Pickle It!

©2013 M.M. Roy

Table of Contents

Hot Water Bath

Some Tips For Pickling

Pickled Beets

Dilled Green Beans

Okra Pickles

Carrot Pickles

Pickled Eggplant

Onion Pickles

Bread & Butter Pickles

Pickled Garlic

Green Tomato Pickles

Pickled Sweet Peppers

Pear Pickles

Watermelon Pickles

Pickled Peaches

Hot Water Bath

A hot water bath is used in canning pickles to prevent mold. Use a deep pot with a rack on the bottom. Lower the sealed jars into boiling water. The water should cover the jars by a couple of inches. Wait until the water starts boiling again to begin timing. Cool the jars on a rack.

Some Tips For Pickling

When pickling use the freshest fruits and vegetables available.

When picking vegetables for canning, do not pick after a heavy rain.

When pickling, peppers and cucumbers should be under ripe. No red on the peppers or yellow on the cucumbers.

Seedless cucumbers will stay crunchier.

Grape leaves can be used to give pickles more crunch. Add 1 or 2 grape leaves per quart of pickles.

Be careful not to over process your pickles. Begin counting time as soon as the water starts to boil.

Vinegar should be 4% to 6% acetic acid. Too strong a vinegar could cause the pickles to shrivel.

Too little salt, acid or poor sealing will make soft pickles. Over cooking or over processing can also cause your pickles to be soft.

Pickled Beets

(This recipe won a blue ribbon at the fair)

12 med. Beets

1 c. sugar

¾ tsp. salt

6 whole cloves

6 whole allspice

1 - 2 ½ inch cinnamon stick

1 ¾ C. white vinegar

¾ c. water

1 onion, sliced

Cook beets until tender. Cool under running water. Peel and slice. There should be about 6 cups. Set aside. Combine vinegar, water, sugar, salt and spices in an enamel or stainless steel pan. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add beets and onion. Simmer 5 minutes. Pack into sterilized pint jars. Seal and process for 30 minutes in a hot water bath. Makes 3 pints.

*Also good using whole baby beets

Dilled Green Beans

4 lbs. green beans

8 dried 2 inch chili peppers

4 tsp. mustard seeds

4 tsp. dill seeds

8 cloves garlic

5 c. vinegar

5 c. water

Cut beans into lengths that will fit into pint size jars. Pack into hot, scalded jars. Add 1 chili pepper, ½ tsp. mustard seeds, ½ tsp. dill seeds and 1 clove of garlic to each jar. Combine vinegar & water in an enamel or stainless steel pan and heat to boiling.. Pour boiling liquid over beans leaving ¼ inch headspace. Seal and process in a hot water bath for 5 minutes. Makes 8 pints.

Okra Pickles

3 c. white vinegar

5 c. water

3 tsp. celery seeds

3 lbs. small okra pods

24 baby onions, peeled

6 cloves garlic

1 green bell peppers

6 sm. chili peppers, optional

Wash okra pods and remove stems. Cut green pepper into 1 inch squares. Combine vinegar, water and celery seeds in an enamel or stainless steel pan. Bring to a boil. Firmly pack okra in hot, scalded pint jars. In each jar put 1 clove garlic, 4 onions, 1 square of green pepper and 1 chili pepper. Pour liquid into jars leaving ¼ inch headspace. Seal and process for 15 minutes in a hot water bath. Let stand for several weeks before using. Makes 6 pints.

Carrot Pickles

(red ribbon)

16 oz. bag baby carrots

¾ c. sugar

¾ c. cider vinegar

1 tsp. celery seed

2 tsp. mustard seed

2 - ¾ inch cinnamon sticks

3 whole cloves

1 bay leaf

Cook carrots in salted water for 5-7 minutes until tender but crisp. Drain and reserve ¼ cup of the cooking water. Combine the reserved water with sugar, vinegar, celery seed, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaf in an enamel or stainless steel pan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Add carrots and bring back to boiling. Pack into hot, sterilized jars, leaving headspace. Seal and process for 20 minutes in a hot water bath. Makes 2 pints.

*instead of baby carrots you may use peeled carrots cut into1 inch pieces.

Pickled Eggplant

6 eggplants

2 med. onions

½ tsp. whole allspice

½ tsp. white peppercorns

1 - inch long cinnamon stick

3 ½ c. red wine vinegar

½ c. honey

1 c. water

Peel and cut eggplants into 2 inch long sticks. Chop onions.. Boil eggplant and onions in water for 5 minutes. Drain, cover with cold water and drain again. Place allspice, peppercorns and cinnamon in a cheesecloth bag. In an enamel or stainless steel pan mix vinegar, honey, water and bag of spices. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer  until it becomes a thick syrup. Add eggplants and onions and heat through. Remove the spice bag. Pour into hot, scalded pint jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Seal and process for 15 minutes in a hot water bath. Makes 4-5 pints.

Onion Pickles

(white ribbon)

2 lbs. small white onions

2 tbsp. mustard seeds

2 tbsp. celery seeds

4 - 3x1 ½ inch pieces horseradish root

6 c. white vinegar

6 tsp. honey

4 sm. chili peppers, fresh or dried

Peel onions. In an enamel or stainless steel pan combine mustard seeds, celery seeds, horseradish and vinegar.. Pack onions into hot, scalded pint jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Add 1 chili pepper and one piece of the horseradish to each jar. Seal and process for 10 minutes in a hot water bath. Makes 4 pints.

Bread & Butter Pickles

(Another blue ribbon!)

10 pickling cucumbers

10 sm. Onions

2/3 c. salt

3 c. white vinegar

1 ½ c. water

2 ¾ c. sugar

1 tbsp. mustard seed

1 tsp. celery seed

1 tsp. turmeric

Wash and dry cucumbers. Cut into thin slices. Peel onions and cut into thin slices. Mix cucumbers, onions and salt together and let stand for 4 hours.. Rinse under cold water and drain. In a large enamel or stainless steel pan combine vinegar, water, sugar, mustard seed, celery seed and turmeric. Heat to boiling. Add cucumbers and onions. Bring back to boiling then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Pack into sterilized pint jars. Seal and process for 15 minutes in a hot water bath. Be careful not to over process. Remove immediately and cool on a rack. Makes 8 pints.

Pickled Garlic

(red ribbon)

8 oz. fresh cloves garlic, (about 2 cup)

3 c. rice vinegar

4 tbsp. pickling spice (below)

Pickling Spice:

2 tbsp. bay leaves

1 tbsp. cardamom seeds

1 tbsp. ground ginger

1 stick cinnamon

1 ½  dried chili peppers

2 tbsp. mustard seeds

1 tbsp. whole allspice

1 tbsp. coriander

1 tbsp. mixed peppercorns

Crush bay leaves. Break cinnamon stick and chili peppers into small pieces. Combine all ingredients well. Store in an airtight container and use as directed in recipes.

Peel garlic and blanch for 30 seconds. Drain. In an enamel or stainless steel pan combine vinegar and pickling spice and bring to a boil. Pack garlic into 4 hot, scalded half-pint jars. Pour the hot liquid over the garlic, leaving ½ inch headspace. Seal and process for 5 minutes in a hot water bath. Makes 4 half pints.

*Pickled garlic may be used in recipes as you would plain garlic.

Green Tomato Pickles

9 c. white vinegar

1 ¼ c. honey

5 lbs. green tomatoes

10 med. onions

10 tsp. celery seeds

5 tsp. mustard seeds

5 tsp. dill seeds

15 peppercorns

5 cloves garlic

Cut tomatoes and onions into ½ inch slices. Layer into 5 hot, scalded quart jars. Bring vinegar and honey to a boil in an enamel or stainless steel pan. Add 2 tsp. celery seeds. 1 tsp. mustard seeds, 1 tsp. dill seeds, 3 peppercorns and 1 clove of garlic to each jar. Pour in boiling vinegar mixture, allowing ¼ inch headspace. Seal. Turn jars upside down once to mix spices. Process for 15 minutes in a hot water bath. Makes 5 quarts.

Pickled Sweet Peppers

3 lbs. green bell peppers

1 qt. cider vinegar

¼ c. honey

Clean and slice peppers into strips.. Blanch peppers in steam for 2 minutes. Drain. Combine vinegar and honey in an enamel or stainless steel pan and bring to a boil. Pack peppers into hot, scalded pint jars. Cover with the hot liquid leaving ¼ inch headspace. Seal and process for 10 minutes in a hot water bath. Makes 4-5 pints.

Pear Pickles

4 lbs. Bartlett pears

10 - 2 inch long cinnamon sticks

2 tbsp. whole allspice

6 c. red wine vinegar

½ to 1 c. honey, depending on sweetness of pears

Wash pears, cut  out centers and cores and cut into quarters. Put cinnamon and the allspice in a cheesecloth bag. Put vinegar and honey in a large enamel or stainless steel pan and bring to a boil. Add spice bag and boil for 10 minutes. Remove spice bag. Add pears to the hot liquid and boil for 2 minutes. Immediately pack the pears in hot, scalded pint jars. Pour hot syrup over the pears leaving ¼ inch headspace. Seal and process for 10 minutes in a hot water bath. Makes 8 pints.

Watermelon Pickles

2 lbs. watermelon rind

¼ c. salt

2 c. sugar

1 c. white vinegar

2 - 1 inch cinnamon sticks

1 ½ tsp. whole cloves

½ lemon, sliced thin

Trim dark green and pink from rind and cut into 1 inch squares. Measure 6 cups. Soak overnight in salt and 1 quart water (or more to cover). Drain and rinse. Cover watermelon with water and cook for about 25 minutes or until just tender. Drain. In a large enamel or stainless steel pan combine sugar, vinegar, 1 cup water and spices. Simmer for 10 minutes. Strain. Add rind and lemon and simmer, covered for about 25 minutes or until the rind is clear. Fill hot jars with rind and syrup, leaving ½ inch headspace. Seal and process for 5 minutes in a hot water bath. Makes 4 half pints.

Pickled Peaches

18 peaches, peeled

¼ c. whole cloves

2 c. vinegar

4 ½ c. water

8 - 2 ½ inch cinnamon sticks

Insert 3 cloves into each of the peeled peaches. In a large enamel or stainless steel pan boil the vinegar, sugar, cinnamon and 2 tsp. cloves for 10 minutes. Drop in the peaches a few at a time. Cook until just tender. Do not overcook or they will fall apart. Transfer peaches into hot, scalded quart jars. Fill with the syrup leaving headspace. Seal. Makes 3 quarts.

Table of Contents

Hot Water Bath

Some Tips For Pickling

Pickled Beets

Dilled Green Beans

Okra Pickles

Carrot Pickles

Pickled Eggplant

Onion Pickles

Bread & Butter Pickles

Pickled Garlic

Green Tomato Pickles

Pickled Sweet Peppers

Pear Pickles

Watermelon Pickles

Pickled Peaches