# Counter top Pickles



## dirtsailor2003 (Aug 3, 2014)

So I've been doing some research on pickling, fermenting and other forms of making pickles goodies. I've read a bunch on "counter top" pickles. Jetman here has always done countertop pickles. This is the first year we've ever had cucumbers survive. For us though I don't expect that mega bunker crop and needed a way to do this so I can add cuc's as they get big enough. So I'm going for it. 

This is the basic recipe from Jetman.

1 gallon vinegar 5% acidity
1 gallon water
1 cup pickling/canning salt

Spices per taste. 

I used mustard seed, black pepper corns cardamom. Fresh dill a bunch if garlic cloves and 6 Thai chiles. 













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I made a half batch of brine. If I need more I'll make more. I weighted everything down with a bag of additional brine.


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## dirtsailor2003 (Aug 3, 2014)

I cut the blossom end off per Jetman advice.


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## WaterinHoleBrew (Aug 3, 2014)

Awesome Case..... Another thing to add to the endless list of things to try.... :biggrin:


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## dirtsailor2003 (Aug 3, 2014)

WaterinHoleBrew said:


> Awesome Case..... Another thing to add to the endless list of things to try.... :biggrin:



Got my fingers crossed that it turns out great! About the only way I can think of to do them here with a limited crop!


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## WaterinHoleBrew (Aug 3, 2014)

dirtsailor2003 said:


> WaterinHoleBrew said:
> 
> 
> > Awesome Case..... Another thing to add to the endless list of things to try.... :biggrin:
> ...



Yeah, sounds like a great way to give them pickles a shot.... I'll be watchin to see how they turn out.... I love pickles !  I'am betting these will turn out great !


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## dirtsailor2003 (Aug 4, 2014)

Okay news flash, this just in we now have a total of 5, yeah that's right 5 cuc's pickling!!!! 

Wonder if yellow crook neck squash would be good pickled... Have a whole counter full of those guys!!!


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## whistech (Aug 5, 2014)

Yes, yellow squash is very tasty pickled.    I would use the smaller squash and give it a try.   I think you will like them.


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## dirtsailor2003 (Aug 5, 2014)

whistech said:


> Yes, yellow squash is very tasty pickled.    I would use the smaller squash and give it a try.   I think you will like them.



Great I will give it a try!


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## dirtsailor2003 (Aug 27, 2014)

Just a bump. Still adding a few pickles a couple times a week. Sampling pickles here and there. All seems to be going good. No slime or scum and haven't died yet. They are tasty but I think I need to work on the flavor a bit.


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## chef willie (Aug 27, 2014)

Love pickling and the techniques involved. No garden here this year due to the move but might break down and catch some cukes at the farmers market and do a batch. I find the vinegar really knocks down the heat of the peppers so I always use an absurd amount......let us know how the squash works, I usually grow some just for the chickens....Willie


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## dirtsailor2003 (Aug 27, 2014)

Chef Willie said:


> Love pickling and the techniques involved. No garden here this year due to the move but might break down and catch some cukes at the farmers market and do a batch. I find the vinegar really knocks down the heat of the peppers so I always use an absurd amount......let us know how the squash works, I usually grow some just for the chickens....Willie


Willie, so far the squash pickles that I have sampled from the partial jar I put in the fridge have been great. We'll tap into the canned stuff in about 4 weeks.  I like pickling, its fun. I just saw video and now can't find it now on a recipe for making kimchi pickles out of small whole pickling cukes! Need to find that again!


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## dirtsailor2003 (Aug 27, 2014)

Here it is:


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## chef willie (Aug 27, 2014)

Oh hell yeah......I could make a meal outta those & I love her website.....LOVE Kimchi and need to do a batch for Fall readiness.......Willie


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## driedstick (Aug 27, 2014)

DS I did just check and those companys I mentioned earlier in my post will deliver from your area to mine, just not from mine to yours LOL 

I want to see some pics man!!

Sounds good. 

DS


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## dirtsailor2003 (Aug 27, 2014)

driedstick said:


> DS I did just check and those companys I mentioned earlier in my post will deliver from your area to mine, just not from mine to yours LOL
> 
> I want to see some pics man!!
> 
> ...



Sorry man just saw on the news that Idaho has closed the border to all cucumber and pickle imports! Something about pickled potato contamination issues!


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## dirtsailor2003 (Aug 27, 2014)

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## driedstick (Aug 27, 2014)

This baby is pinged out!!! Nice lookin pickles there. 

DS


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## dirtsailor2003 (Aug 27, 2014)

Chef Willie said:


> Oh hell yeah......I could make a meal outta those & I love her website.....LOVE Kimchi and need to do a batch for Fall readiness.......Willie



I thought you'd like that. I'm gonna give it a try!


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## pc farmer (Aug 27, 2014)

SO you just keep adding cukes to the brine?

You do you know when they are done?


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## dirtsailor2003 (Aug 27, 2014)

c farmer said:


> SO you just keep adding cukes to the brine?
> 
> 
> You do you know when they are done?



Yep. I guess this is the way they used to do it back in the old days. 

Guess they're done when they taste good!!! From the first batch I threw in I tried one at day 3. It was pretty pickled.


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## kc5tpy (Aug 27, 2014)

Hello Case.  I am with Adam here.  Can you please provide a little more on the the process?  Do you just add as you go?  Was the brine heated?  How to know when ready?  How long will they keep?  Can you do the same with sliced cucs?  Will they remain crisp?  Is this an experiment and I am jumping the gun and asking questions you aren't yet sure about?  I can only get sweet pickles here.  I can buy Heinz Baby Dills from an internet site and pay twice the price.  As with sausage I would like to make my own.  Pickles are not big over here so finding pickling cucs isn't gonna happen.  Have to use English eating cucs and slice them.  Smaller seeds, less flavour.  I didn't want to have to buy all the equipment go through the whole canning process.  
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






   I'm in!

Danny


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## dirtsailor2003 (Sep 5, 2014)

Well I can't really say. I do know that if you leave them out more than 3 days they start to ferment. Which if you're into the fermenting thing isn't bad. Mine are still on the counter. I haven't added anymore for about a week as my production has slowed up in the garden. I am planning on pulling them out of the brine, putting them in a jar with anew batch of brine and into the fridge, where they should last several months or so I am told. I have been eating a few a week and haven't noticed anything off about them. There hasn't been any sludge, film or mold forming on the surface. It is my understanding that this is how pickles used to be done in the barrels at the stores.


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## dirtsailor2003 (Oct 22, 2014)

Okay thought I'd bump this up again. Pickles, still on the counter. Just ate one yesterday still alive. I've had no signs of mold or other yucky stuff. I need my counter back, so I'm making a fresh batch of juice and throwing these into jars and into the fridge.


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## pc farmer (Oct 22, 2014)

Wow.   That has been over a month.


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## jeepdiver (Oct 22, 2014)

With the vinegar and salt there is very little chance of anything too nasty growing in them, so they should stay safe


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## dirtsailor2003 (Oct 22, 2014)

c farmer said:


> Wow.   That has been over a month.



3, going on 4!! 

Some of the pickles aren't super crisp anymore, but the larger ones are. 

I need to work on the flavor a bit. Not happy with the spices. Still tasty, just not the best. We'll see how the taste after they have been in the fridge. Just added the new brine and more fresh dill.


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