Guest guest Posted March 3, 2004 Report Share Posted March 3, 2004 Pickle people, answer Me these questions 3... 1- My first batch of pickles, from the basic recipe in the book (including whey) after 4 days in a cool room (low-mid 60s), basically taste like nothing, a bare hint of salt from the brine. Should I panic? Is it ok to open and close the jar to continue pickling, or is it ruined. How long (ball-park) to get reasonably sour pickles? 2- Why do most common pickling recipes call for an open container weighted down, if (going with the recipe in the book) a closed container can be used, and seems so much easier? Are there any aerobic/anerobic factors, other advantages that warrant the open- container method? Otherwise, isn't it a pain dealing with the mold from air exposure? 3- Can I put the jar in oven with pilot light for slight warmth to kick-start the process? Or on a low-heat mat (for plant seedlings) in a cool basement? I don't want to overheat, but want tangy pickles reasonably ASAP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 3, 2004 Report Share Posted March 3, 2004 >2- Why do most common pickling recipes call for an open container >weighted down, if (going with the recipe in the book) a closed >container can be used, and seems so much easier? Are there any >aerobic/anerobic factors, other advantages that warrant the open- >container method? Otherwise, isn't it a pain dealing with the mold >from air exposure? It might be because they typically made them in BIG crocks or barrels. Mason jars are a relatively recent invention. If you just harvested your cukes, and you had a few bushels of them to " put up " for the winter, your best bet would be to dump them in a big ceramic crock or wooden barrel, neither of which generally came with a lid. Korean kimchi pots have a lid, but it doesn't fit tight ... getting a sealed lid is really difficult without rubber or plastic (relatively recent innovations). Also, if you DO have a good seal, some recipes release gasses which can cause jars to explode. But the mold issue really isn't dependent on having a seal or not. It is a matter of how acidic and salty the brine is, and how many sugars are in it, and if there are natural anti-mold ingredients in the vegies (napa seems to have those). Having the pickles UNDER the brine is important though. When I made them, the container wasn't well sealed and there were grape leaves outside the brine, and I got little fly maggots living in there (eeeeeewwwww!). You can get mold on top of the brine though, even when no pickles are sticking up. It's a matter of the chemical composition of the brine. Also you can get yeast growing on top. From the sounds of the old recipes, they just scraped any junk off the top as they went. >3- Can I put the jar in oven with pilot light for slight warmth to >kick-start the process? Or on a low-heat mat (for plant seedlings) in >a cool basement? I don't want to overheat, but want tangy pickles >reasonably ASAP. You might add some vinegar. Most classic pickle recipes call for a few Tablespoons of vinegar (presumably raw vinegar, but any vineger might help). Pickles do take longer, but if the room is too warm they get mushy (mine sure did!). Adding grape leaves is supposed to help with the mushy bit. -- Heidi Jean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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