutes.
• Using tongs, remove the jars, place on a towel, and let cool. Test the seals by allowing the jars to stand at room temperature overnight or until the lids pop. Tighten the rings and store in a cool dry place. Let the pickles age for at least 2 weeks before using.

SWEET HEAT PICKLES

Steps:

• Drain pickles and discard juice. Save the jar to store pickles in later. Slice pickles into 1/4 to 1/2 inch.
• Begin layering into a larger jar: 1-1/2 cup of pickles per layer. Top the pickles with 1/2 cup sugar, 2 cloves of garlic sliced or chopped, 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon of chopped jalapeño.
• Repeat layers until all pickles are used. Pour any remaining sugar on top.
• Cover jar and store on the counter for about an hour, or until the sugar begins to liquify.
• Stir or simply shake to mix the pickles well, and pull any undissolved sugar up from the bottom.
• Cover and leave on the counter for several more hours, or overnight. Stir and refrigerate 1 to 2 additional days.

SWEET AND HOT REFRIGERATOR PICKLES

Steps:

• Makes about 3 pints.
• In a large mixing bowl, toss together cucumbers, onion, and salt. Cover mixture with a clean, dry dishtowel, then cover surface with ice cubes (keeping the salted cucumbers very cold ensures crunchy pickles). Refrigerate for about 3 hours, until vegetables have released some liquid. Rinse well under cold running water to remove excess salt. Drain and set aside.
• In a large saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar, and spices. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add vegetables to pot and bring to just under a boil. Remove pan from heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to jars or other containers with tight-fitting lids. Cover vegetables with brine, cover containers, and refrigerate.
• Pickles keep, refrigerated, for several weeks.

SWEET HOT PICKLES

Steps:

• Place sliced cucumbers in 1 gallon cold water and mix in 1 3/4 cups pickling lime. Refrigerate overnight. Next day, rinse 3-4 times until water is clear. Soak 3-4 hours in ice water then drain.
• Using 3-4 layers of cheesecloth, make a spice bag with the pickling spice and celery seed, tie bag well.
• Bring the vinegar, sugar, turmeric, spice bag and salt to a boil. Add cucumber slices and boil 30-40 minutes until cucumbers are mostly clear. Remove spice bag.
• Pack cucumbers and syrup into hot, sterilized jars. If using peppers, add 1 pepper to each jar. Adjust lids and bands. Put into enough boiling water to cover jars and boil for 15 minutes. Make sure jars seal.

SWEET-HEAT BREAD & BUTTER PICKLES

Steps:

• Special equipment: Boiling-water canner with a rack, canning tongs, canning funnel, 4-pint canning jars.
• Place a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet or line it with a clean towel. Set aside.
• Trim the ends of the cucumbers, peel and cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Combine the cucumbers, onions and salt in a large non-reactive bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to overnight. Drain, rinse the vegetables under cold water and drain again. Repeat the rinsing and draining process and set aside.
• Combine the coriander, mustard and celery seeds, turmeric, vinegar and brown sugar in a large non-reactive saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the reserved cucumbers and onions and stir to combine.
• Place 4 clean pint jars (see Cook's Notes) on the prepared baking sheet. (This will help contain any dribbles or spills and prevent the jars from directly touching the metal.) For each jar, insert a canning funnel and place a quarter Scotch Bonnet pepper in each. Carefully ladle in the hot vegetables and liquid, allowing at least 1/2 inch of headroom. Clean the rims of the jars with a clean, damp towel and tightly secure the lids.
• Place the canning rack in the canner and fill the pot with water; bring to a boil over high heat.
• Using tongs, place the jars on the rack in the canner. The water should cover the jars by at least 1 inch. Cover the canner. Return the water to a boil and boil gently for 15 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the jars to a towel to cool. If the seal works and fits properly, the metal lid will be slightly concave within 24 hours of processing. Store the unopened jars at room temperature for up to 1 year. Once opened, store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
• Cook's Notes:.
• Pickling cucumbers are often smaller than the traditional slicing cucumbers and have slightly thinner skins.
• High-acid foods such as fruits, pickles, sauerkraut, jams, jellies, marmalades and fruit butters with a pH level of 4.6 or lower can be preserved by boiling water canning (low-acid foods, such as canned meats and fish, require a pressure cooker).
• Boiling water canning makes use of a large pot that's tall enough to fully submerge canning jars by at least an inch of water. The pot is used for both sterilization of jars prior to filling and for boiling the jars once they are filled. You don't necessarily need to purchase a boiling water bath canner if you don't already have one. Any large, deep stockpot equipped with a lid and a rack can double as a boiling water canner. Keep in mind: The pot must be large enough to fully surround and immerse the jars in water by 1 to 2 inches and allow for the water to boil rapidly with the lid on.
• It is not necessary to sterilize jars beforehand if processing jars in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes or longer. The jars should instead be freshly cleaned and well washed in hot soapy water. Any jars processed less than 10 minutes must be pre-sterilized and the lids and rings placed into simmering, not boiling, water. Rings can be reused, but lids should be new and used only once for boiling water canning.
• This recipe has been updated and may differ from what was originally published or broadcast.
• Properly handled sterilized equipment will keep canned foods in good condition for one year. Making sure hands, equipment and surfaces in your canning area are clean is the first step in canning. Tips: Jars should be made from glass and free of any chips or cracks. Preserving or canning jars are topped with glass, plastic or metal lids that have a rubberlike seal. Two-piece metal lids are most common. To prepare jars before filling: Wash jars with hot, soapy water, rinse them well and arrange them open-side up, without touching, on a tray. Jars have to be sterilized only if the food to be preserved will be processed for less than 10 minutes in a boiling-water bath or pressure canner. To sterilize jars, boil them in a large saucepan, covered with water, for 10 minutes. Follow manufacturer's instructions for cleaning and preparing lids and bands. Use tongs or jar lifters to remove hot sterilized jars from the boiling water. Be sure the tongs are sterilized too: Dip the tong ends in boiling water for a few minutes before using them. All items used in making jams, jellies, preserves and pickles must be clean, including any towels and especially your hands. After the jars are prepared, you can preserve the food. It is important to follow any canning and processing instructions included in the recipe and refer to USDA guidelines about the sterilization of canned products. Find information on canning at the National Center for Home Food Preservation website: http://nchfp.uga.edu/.