Pickles And Such

posiepurrs

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I had cucumbers and tomatoes coming out of my ears this year from the garden. I made and froze some sauce from the tomatoes. I decided to try making some pickles. The first ones were not so good. After I made them my husband informed me that he didn't care for dill pickles. The next batch was bread and butter refrigerator pickles. I had to do those because when I went to can them, I discovered I couldn't use my canning pot on my ceramic top stove. The next ones I made, also bread and butter, I bought a flat bottomed stock pot to can in. It will do until I can get a pressure canner. We are well stocked with b&b pickles for the year!!
 

Furballsmom

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My cucumbers grew fairly well too, but they were bitter and got mushy super fast :dunno:
 

muffy

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I had cucumbers and tomatoes coming out of my ears this year from the garden. I made and froze some sauce from the tomatoes. I decided to try making some pickles. The first ones were not so good. After I made them my husband informed me that he didn't care for dill pickles. The next batch was bread and butter refrigerator pickles. I had to do those because when I went to can them, I discovered I couldn't use my canning pot on my ceramic top stove. The next ones I made, also bread and butter, I bought a flat bottomed stock pot to can in. It will do until I can get a pressure canner. We are well stocked with b&b pickles for the year!!
They sound delicious. I love pickles.
 

lizzie

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I have had a plethora of tomatoes and cukes as well...it's been a good year for sure.I've been freezing my tomatoes,to make sauce,salsa,etc. later as I need it.Been making a bunch of pickles...I will share recipes if you like.So far this season I have made kosher dills,sweet lime,cinnamon sweet lime,bread and butter,zucchini relish and sweet cucumber relish.Have not had a failure yet.I have a glass top stove too,and was advised by the fella that runs the Sears store here in town to never ever can on it.So,I took him at his word and went to amazon and bought a Cuisinart cast iron single burner.Very reasonable price.I use my big stainless steel stockpot to waterbath my jams,salsa,pickles,apple butter...works like a charm.Cabinet stays cool underneath.I have been so happy with it...this is my second year using it and I just can't find any fault with it.Anyway,it's just my opinion, but you don't have to pressure can your pickled product to have success.I'm happy to help any way I can if you like.
 
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posiepurrs

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I have had a plethora of tomatoes and cukes as well...it's been a good year for sure.I've been freezing my tomatoes,to make sauce,salsa,etc. later as I need it.Been making a bunch of pickles...I will share recipes if you like.So far this season I have made kosher dills,sweet lime,cinnamon sweet lime,bread and butter,zucchini relish and sweet cucumber relish.Have not had a failure yet.I have a glass top stove too,and was advised by the fella that runs the Sears store here in town to never ever can on it.So,I took him at his word and went to amazon and bought a Cuisinart cast iron single burner.Very reasonable price.I use my big stainless steel stockpot to waterbath my jams,salsa,pickles,apple butter...works like a charm.Cabinet stays cool underneath.I have been so happy with it...this is my second year using it and I just can't find any fault with it.Anyway,it's just my opinion, but you don't have to pressure can your pickled product to have success.I'm happy to help any way I can if you like.
I would love your sweet pickle relish recipe! Cukes are finished for the year, but there is always next year.
 

Winchester

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I dearly love pickles, all kinds of pickles. But I can't grow cukes. I don't know why. The first year I tried, I had a bumper crop and canned some 7-day pickles, cinnamon pickles (Thank you, lizzie lizzie !), bread and butter pickles, lime pickles, etc. I had enough pickles for us and for my sister and BIL. She loves pickles, too.

That was it. I've never been able to grow cukes since. The next year, I moved the pickle plants to a different part of the garden (I had heard you should do that). The plants literally disappeared. I went out one morning and....poof! Gone. Like they were never there. No remnants. Just gone. The next year, the same thing happened. Poof! And I've never grown them since.

While I can use my regular water bath canner (well, it's my MIL's canner) on my glass-top stove, when I bought a pressure canner, I found out that it wouldn't work on the glass. We use the gas grill when we use the pressure canner. I do my Red Onions with Honey in the pressure canner. And Rick sits outside while the pressure canner is on the grill.

I do use the water bath canner for my zucchini relish. Works out very well!
 

lizzie

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Sweet Pickle Relish

10 c grated cucumber
4 lg red bell peppers...core,seed and grate
2 lg green bell pepper...core.seed and grate
4 lg celery ribs,minced
2 med. onions,minced
1/2 c pickling salt
3 1/2 c white vinegar
2 1/3 c sugar
1/4 c mustard seed
2 T celery seed
1 t turmeric

Put prepared veggies in a lg stainless pot or plastic bucket (I get the empties from a bakery for $1 or so),blend in the pickling salt and let stand 4 hours.
At the end of the 4 hrs cover with cold water and rinse and drain well a couple of times to get rid of excess salt (I taste mine and rinse a third time if too salty for me).Squeeze out most excess water....a little left is okay.
Place back in stainless pot and add the vinegar,sugar and spices.
Bring to a boil,reduce heat to simmering and cook 10 minutes.
Have your jars and lids ready to go...I use pints...fill jars to 1/2" headspace...remember to only tighten lids "hand tight".
Waterbath process for 10 minutes...take off heat and let set for 5 minutes.Remove jars and set on counter on a towel to cool.When cool tighten screw rings down,or...as long as they have sealed and center is concave,you can store with the rings left off.Prevents them from rusting.
 

Jem

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To those of you with oodles of tomatoes, make some green tomato chow chow. I would eat that stuff by the bowl full, my grandmother used to make it.
 

Jem

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Furballsmom Furballsmom , just a heads up, I was a weird kid though, Chow Chow is supposed to be used like a relish, sandwich or meat topper. But I love brine, and vinegar. I used to drink the pickle juice out of the jar, mom gave me heck all the time.
 
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