Preserving Fermented Pickles

Yup it is official I am the new Fermentation Station. It has been four week since we put the cuck's into the brine and let them sit and get acquainted.

The process was so much better then the last batch. As you remember the first batch turned to mush green slim. They were disgusting.

Here is the  original post with the recipe for starting

Here are a few reasons mine may have gone to mush
I put warm brine on
Did not wash cucumber's well and left on some buds and stems
It happens sometimes there is no rhyme or reason

Lookin Good!

Alright so Saturday I took one of the pickles out and it was so salty it put pure salt to shame.

What to do? What to do!








 After a bit of research I found that all I needed to do was pour off half my brine and add enough fresh distilled water to again cover the pickles. (I call them pickles now because they have transformed kind of like pickle puberty)

Let them sit over night and the salt leaves the pickles. Magic it worked. Do not let your pickles sit for more than a day or two because you have reduced the amount of salt which keeps them fermenting. Get them in a water bath or refrigerate them.



I am going to keep some of them whole and some cut into slices. I will put them all in quart jars. Wide mouth makes it easier to grab and go. Plus I will add a garlic clove to each jar and some fresh dill.
Here is the link for the pickle brine . On that post there are two way to make the brine one from the Ball Blue Book and one I tweaked. Get creative when you get more comfortable.







Here I also got this information of a site called Canning Pantry

"Fully fermented pickles may be stored for about 4 to 6 months in the refrigerator.

Canning fully fermented pickles is a better way to store them. To can them, pour the brine into a pan, heat slowly to a boil, and simmer 5 minutes. Filter brine through paper coffee filters to reduce cloudiness, if desired."

Fill jars with pickles and hot brine, leaving 1/2-inch head space. Adjust lids and process 

I was extremely happy with the way they turned out and Pa says that they are such a great on taste that his palate dances prior to eating ?

What has he gone all European on me!

Here is a link to the original recipe for fermenting your pickles. Also a link to fermenting Cabbage for sauerkraut.