Mushie pickles

Poohtoo8 · June 18, 2018

Help!

I love making pickles and my garden has provided me with an abundance of cucumbers. However, it seems I cannot make a crisp pickle to save my life. I’ve bought the little jar of granules that says if you use it, you’ll get crisp pickles. Not mine! I’d appreciate any and all suggestions and recipes for crisp dill pickles and bread and butter pickles.

Thanks.

clkeiper · June 18, 2018

Are you cutting off the blossom end and discarding it? there is an enzyme in the blossom end that doesn't allow the pickles to crisp up.

greenthumbomaha · June 18, 2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by clkeiper

Are you cutting off the blossom end and discarding it? there is an enzyme in the blossom end that doesn't allow the pickles to crisp up.

That is a good tip that I was not aware of.

Thinking aloud, do you chill and wrap the cucumbers as soon as they are picked? I have noticed that fresh picked cucumbers soften in the fridge without the wax coating of supermarket cukes.

- Lisa

PhilaGardener · June 18, 2018

You want to pickle them ASAP after picking - don't store in the refrigerator beforehand.

Did you plant a variety recommended for pickling?

Some folks say to include grape leaves in their lacto-fermented pickles to provide some tannic acid that helps keep them crisp. I don't know if that works with a regular vinegar pickling recipe - anyone tried that?

clkeiper · June 18, 2018

my neighbors come get grape leaves yearly for their pickles, so it must.

DocBrock · June 18, 2018

I put a few grape leaves and cut off the blossom end in my lacto-fermented dill pickles and I've yet to have a mushy one. They're always the crispiest pickles I've ever eaten. When I'm ready to make a batch, I'm bad and head to Lowe's and snag a few leaves off of the potted grape plants they sell in the garden center. You only need 1 or 2 leaves for a half gallon batch.

zipcode · June 19, 2018

Sour cherry leaves are also very good at keeping the pickles crisp. As for the blossom end, I don't think it's a strict requirement, might depend on the variety. We never did it or anyone I know. Mine are not the crispest, but my aunt has them hard as a rock and never does either.

Make sure the temperature at fermenting is not too warm, and keep any yeasts etc out (no air), and they should be at least fairly crisp.

pmcgrady · June 19, 2018

My mom always used a pinch of alum in each jar of pickles, she said to keep them crunchie.

Poohtoo8 · June 26, 2018

No I don’t but I certainly can do that if it will help.

Poohtoo8 · June 26, 2018

Do you use a crock?

Poohtoo8 · June 26, 2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by DocBrock

I put a few grape leaves and cut off the blossom end in my lacto-fermented dill pickles and I've yet to have a mushy one. They're always the crispiest pickles I've ever eaten. When I'm ready to make a batch, I'm bad and head to Lowe's and snag a few leaves off of the potted grape plants they sell in the garden center. You only need 1 or 2 leaves for a half gallon batch.

Do you use a crock? Also thanks for the tip on the garden center because I have no access to grape leaves......

Poohtoo8 · June 26, 2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by pmcgrady

My mom always used a pinch of alum in each jar of pickles, she said to keep them crunchie.

I use alum, still mushie! I think I’m using old cucumbers and not right out of the garden.

Poohtoo8 · June 26, 2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhilaGardener

You want to pickle them ASAP after picking - don't store in the refrigerator beforehand.

Did you plant a variety recommended for pickling?

Some folks say to include grape leaves in their lacto-fermented pickles to provide some tannic acid that helps keep them crisp. I don't know if that works with a regular vinegar pickling recipe - anyone tried that?

Honestly I did not check to see if they were pickling cucumbers or not. This year I just planted “Straight Eights”, not sure if they’re good for pickles or not.

Poohtoo8 · June 26, 2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by DocBrock

I put a few grape leaves and cut off the blossom end in my lacto-fermented dill pickles and I've yet to have a mushy one. They're always the crispiest pickles I've ever eaten. When I'm ready to make a batch, I'm bad and head to Lowe's and snag a few leaves off of the potted grape plants they sell in the garden center. You only need 1 or 2 leaves for a half gallon batch.

What are lacto-fermented pickles?

ginger2778 · June 26, 2018

Mine come off the vine, washed right away, then dried and immediately wrapped in plastic wrap, then right into the fridge. Then I make refrigerator dill pickles, they are so crisp and yummy. They keep for about 3 months. They don't stay around that long, lol.
I use this one, but with Apple cider vinegar.
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/23...-dill-pickles/

June 18, 2018	#1
Poohtoo8 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Independence, KY Posts: 48	Mushy pickles Help! I love making pickles and my garden has provided me with an abundance of cucumbers. However, it seems I cannot make a crisp pickle to save my life. I’ve bought the little jar of granules that says if you use it, you’ll get crisp pickles. Not mine! I’d appreciate any and all suggestions and recipes for crisp dill pickles and bread and butter pickles. Thanks. Last edited by Poohtoo8; June 18, 2018 at 05:25 PM.

June 18, 2018	#2
clkeiper Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ohio Posts: 4,350	Are you cutting off the blossom end and discarding it? there is an enzyme in the blossom end that doesn't allow the pickles to crisp up. __________________ carolyn k

June 18, 2018	#5
clkeiper Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ohio Posts: 4,350	my neighbors come get grape leaves yearly for their pickles, so it must. __________________ carolyn k

June 18, 2018	#4
PhilaGardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Near Philadelphia, PA Posts: 1,940	You want to pickle them ASAP after picking - don't store in the refrigerator beforehand. Did you plant a variety recommended for pickling? Some folks say to include grape leaves in their lacto-fermented pickles to provide some tannic acid that helps keep them crisp. I don't know if that works with a regular vinegar pickling recipe - anyone tried that?

June 18, 2018	#6
DocBrock Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Southwest Florida Posts: 111	I put a few grape leaves and cut off the blossom end in my lacto-fermented dill pickles and I've yet to have a mushy one. They're always the crispiest pickles I've ever eaten. When I'm ready to make a batch, I'm bad and head to Lowe's and snag a few leaves off of the potted grape plants they sell in the garden center. You only need 1 or 2 leaves for a half gallon batch.

June 19, 2018	#7
zipcode Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Romania/Germany , z 4-6 Posts: 1,582	Sour cherry leaves are also very good at keeping the pickles crisp. As for the blossom end, I don't think it's a strict requirement, might depend on the variety. We never did it or anyone I know. Mine are not the crispest, but my aunt has them hard as a rock and never does either. Make sure the temperature at fermenting is not too warm, and keep any yeasts etc out (no air), and they should be at least fairly crisp.

June 19, 2018	#8
pmcgrady Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 1,836	My mom always used a pinch of alum in each jar of pickles, she said to keep them crunchie.

June 26, 2018	#9
Poohtoo8 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Independence, KY Posts: 48	No I don’t but I certainly can do that if it will help.

June 26, 2018	#15
ginger2778 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10 Posts: 9,283	Mine come off the vine, washed right away, then dried and immediately wrapped in plastic wrap, then right into the fridge. Then I make refrigerator dill pickles, they are so crisp and yummy. They keep for about 3 months. They don't stay around that long, lol. I use this one, but with Apple cider vinegar. https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/23...-dill-pickles/