Transcript Master Food Preserver Training

Homemade Pickles
& Relishes
July 20, 2009
Resources for Today
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Homemade Pickles &
Relishes (B2267)
How Do I…..Pickle
(NCHFP)
2 Types of Pickles
Fermented or crock
pickles
 Fresh pack or quick
process pickles
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Both types are preserved
by acid
Cucumber Pickles
 Choose fresh, firm
 Pickling cukes vs.
cucumbers
slicing/burpless cukes
 Use store-bought cukes with
caution
Cucumber Pickles
 Smaller
cukes can be pickled
whole
 Larger cukes – slices, spears,
relishes
 Cut off blossom end
 Sort and wash before using
Other Ingredients
 Softened
water
 Vinegar (5% acetic acid)white or apple cider
 Canning & pickling salt
 Sugar and sugar-substitutes
Spices, grape leaves,
firming agents
 Add
flavor with spices!
 Grape leaves- no longer
recommended
 Lime and alum are not
recommended
Tips for High Quality Quick
Process Pickles
 For
firmer pickles, soak cukes in ice
water AND remove 1/16th inch from
blossom end
 Choose hot pack recipes for a
quicker process
 Allow 3-5 weeks for flavor to
develop
Fermented Pickles
 Good
bacteria produce a
tangy flavor
 The amount of salt is key
 Keep cucumbers beneath
brine surface during
fermentation
 Ferment between 68°-74°F
Fermented Pickles
Containers:
 Crock or stone jar with glazed interior
 Heavy food grade plastic buckets
 Stainless steel or glass
(No copper, brass,
or iron)
Fermented Pickles
When fermentation is complete
(4-8 weeks)
• Heat process for storage up
to 1 year
OR
• Store in fridge up to 2 weeks
Genuine Sauerkraut
 Ferment
in a cool location68°to74°F
 Remove scum daily
 Refresh brine as often as
necessary
 Use fresh brine for canning
Refrigerator/Freezer
Recipes
When it’s hot outside, store freshpack pickles in the refrigerator 24 weeks w/out heat processing.
Choose freezer pickles for a cool,
tasty treat up to 6 months.
Low Temperature
Pasteurization
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Fill jars with room temperature pickles.
Pour over 165°F to 180°F liquid.
Process at 180°F
for 30 min.
(*Be sure to use
a thermometer.)
Vegetable Pickles
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Asparagus ….. to Zucchini!
Beans
Beets
Brussels Sprouts
Cauliflower
Green tomatoes
Other favorites?
Fruit Pickles
Select firm, fresh fruit: whole
peaches, pears, crabapples,
watermelon rinds
 Simmer whole fruit in a spicy,
sweet-sour syrup.
 Pack and process.
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Relish Recipes
To make relishes, mixtures of
vegetables and/or fruits are:
 Chopped
 Seasoned
 Simmered in a sugar and
vinegar solution
 Then packed and processed
Common Questions
Omitting salt
 Using artificial sweeteners
 Using cornstarch
 Signs of spoilage
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Common Questions
Blue garlic or pink cauliflower
 Using ‘burpless’ cucumbers
 Aluminum pans for preparing
brine
 Shriveled pickles
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How Long Does It Keep?
Homemade pickles and relishes:
1year under proper storage
conditions
Questions?