# It's Kirby time!



## Steve H (Jan 16, 2022)

Pickles that is. I was surprised to see Kirby cukes at the store yesterday. And they were nice and firm and fresh.  So I got 2 packs. 8 Cukes total.
I used a 2:1 ratio of water and vinegar. And 1/4 cup pickling salt for the brine. Heated to boiling.
In each jar I used:
1 tbs pickling spice
1 tbs diced dehydrated onion flakes
1/2 tsp pickle crisp
1 tbs dill seed
1 tbs dried dill weed
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tbs minced garlic
1 tsps. XXX habanero powder. I'm going to need to order more of this. 

 tx smoker
 turned me on to this.








Packed into two 1/2-gallon mason jars and vacuum sealed. This is my go-to recipe for a nice robust pickle.


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## Cajun Smokes (Jan 16, 2022)

I was just thinking the other day I hadn't seen you doing pickles in a while lol. I need to get me an attachment for vac sealing the jars like that. Do these need to stay in the fridge?


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## Steve H (Jan 16, 2022)

Cajun Smokes said:


> I was just thinking the other day I hadn't seen you doing pickles in a while lol. I need to get me an attachment for vac sealing the jars like that. Do these need to stay in the fridge?



Lol, It has been a little while since I made some! Yes, these are fridge pickles. Not shelf stable.


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## SmokinAl (Jan 16, 2022)

Good looking pickles Steve!
I haven’t made any lately either, guess I better get my butt in gear!
Al


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## Cajun Smokes (Jan 16, 2022)

Steve H said:


> Lol, It has been a little while since I made some! Yes, these are fridge pickles. Not shelf stable.


Thank you very much


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## Steve H (Jan 16, 2022)

SmokinAl said:


> Good looking pickles Steve!
> I haven’t made any lately either, guess I better get my butt in gear!
> Al



Thanks Al! I was surprised to see these Kirby's here at this time of the year.


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## clifish (Jan 16, 2022)

Nice,  I will have to try adding some powder to the next batch.  Last batch I added a ghost pepper to them.  I have some ghost pepper dust from a local guy to me - https://86peppers.com


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## bauchjw (Jan 16, 2022)

Mmmm! Nice looking pickles!


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## normanaj (Jan 16, 2022)

One those alongside a nice pastrami sangwich would be nice.


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## Steve H (Jan 16, 2022)

clifish said:


> Nice,  I will have to try adding some powder to the next batch.  Last batch I added a ghost pepper to them.  I have some ghost pepper dust from a local guy to me - https://86peppers.com


I bet Ghost powder works well too.



bauchjw said:


> Mmmm! Nice looking pickles!


Thanks!



bauchjw said:


> Mmmm! Nice looking pickles!


Thank you!



normanaj said:


> One those alongside a nice pastrami sangwich would be nice.


Now, I'M thinking about a sandwich!


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## BXMurphy (Feb 5, 2022)

Steve H said:


> Pickles that is. I was surprised to see Kirby cukes at the store yesterday. And they were nice and firm and fresh.  So I got 2 packs. 8 Cukes total.
> I used a 2:1 ratio of water and vinegar. And 1/4 cup pickling salt for the brine. Heated to boiling.
> In each jar I used:
> 1 tbs pickling spice
> ...



Steve, timely post as I'm going to start my first sauerkraut with is naturally fermented. I found this post looking for a good pickling spice mix because I'll do pickles if the kraut works.

What's in your mix?

I don't see vinegar in your recipe. Is this naturally fermented?

Murph


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## BXMurphy (Feb 5, 2022)

BXMurphy said:


> Steve, timely post as I'm going to start my first sauerkraut with is naturally fermented. I found this post looking for a good pickling spice mix because I'll do pickles if the kraut works.
> 
> What's in your mix?
> 
> ...




Never mind... I read more carefully... vinegar in the first paragraph. <gulp> 

Sooooo.... what's in your pickling spice mix?

Murph


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## SmokinEdge (Feb 6, 2022)

BXMurphy said:


> Steve, timely post as I'm going to start my first sauerkraut with is naturally fermented. I found this post looking for a good pickling spice mix because I'll do pickles if the kraut works.
> 
> What's in your mix?
> 
> ...


Apologize to Steve not trying to hijack, but 

 BXMurphy
 , homemade kraut is another level if you’ve never had. Just make sure you let the salt set a bit in the cabbage and when you jar it, stomp it in to get the air out and extract the juice from the cabbage. Fermentation is natural and the process takes care of its self. You doing jars, or did you buy a crock?


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## BXMurphy (Feb 6, 2022)

SmokinEdge said:


> Apologize to Steve not trying to hijack, but
> 
> BXMurphy
> , homemade kraut is another level if you’ve never had. Just make sure you let the salt set a bit in the cabbage and when you jar it, stomp it in to get the air out and extract the juice from the cabbage. Fermentation is natural and the process takes care of its self. You doing jars, or did you buy a crock?



SmokinEdge, I'm hoping to stay relevant, too.

I have a Jillmo kit coming. It looks like jar covers with airlocks. I also have glass weights on the way.

Mrs. Murphy loved the corned beef I made from info found here. She wants pastrami, rye bread, and sauerkraut. I've done lots of sourdough but a rye is another level that I may never master. The sauerkraut shouldn't be too hard but heard it's so much better when homemade.

I'm looking around the web but prefer staying here because of the experienced posters. I trust this site.

I think the jars will do just fine because it's just the two of us and refrigerator space will become a problem with big batches from a crock.

I've done vinegar-brined pickles and absolutely love them! I'm dying to try naturally fermented pickles. I'm hoping that if naturally fermented cabbage is another level, the cucumbers will be likewise.

Have you fermented cukes?

Murph


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## Steve H (Feb 6, 2022)

BXMurphy said:


> Steve, timely post as I'm going to start my first sauerkraut with is naturally fermented. I found this post looking for a good pickling spice mix because I'll do pickles if the kraut works.
> 
> What's in your mix?
> 
> ...



It was just your standard jarred spice blend from the store.


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