Why do I cut off the end of my pickles for canning ?

Why do I have to cut the end off my pickles?

Must I cut off both ends before canning cucumbers?

If I ferment do I need to cut off the end of my pickles? 

What end to I cut off my pickles for canning?

Great question with two answer's. When you are getting ready to make your pickles you have a few decisions to make when it comes to cutting off the tips/ends.

For instance if you are fermenting and making a deli type of pickles you would only remove the 1/16 inch off the blossom end. It will prevent your fermented pickles from becoming mushy pickles. .

Regular cucumber with ends cut

For a standard pickle slice like for bread and butter you need to remove the end's only because you never see jar's with the ends in, well I have not. When you are making spear's many people cut the end off and many leave it on.












 What ever you decide here are a few tips from my favorite spot's to find an answer's
National Center for Home Preservation

See the blossom on the end. BAD END!

Cutting off the tip of the cucumber that held the blossom is essential because it has enzymes in the bloom that will make your pickles soft and possibly unsafe to eat. Keep in mind they are talking about the end with the blossom that is one end and to tell which end this is look at your cucumber. If you grow your own you will see the end of the cucumber has the blossom on it this is the end you cut. Not the stem that the cucumber hangs from.









 
In a market you can tell by simply looking at the cucumber there are two ends. The end that has a smooth spot is not where the blossom was. The end that has the rough end is where the blossom was. So you need to cut a 1/16 of an inch off the blossom end of your cucumber. Here is a link to the section of my blog that has all the pickle recipes I have made with success. Please feel free to email me with any questions to canarella@sbcglobal.net

Disclaimer: This is not an all inclusive recipe for making jam. You should have a basic knowledge and understanding of the canning process before proceeding. Please consult your local Center for Home Preservation for additional information and available classes. 

Bread and Butter Pickles

Look at these little darling's Persian cucumbers. I have passed these little ones many a time at the farmer's market. i was never really sure if they could stand up to pickling. So small and so un-cuck-ish looking. Ah my courage took over and I decided to experiment with them for some bread and butter pickles. 

The first few things always to do is snip off the little stem and wash them . Once washed they go on to a bed of ice sprinkled with a little Kosher salt.

I cover them with ice for about an hour or so.  Once this is done I take them and cut just the end off. I really never know unless I am fermenting then it becomes a whole different process. But when I pickle I will slice just the end's off.

Many cook's put the onions and cuck's slices on ice then salt. I do not put the onions on the ice, the reason is I am not hugh on using a lot of salt. I do not care how much you rinse them so I just use the littlest bit.. I want my pickles to have the taste of the spices and liquid. Personal preference.

While the cuck's are napping it is time to prep all the other ingredients. I like my ingredients measured out and waiting. I slice my onion's thin with the mandolin.Then set them aside.

Now our cuck's are cold rinse them off with cold water and start to slice. Use your kitchen knife or a mandolin. I use the mandolin for Bread and Butter all my other pickles I rough chop. 

I layer the ingredients into the jars get the liquid in the jars and water bath wa la done. Yum ... Most of my pickles I let sit for at least three weeks. These get a lot of flavor in a little time but do give them at least a week to mingle.

When I started to make Bread and Butter pickles I had tasted some back East that were out of this world good. I searched and searched for there secret ingredient. Well it is no longer a secret. It is called Mahleb. The Spice House no longer sells it so I am on a hunt for a reliable source. The spice is the pit of sour cherries. It is used in Middle East and Mediterranean cooking.


Well good luck and always enjoy the process. Oh this makes about 6 pints give or take

Bread and Butter Pickles

• 4 pounds Persian cucumbers (I used Persian you do not have to)
• 2 large onion, quartered, sliced about 1/4-inch thickness
• 1/3 cup kosher salt
• 3 cups cider vinegar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp celery seeds
• 1 tbs whole Mahleb seeds (Optional)
• 2 tsp yellow mustard seeds
• or use 1/4 to a 1/2  cup  pickling spices   

Wash cucumbers lightly salt and cover with ice for app. 2 hours

Slice onion into thin slices set aside

Have your spices measured and ready in to add to liquid ingredients

In a large pot over medium heat, combine the dry and wet ingredients and bring to a boil.

Firmly in a gentle way pack the vegetables in prepared jars.  

If it is too loose they will rise and you will have about an inch of liquid space. See the picture of my jar's they look packed but once I put the liquid in and get rid of the air bubbles they go down

Pour the liquid into jars, dividing evenly among the jars - leave a 1/4 inch head space
Remove any air bubbles from each jar and wipe the rim of the jar.


If you do not have the tool to remove the bubbles take a chop stick and run it around the inside of the jar you will see bubbles come up

Ok now cover them with the lid and the twist the top firmly.

Place jar's in your boiling water bath, adding more hot water if you need to to keep the level above the jars. Cover and boil for 15 minutes

Lift the jars out of the water and place on a counter to cool. I put a large towel down for them and space them so they have room do not let them touch each other. 

Remember to remove the screw band when storing them. Wipe the jars off once they have cooled. Always label with the date and contents.