so I went to the farmer's market today (yet another question from me!)

[mirime]

and all they had pickle-wise were organic regular cucumbers (they're no longer than 5 inches)

Can I use those to make the Bread and Butter pickle recipe with the Ball packet?

 

[Grow 4 Food]

ABSOLUTELY!!!!!!!!!

I have used them before and it works just fine. Good Luck!

 

[blurose]

I think the main difference in what are called slicing cucs and pickling cucs is the size of the seeds inside and maybe the water content (I'm not sure about that). Slicing cucs have bigger seeds and I think are "wetter" than pickling cucs. However, when I made my B&B pickles I used pickling cucs that had gotten big, at least 2 inches in diameter so I don't think the seed size would change your pickles that much. However, the flesh moisture might change how the pickles exchange water and salt (otherwise known as pickle) and their resulting texture might not be as crisp as desired. So, in answer to your question, I really don't know. I prefer to only grow pickling cucs and use them as slicing cucs to eat fresh (never bitter) as well as all of my pickles, although I can't get myself to make gerkins out of them yet as I think a gerkin is a waste of a potentially bigger cucumber.

 

[mirime]

Thanks Grow and Blu - I'll give it a go!

 

[robbobbin]

mmmmm, I love Gerkins! waste of a bigger pickle...hehehe

 

[mirime]

I love all kinds of pickles and that's the main reason I wanted to learn how to can!

Okay, one more whine before I shut up for awhile...
the Ball recipe packets for the B&B and Dill pickles?

The directions are awfully confusing for a first-time canner.

Just saying!

 

[Grow 4 Food]

what part is confusing? let us know and we can probably help!

 

[mirime]

Well the recipe is in two sections: one for "Make it TOnight" and then "After Tonight"

In the "Make it for Tonight" it states how to make the liquid...and tells you to pour it over the cukes and let them stand for 30 minutes. Then it goes on to say pack them up in the jars and refrigerate.

Okay got that.

So then you go over to the "After Tonight" and this is what it says:

1) prepare canner...etc (okay I got that)
2) Pack cucumbers into hot jars ( do I take the cucumbers which were sitting in the liquid as that was what "Make it Tonight" said?)
Ladle hot liquid (WHAT hot liquid? If I poured all the liquid onto the cukes and let them stand for 30 minutes, I don't have any HOT LIQUID left!)
3) process etc....(got that down pretty well)

The question is: How do I get hot liquid back if, according to the "Make it Tonight" part I already am soaking the cukes.

OR do I ignore that part in "Make it Tonight" that says to soak the cukes and instead just pack raw cucumbers and then pour the hot liquid onto them.

(I'm sure I'm confusing you all - unless you have one of the packages at home with you and can read it along with me)

So what I ended up doing is a little bit of both...I saved half of the hot liquid.

The recipe is confusing because of the second part making you guess which part of the "Make It Tonight" you should use and which parts you shouldn't.

*you all probably are rolling your eyes and wishing I never joined this forum!*

 

[blurose]

I'm sorry, I've never used those packets myself. Is this for B&B pickles? It might help if you could post the complete directions. Otherwise, I can give you my recipe and then maybe you can work out the directions for your packet...the principles of making these kind of pickles should remain the same. The soaking of the cucs with salt and ice is to help them to keep their "crisp" texture throughout the pickling process and later standing in the jars.

Caprice's B&B pickles (grandma's recipe)

4 qts. sliced cucumbers about 1/8 inch thick
1/2 c. pickling salt
Ice cubes
2 qts. sliced white onions
1 qt. vinegar
4 c. sugar
1 Tbl. celery seeds
2 Tbls. mustard seeds
1 tsp. finely chopped garlic (I added this, grandma hated garlic)
1 tsp. tumeric (optional) (we NEVER used tumeric as nobody in the family likes it, but it is a classic ingredient in these pickles)
1/2 tsp. white pepper (optional) we just use ground black pepper

Gently stir salt into the sliced cucs. Cover with ice cubes; let stand 2-3 hours or until cucs are crisp and cold. Add more ice if it melts. Drain; add onions.

Combine remaining ingredients; bring quickly to a boil and boil for 10 minutes.

Add cucs and onions and bring to boiling point. Pack at once in hot jars. Process in boiling water bath (212F) 30 minutes.

Remove jars from canner and complete seals unlesss closures are self-sealing type. Makes 8 pints.

 

[blurose]

Post moved to new thread.