Guest guest Posted March 31, 2011 Report Share Posted March 31, 2011 Likely the PH wasn't high enough. By the time they go into the fridge, they should be on the sour side. Sometimes a ferment doesn't go in the right direction, and the wrong bacteria grow. You want the acid-producing ones. Adding lots of salt will ensure this, but " enough " salt is sometimes just plain too salty. Which is why I tend to use a splash of vinegar. Also red pepper and some other spices will " push " it correctly. In cabbage/broccoli ferments, the nitrates in the cabbage help. Or tannic acid (from grape leaves or oak leaves, for instance). Cukes though aren't naturally acidic, and maybe not high in nitrates either, so giving them some " help " in the form of vinegar or cabbage juice or whatever can help. Also, it's good to boil the water. Well water is full of misc. bacteria, and tap water might be also. And I avoid whey. Whey seems to do the " mushy vegetable " thing for some of us. Probably some of the commercial starters work great, but I haven't tried them (or needed them). On Thu, Mar 31, 2011 at 12:25 PM, greatyoga <greatyoga@...> wrote: > I made some pickles around early November. I had them out for a couple of > weeks and then put them in the fridge. I just looked at them and the top > esd very moldy. The pickles were mushy also. I did 's thing of > salting the cukes and then adding salt water. I was wondering why they > became so moldy. Was it because I did not put enough salt in the water? > > Thanks > GB > > > > - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 31, 2011 Report Share Posted March 31, 2011 Hi , I think you meant " the pH wasn't *low* enough. " On Thu, Mar 31, 2011 at 2:52 PM, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 31, 2011 Report Share Posted March 31, 2011 Um yeah. That! On Thu, Mar 31, 2011 at 2:01 PM, Harkness <davidharkness@...>wrote: > Hi , > > I think you meant " the pH wasn't *low* enough. " > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 1, 2011 Report Share Posted April 1, 2011 Thanks , I did use dill weed and seed and garlic. I'll add vinegar next time although I do think it was acidic when I put it in the fridge but probably not enough. Thanks GB --- In nutrition , Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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