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By HELEN W. SMITH
Extension Agent, Home Economics
Brined pickles, also called fermented pickles, go through a curing process of about three weeks. Curing changes cucumber color from bright green to an olive or yellow green. The interior of the cucumber becomes uniformly tender and firm; not hard, rubbery, shriveled, soft or mushy. The salt used in making brined pickles and sauerkraut not only provides characteristic flavor but is also vial to safety.
Stone crocks, glass jars and bowls, and food-grade plastic containers are suitable containers for fermenting fresh vegetables. Non-foodgrade plastic containers may be used if lined with a food-grade plastic bag.
Be certain that foods contact only food-grade products. Do not use garbage bags or trash liners. A onegallon container will hold five pounds of fresh vegetables.
Vegetables must be kept under the brine while fermenting. A dinner plate or glass pie plate weighted down with glass jars or a plastic bag filled w;ith water works nicely.
Fresh-pack or quick-process pickles are brined for several hours or overnight, then drained and combined with boiling-hot-vinegar, spices, and other seasonings. These are quick and easy to prepare. They have a tart, pungent flavor. Fresh-pack whole cucumbers are olive green, crisp, tender, and firm. While these products may be prepared safely with reduced or no salt, both flavor and texture will be, poorer.
The fruits and vegetables from which pickles are made should be of good quality, firm in texture, and free from bruises, decay or mold.
Overmature fruits and vegetables will shrivel during the pickling procedure. Use fruits and vegetables as soon as possible. If there is a delay of more than a few hours, refrigerate. Use unwaxed cucumbers for pickling whole so the brine can penetrate.
Wash thoroughly. Be sure to remove all blossoms from cucumbers as they may contain enzymes which cause softening of cucumbers. Sort for uniform size.
Correct proportions of fruit or vegetables, sugar, salt, vinegar, and spices are essential for successful pickling. Calcium in lime does improve pickle firmness. Food-grade lime may be used as a lime-water solution for soaking fresh cucumbers 12 to 24 hours before pickling them. Excess lime must be removed by a series of fresh-water soaks. Vinegar serves two purposes in pickle making
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