Small Batch Pickled Radish's

Well now that we do not have our company open anymore I have had time to do small batch preserving. This is also a wonderful way to preserve your garden veggies and fruits when you have a small garden or not so much of a crop. I grew some wonderful radishes this summer and was able to pickle some. 

The recipe is so easy and I am going to give you the recipe I broke down for 2 one pint jars.  

Ingredients

• 2 pound of sliced or chopped radish's
• 2 cups of water
• 1 cup of vinegar
• 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
• 2 tablespoons of sugar 
• 2 garlic cloves chopped for brine

Optional ingredient's are crushed red peppers a teaspoon, bay leaf, dill, pepper seeds

I have a very extensive garden and a variety of stuff I have grown or dehydrated or crushed myself. Example I have a bay leaf tree, I crush and grind a lot of my own spices, I dehydrated my peppers and extract seeds for Chili Powder and many whole seeds for various cooking needs. I also make my own pickling spices.

You can cut the radishes in to any shape you want. I Cut mine into quarters. I like the crunch of the large pieces and use it like you would a pickle. You can see the size in the first picture on this post. 

Once you have your radishes' cut put them aside. Chop your garlic into small pieces as small as you want. If you choose to add this ingredient.

Now let us get the liquid made that the radishes get to bathe in. In a boiling pot pour your water, vinegar, sugar, salt and garlic. The little pot you see was what I started with it was just bit enough to hold the liquid

I will add any additional ingredients to each jar. Example is one bay leaf, some dill and a few peppercorns.  And yes a chili pepper from the garden already dried. 

You want to have your jars in your waterbath getting warm. Once your brine has completely dissolved the sugar and salt let it sit while you prepare your jars. Take the jars out of the waterbath and fill them with the radishes pack them tight and leave a half inch head space. Pour the brine over them leaving at least a 1/4 inch headspace.

Waterbath the radishes for 14 minutes turn off the heat let the sit for 5 mintues. Remove the jars set the on a towel to cool. Once completely cool remove the twist top wash and label.

Spicy Pickled Carott and Jalapeno

I use to go to the Mexican restaurant down the street just to get there free spicy carrot and jalapenos. Really ! Then one day while I was sitting there in my dark glasses and trench coat a thought came to me.  Make your own Spicy Carrot and Jalapenos because this sitting here in disguise is getting really embarrassing. I think someone just said Hi to me.

So here we go this is easy there is practically no work. A little aerobics with arm exercise chopping stuff but this keep those old nanny arms away. You chop, pack and give them bath

 

* This will yield you approximately 7 pint jars

Ingredients

5  pounds carrots
12 jalapenos
3 cloves of garlic per jar (Optional)
4 -6 whole peppercorns per jar
4 cups 5% vinegar
4 cups Apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons of sugar
4 cups water

Instructions

Wash and prepare the veggies
Slice the carrots into rounds

Slice you jalapeno into rounds

* Wear Gloves when chopping the peppers!

Remember more seed more heat the heat is in the jalapeno seeds. 

 
Peel the garlic cloves you will want 3 cloves per jar


Add the water, vinegar, salt and sugar to a large, non-reactive pan and bring to a boil. This is your brine. Keep it warm while you prepare the jar's with the ingredient's.




Heat up your canning jars in your water bath prior to filling and then pack jalapeno's, garlic, and carrots. 








 


Once the first two layers are done add you garlic, peppercorns and any pickling spices you would like. Top with remaining carrot's. Put as many slices of all the vegetables as you can fit. Press them in tightly they will loosen once the liquid is poured in.  Sprinkle some of the peppercorns into each jar about 4-6 in each jar.



Remember once you add your liquid and run your bubble tool to get rid of bubble's and settle the stuff you will have extra room. The tool looks like a knife and actually I used a regular knife for years! You take the tool/knife and run it around the inside of the jar you will see bubbles come up. Thus you have removed the air bubbles.




You really can never packed to tight.  I say this because once you put the liquid in it makes more space. It sounds weird but you will see how this works the more you preserve foods. Keep approximate 1/2" inch head space in the jar. Pour your brine into each jar be careful everything is hot. Fill till you have about 1/4" headspace covering the veggies.




Wipe the rims of your jar's and add the lid and twist. Taunt






Put them into the water bath for 15 minutes. Remember to wipe the jars prior to putting the lids on and giving them their bath. And when you store them take the rim off !


Did you know you can take some pretty cool pictures of stuff inside your mason jars. Go here to this link and see some  of the pictures I took. It is  pretty cool!

Pickled Garden Mix

I love Pickled Garden Mix. It is kinda like a good soup. You can put what fresh crunchy vegetables are in your garden and wala Garden Mix. I grow a lot of vegetables in my garden and have found that there is so much variety to use in the kitchen.

This mix is really nice because you can use any crisp vegetable in your garden so get creative. I like to roughly chop my vegetables make it have a rustic flair.
All I have on the counter is some carrot, broccoli, jalapeno, garlic and fresh dill.

I have found around these here parts that most of my admirers love the spice. It must be a California thing.

Seed's = hot             No Seed's = Mild 

This mix makes me about 10 to 12 pints. I put them into wide mouth most of the time. Why you ask it makes it easier for me to pick out the stuff with my little fingers.

All Prepped

There is no rhyme or reason to what you put in your garden mix. Use you favorite end of the season even left over garden picks.

Note I have my gloves on. The reason for this is well I always have them on. With this recipe you do not want to forget and rub your eyes. Sting

Ingredients in Mine

2 cups sliced fresh jalapenos
6 cups roughly chopped carrots about a dozen good sized ones
One/Two cauliflower head broken and roughly chopped
1 Garlic clove peeled not chopped for each jar
1 dill sprig per jar





Liquid

4 cups distilled white vinegar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
4 tablespoons kosher salt
1/4 cup of white sugar
3 teaspoon mustard seed
3 tsp celery seed
2 tsp turmeric

In a large pot bring this solution to a near boil then down to a simmer.

Wash your vegetables well. I take care not to use any vegetables that has a bruise or cut. To start get all your vegetables cut and in order. I do not put mine in salt solution for a few hours before because all of my vegetables are fresh and crisp. Also I am really aware of salt. If you want salt add it to your taste. There is enough in the solution in my opinion.




I pack my jars right from the bowls. I add a garlic clove and dill to each and layer the vegetables in each jar. Stop when you get one inch from the top of the jar. You can add more after you have added the pickling solution. Alright once your jars are packed add the liquid to each jar taking care to leave that inch from the top. Take a chopstick or a knife and use this to get any bubbles out of the jars. Just gently swirl it in each jar. Now pack any additional vegetable you can. 

I pack tight at this point you want to leave a half inch head space. Wipe your jars around the top and place your lids and bands. Tighten them and give them a water bath for 15 minutes at a rapid boil.  Make sure they are not touching they need their space. Once the time is up wait for about 5 minutes and carefully remove your jars and set them on a towel to cool. Let them cool overnight or all day. When you go to store them take off the band and wipe them clean. You never want to store your canned goods with the band on the jar. It could have some particles on it and it will go bad on and around your jar. Euu