Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Pickling

Today is nice and cool...a lovely marine layer has presented itself and does it ever feel good!! Just a little too hot and humid for me yesterday...all you Washingtonians will understand this, while the rest of the nation scoffs at my wimpiness!!!

Went out to the garden early this morning to set up the sprinkler and pick some raspberries. I noticed that I had some cauliflower and broccoli ready to pick...a lot of it!!!

So...I decided to do some canning.

I got this recipe from a local Boxx Berry Farm, years ago and really like it. About three years ago I decided to use it to pickle some vegetables and have used it for that ever since!!!

ELLA'S DILL PICKLES

In clean jars, place sprigs of dill and slices of garlic.  (I load mine up!)
Pack tightly with cleaned cucumbers.

In a large pot, bring to a boil: 1 quart white vinegar
                                                2 quarts water
                                                2/3 c salt

Cover and boil for 15 minutes...the recipe says to "cover the kettle"...love that!

Keeping your jars hot, pour brine over cukes and seal. They may be processed in a water bath for 5 minutes if they don't seal or if you just want to be safe.

I actually use my mom's dill pickle recipe for regular pickles, but i love this brine for refrigerator pickles. I don't process them, just keep them in the fridge...they last at least a year this way.



ANYWAY....back to my vegies!

This is a big tub! There are 4 heads of cauliflower, 2 heads of cabbage and the bottom is full of broccoli...not to mention the abundance in the refrigerator!


Ignore, for awhile, what the postman just delivered to your door...(this is my second fall magazine this week!)


Get out your big jars...mine are half gallon size, and wash them up. You can sterilize them, but I put them away really clean and just give them another good wash before I use them. It helps to have a cute old colander to rinse the vegies in!


Cut some fresh dill from your garden...or buy some at the farmer's market. I have a few volunteers in the garden and  so I used that.


Cut up the vegies you want...I always use cauliflower, onions, celery and garlic, but this time I added carrots and some radishes too. We'll see how that works out!


Fill your jars with dill and garlic. Mix all the vegies together in a big bowl so you get something of everything in each jar. Nibble if you feel the urge!




After the jars are filled and you're waiting for the brine to be ready, make yourself a bowl of garden fresh beets! Add a glob of butter and lots of salt and take a glance at that mail that came...just a glance! And remember tonight that you had beets earlier in the day...you know what I mean...


Add brine and put your lids on. If I use regular canning lids it usually seals, but doesn't really matter as it's kept in the fridge. I like these plastic lids by ball...no rusting and easy to use.


That's it! Summer fresh vegies all year! Now...off to read my magazine!!

5 comments:

  1. those look DELICIOUS! I just made some refrigerator pickles the other day and there plum near gone. It was a recipe I found on Pinterest - sugar, vinegar, red pepper flakes - etc....over cukes, peppers and a red onion. Yum! I'm envious of your bounty. I got nary a raspberry this year. Odd weather. Late frost got every bloom. : -/

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  2. Deliciousness...It ALMOST makes me want to can.

    Almost...

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  3. It looks like you have been very busy. I am not doing any canning this year. I need some green beans in the pantry but I was afraid we would have a super hot Summer like last year and it would all burn up. It looks like I was right. Canning is so rewarding, isn't it?

    Thank you for visiting my blog. I shouldn't of shared that picture just yet. I didn't think it would post. That is my new stove but that isn't my house. It is the picture the seller posted. It is in the garage being cleaned up. I wish I had taken a picture of one of the dirtiest areas of it before I started cleaning. Totally gross. I will take my time and do a major cleaning on it before it gets close to my kitchen!!!

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  4. I am canning cucumber relish and bread and butter pickles this week. Our raspberries and blueberries burnt up before they could get ripe. Only had a handful. Blackberries seem to be going to the same route. Too hot. Many 90 degree and close to or over 100, even here in Michigan. Green beans are coming on but not enough to can yet. Taking a bag to my youngest daughter tomorrow. Have a great week!

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  5. Where do u buy the plastic lids?

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