# Dill pickles are too soft,,,why?



## bnew17 (Jun 30, 2011)

Me and the wife have been putting up some pickles and i noticed that some of the pickles are soft. We put up our first 4 quarts the other day. knowing we would be eating some immediately i didnt process but 3 in the water bath,,, i then put the jar we were planning on eating in the fridge. Well i let it sit for a few days and then we opened it up and they were as crunch as can be. We ate up the jar in no time. Well about a week later we opened up the other jars that we had put in the water bath and they were extremely soft, great flavor but unappetizing with the texture. This is what ihave been doing,,, maybe some more experienced canners can chime in if im doing something wrong.

We use Mrs Wages dill pickle mix, well water, table salt, and a brine for the pickles to sit in over night the day before we p ack them. It consists of table salt, and water. After doing some research i saw where some people advised on using "distilled water" instead of regular tap  water,,,and to use "kosher" salt instead of table salt? Im also re-using lids that i used last year. If that makes a difference.

Thanks


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## diggingdogfarm (Jun 30, 2011)

It could be several things.

I would definitely use non-iodized  pickling salt instead of table salt.

Follow the directions exactly and make sure your measurements are accurate.

Don't over process.

Cut off the tip of the blossom end of the cucumber (1/16 to 1/8 of an inch), there's an enzyme there that can soften your pickles.

~Dig


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## bill in mn (Jul 1, 2011)

[h1]*   *[/h1]
*Heres a recipie we have used with great  *

*  *

*  results . A couple of things might be making your pickles soft .To long of a hot bath or your water.We have well water here and it's the best and for some reason it's the best for making pickles.We have tried to put up picks at other places and "soft " pickles. Ours just snap. another reason might be old cukes, get fresh as you can. Some folks put a dash of a spice called Alm in each jar something like 1/8 tsp. Another trick old timers use is a grape leaf in each jar. And when you say reusing lids do you mean rings? you should only use new lids and follow the directions of heating them in boiling water first to soften them.you will here them "click" when the form a seal.I would say the biggest thing for great pickles is your water that's used .Good luck Bill  *
[h1] [/h1][h1]*Maggie’s POLISH DILLS - *[/h1]
*4 QT WATER*

*1 QT WHITE VINIGAR*

*1 CUP CANNING SALT*

*½ CUP SUGAR*

*GARLIC CLOVES*

*ONION SLICES TOP & BOTTOM*

*DILL TOP & BOTTOM*

*BRING TO BOIL POUR OVER TOP*

*HOT BATH UNTIL YELLOWISH (5 Min)*

*Season for two weeks *


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## africanmeat (Jul 1, 2011)

It is a good A to Z for pickles

  

  

i fund it informative


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## bnew17 (Jul 1, 2011)

Thanks for the information everyone. Bill i am reusing the rings and lids. However i am not boiling or heating up the lids beforehand like you mentioned. Should i do that? Im processing my quarts for 10 min and pints for a little over 7. I hear them "ping" every so often so i know they are sealing. Putting a grape leaf into the jar is interesting. I will try it. I have a vineyard of muscadines in my backyard ...i will try their leaves.

Do you heat up the lids , put them on the jars and let them they sit and seal on their own,,,or do you heat up the lids , apply to jars, and then water bath?


Bill in MN said:


> [h1]*   *[/h1]
> *Heres a recipie we have used with great  *
> 
> *  *
> ...


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## bill in mn (Jul 1, 2011)

The lids are heated to soften the seal and sterilize. Then the hot bath helps seal everything I think. This pickle recipe  we entered in Minnesota's state fair didn't win but got a showing in the display case.


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## solaryellow (Jul 1, 2011)

I have had great luck with fermenting sour dill pickles and having them stay crunchy. It is a very different technique than what most use but the results, in my opinion, are incredible. Here is a link to the recipe and instructions I use in case you are interested.

http://wildfermentation.com/resources.php?page=pickles


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## alelover (Jul 5, 2011)

I like that recipe SY. The cukes never get heated just like a Claussen. My wife's family makes pickled corn basically the same way. Without all the spices. I bet there is a empty crock in Lenoir somewhere.


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## solaryellow (Jul 5, 2011)

alelover said:


> I like that recipe SY. The cukes never get heated just like a Claussen. My wife's family makes pickled corn basically the same way. Without all the spices. I bet there is a empty crock in Lenoir somewhere.




I fermented jalapeno slices pretty much the same way last year and months later they were still crunchy and tasted fresh. I used the same ratio of salt and water but added a few cloves of garlic as well. It took about a month for the garlic to get into the jalapenos but well worth it.


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## squirrel (Jul 20, 2011)

A product called Pickle Crisp works really well. That's what is in those fancy shmancy Claussen (sp?) pickles. It is nothing more than calcium chloride. I get it at Wally World. The one I use is made by Ball. Good stuff.


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## oldschoolbbq (Jul 20, 2011)

And,there you go


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## venture (Aug 10, 2011)

To add to the confusion, Harold McGee states:

The use of unrefined sea salt improves the crispness thanks to its calcium and magnesium impurities,which help cross-link and reinforce cell-wall pectins.  Especially crisp cucumber and watermelon-rind pickles are made by adding alum (aluminum hydroxide), whose aluminum ions cross-link cell-wall pectins, or by presoaking the raw materials in a solution of "pickling lime" or calcium hydroxide whose calcium ions do the same. (Lime is strongly alkaline and its excess must be washed from the ingredients before pickling to avoid neutralizing the pickles' acidity.)

Good luck and good smoking.


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## gator (Oct 1, 2011)

I have been told and had good crunch by placing a grape leaf if the bottom of each jar.


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## dougmays (Nov 24, 2011)

doesn't aluminum contribute to Alzheimer's?


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## cgaengineer (Dec 27, 2011)

Add a 1/4 tsp of calcium chloride to each pint of solution, you may want to cut back on the salt a tad since calcium has a salty flavor.


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## chefrc (Mar 1, 2012)

You need Tannin (Keeps the pickles super crisp) Now the easiest form of Tannin (without buying it) is Grape leaves. When I can pickles I go down to my Aunts and she has a Grape Harvard and gives me all the leaves I want. Usually the grapes are almost done anyway by canning season around here. Add a leave to each jar in the bottom before the pickles are in. Can as per your directions and you'll get the most Crisp pickles in the world. I'm here if you need me Chefrc


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## sprky (Mar 2, 2012)

I just saw this, and I realize it's an old post that was dug up. But for future reference my Mom soaks her pickles over night in pickling lime ice water. she has never had a soft pickle that I am aware of.


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## cgaengineer (Sep 16, 2013)

Calcium chloride is the key to crisp pickles.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Tab 2


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## killngrill (Sep 18, 2013)

Been doin pickles for many years and mine will stay crisp for a year or more . The key is to trim off the blossom end of the pickle as it contains enzymes that contribute to softness and I also put in a grape leave or two to each jar . Do NOT reuse the lids from the old jars , spring for new lids .Good Luck


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