CrestedHorizonPoultry
Chillin' In The Garden
I never can get good pickles. They always turn out mushy. What am I doing wrong??
pickle problem
- Thread starter CrestedHorizonPoultry
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Ridgerunner
Garden Master
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I got better results using pickling cucumbers, not field cucumbers. Soaking them in salt water in the refrigerator overnight and using fresh cucumbers seemed to help also.
I have not tried the pickling lime.
I have not tried the pickling lime.
patandchickens
Deeply Rooted
Some of it is the pickles - as others have said, use pickling cucumbers and use them at the right size for that cultivar.
But also, some recipes produce crispier pickles than others (particularly recipes that have you salt them first for a while, then *gradually* add sugar over a period of time). I was impressed that the sweet gherkin recipe I used last summer actually produced pickles just as crisp as most storeboughten sweet gherkins (although boy was it a week-long project
).
Good luck, have fun,
Pat
But also, some recipes produce crispier pickles than others (particularly recipes that have you salt them first for a while, then *gradually* add sugar over a period of time). I was impressed that the sweet gherkin recipe I used last summer actually produced pickles just as crisp as most storeboughten sweet gherkins (although boy was it a week-long project
).Good luck, have fun,
Pat
wifezilla
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Pickling lime is supposed to help them stay crispy.
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CrestedHorizonPoultry
Chillin' In The Garden
Anyone willing to share your recipe with me for your CRISP pickles 
jojo54
Garden Ornament
Sometimes it could be the water. My mom made great dill pickles - tasty, crispy, etc. and then moved to another city and had trouble with musht pickles. Nothing else changed except the water.
jen4
Chillin' In The Garden
I use the pickling lime past 2 summers, works great!
Catalina
Garden Ornament
I experimented with adding grape leaves to my pickles this past summer. Grape leaves are supposed to keep the pickles crisp AND they worked! I used a basic pickle recipe from the Blue Ball canning book, half of the jars I added grape leaves to and half I didn't. The ones with grape leaves are MUCH crisper.
lesa
Garden Master
Isn't that interesting Catalina! That was a great way to do the experiment. I was afraid to make pickles last year- made tons of relish and have regretted it! Can't wait to try pickles this year- with grape leaves! How many did you add per jar?
Catalina
Garden Ornament
Just one med leaf to a pint.lesa said:
