RFCJ RECIPE ARCHIVE
Posted by : Blanche Nonken Pickles, New or Salt - pareve
lazarus@hills.net (lazarus) wrote: > Can anyone tell me the recipe for new or salt pickles > like the ones you get at better jewish delies? I got this recipe off the rec.food.preserving newsgroup. I tried it, and I found it rather strongly vinegary, but after putting the pickles in the brine and storing them in the fridge, a day or so before I wanted to use them I'd take that quart jar, dump the vinegar/brine, add fresh water, then put them back in the fridge for around 24 hours. They're as close as I can get without going barrel fishing. Quite good, and incredibly crunchy. I don't know how Clausen does it exactly but I use a recipe that gets close. If I did it all in the refigerator I might get even closer. This recipe is a slight adaptation of one called "Little Cucumber Crock Pickles" form "Putting Food By" 1 gal 5% white vinegar (I prefer white to cider) 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup picking spice 1/2 cup mustard seed 1 cup pickling salt (no additives) Any herbs you may wish--dill, whatever--I use none. Clean and sterilize a 5 gal crock and add the above. Place in a dark area where the temp will not fluctuate much around 40-50 F--I have a basement area under the stairs I use. As the cucumbers reach 3"-4", pick, wash, rub off the blossom end, and place them in the brine. Keep them submurged with a plate and the whole thing covered with a clean cloth. As you add new cucumbers, push them under the old ones. In about a week add 1/4 cup of salt, sprinkled on the plate--so it disipates slowly. Continue adding small cucumbers until more cannot be added and be completely submerged. Then in a month, they can be put into jars with the brine and place in the refigerator--then in another week, let the feast begin. I don't can them but you could. I just keep them in the fridge in quart jars--almost like Clausens. I suspect if you had enough cucumbers to add all at once and put them in the fridge after 2-3 weeks, you would be getting close to Clasuens. If you like a little heat to your pickles, you can add a few fresh hot peppers to the brine. Sometimes I do a 50% cucumber and 50% jalpeno mix. I have also added cayennes, serennos, garlic cloves, and/or string beans. Regards, Lowell Anderson
