Let me start off my saying that the ladies in pioneer days weren't chumps my friends. Pickling greatness takes a lot of time and attention to the task. Something that is very difficult when also wrangling a 19 week old solo.
Daddy Woodall is coaching basketball camp this week, and I thought I would take a break from the monotony of house cleaning and trashy TV train wrecks to embark on a little domestication. I super heart making pickles, especially of the bread and butter variety, in the summer time. Here is how today's effort ensued....
You must first obtain a Soux Chef. Their job is to ensure that the chef stays on task and helps as needed. Our Soux Chef is still in training, so he manned the Pooh bouncer chair on the island and supervised. Here is is having a pickle making meeting with Mr. Banana.
Pots must be collected and water starting to boil. The pot on the right is my "canning processing" pot. It is a cheapo Tamale/Stock pot I got a long time ago at Wal-Mart for around $10. You will see some recipes call for fancy water canning pots... This will suffice. Laura Ingalls Wilder did not have a fancy canning device. The one on the back left burner is a pot to sterilize jars as well as process later. The one in the front left burner is an enamalized aluminum pot I use exclusively for making jams and pickles. It too is a cheapo.
Sterilize jars in boiling water..
Collect all necessary ingredients (I later realized I needed to make a vinegar run after seeing my Cider vinegar was expired and the white vinegar was my "cleaning" vinegar at 9% acidity... You need 5% for this job.) The cukes have already been scrubbed and rinsed 3 times.
Strap on the Soux Chef Papoose style (thanks Baby K'tan!) Because he is getting restless in the Pooh chair...
Slice cukes 1/4 inch thin. You will need 2 qts. Slice onions thin in quarters. You will need 1 qt.
layer them in a non metallic bowl, separating each layer with pickling salt (the recipe calls for 1/2 c.)
Once all layers have been formed, pour distilled water over them to just cover the veggies. Then take a 2 hour break... (you see I have added some slices of Jalapeno. It is an attempt to add a little zing to this batch... we'll see what happens...)
Sterilize the jars and let them sit out until you are ready, watch "True Life: I have Tourettes" On MTV. (WOW... what a train wreck.)
After 2 hours, rinse the veggies good and let them drain well.
Get the pots rumblin' again...
Get your spices together! This includes sugar.
Combine 3 C sugar, 2 tsp of mustard seed, 1tsp of celery seed and 1 tsp of turmeric in the pot. Along with this add 2 C of white vinegar and 2 C of cider vinegar.
I also added a little dash of Cayenne... because I can.
Stir well until sugar is dissolved and then bring to a boil...
Mr. Bird is doing the trick....
add veggies and heat for 3 minutes...
An angry Soux Chef..
A really angry Soux Chef....
at this point he is telling me where I can shove my jars and canning equipment....
ladle into the hot jars, using this fancy tool to make sure there are no bubbles...
making sure to leave 1/2" head space in the jar. Again, use this fancy tool to measure...
Apply hot lids and rings...
Yep... those are real tears.... He is P-I-S-S-E-D.
All the jars are filled.... rapidly to the screams of the Soux Chef...
Into the jar spa they go, to process for 30 minutes...
30 minutes later they are ready for removal!
Now you have to sit and wait while hearing the "pop! pop!" of the lids...
Out.... This canning stuff is rough!
Cheers! Hoping your pickles (and mine) turn out great!
Recipe:
15-18 Pickling Cucumbers (You MUST use the pickling cucumbers, you cannot use regular salad ones.)
2-3 medium onions. (I use sweet ones)
1/2 C. of Pickling Salt
2-3 qts of distilled water
3 C sugar
2 C distilled white vinegar
2C Cider vinegar
2 tsp of mustard seeds
1tsp celery seed
1 tsp of turmeric
The recipe book page and detailed instructions can be found by clicking here.
