Title: Fermented or Brined Pickles
Categories: Pickles
Yield: 6 Servings
10 Percent brine solution made
- by dissolving 1 c salt in
- 2 qt
"Pickle making begins with the brine and to make carelessly or to
maintain carelessly a brine is the reason for most of the soft and
unfit pickles.
Remember these key points; Use clean stone or glass jars; use only
a recommended pickling variety of cucumbers; use only canning and
pickling salt; and do not use hard water. Pickles must be placed in
a brine and fermented for approximately 6 weeks before the addition
of the final and last brine."
Wash cucumbers carefully. Use only freshly harvested, slightly
immature pickling variety.
Weigh cucumbers. Put in a clean pickling container and cover with a
water. (Cucumbers may be added during the first day or two of
curing process if enough brine is added to cover them and if salt
is added in definite amounts to maintain a 10% brine.
Weight cucumbers under brine.
Store in a cool dark place.
Next day, add 1 cup salt for each 5 lb of cucumbers. This is
necessary to maintain a 10% brine solution. Salt must be added on
top of plate or clean cloth (and not directly on the cucumbers) for
even distribution throughout the brine.
Remove scum when it forms on top of brine. The scum will destroy
the acidity of the brine and result in spoilage of the product, if
left on.
At the end of the week, and for 4 or 5 succeeding weeks, add
1/4 cup salt for each 5 lb of cucumbers. Add in the same manner as
before.
Fermentation resulting in bubble formation should continue about
4 weeks. Test for bubbles by tapping container on the side with
your hand. As a second test, cut a cucumber in half; if it is the
same color throughout and has no noticeable rings or white spots,
fermentation is complete.
Cucumbers may be kept in this 10% brine solution--no additional
salt is added after they are cured--until made into pickles. The
best temperature for brining cucumbers is about 70 to 75°F.
