Crisp canned cauliflower?

Earl · September 19, 2007

I just canned some cauliflower and the flavor is very good but it's not very crisp. Any suggestions on making it come out crisp? Soak it in lime or alum for a couple days before canning??? Thanks!

cosmicgardener · September 19, 2007

I just dunk it to blanch it for a few seconds in boiling water and salt, then freeze it. I've never tried canning or bottling but think those methods will cook it too much hence it becoming soft. Same with broccoli.

cosmic

remy · September 20, 2007

Hi Earl,
Have you tried soaking it in salt water overnight? I have not done cauliflower, but everything else I've pickled comes out crisper that way. I would think it would work on the cauliflower too.
Remy

Worth1 · September 21, 2007

If Earl is talking about pressure cooking I don’t think there is any way to make it come out crispy.
Freezing is the better option, but nothing beats fresh.
20 psi at 20 or 30 minutes is the required time I think. It has been years since the last time I have done it.

Pickling of course is a different story.

Worth

Earl · September 21, 2007

I'm talking about pickled cauliflower, Worth. Should have been more clear. I found some Ball Pickle Crisp {calcium chloride} that's supposed to make veggies crisp. I'll give it a try. Even without being very crisp, what I made was very good, and easy to make.

Granny · September 23, 2007

Pickle Crisp should do it for you Earl. Not quite so good as old-fashioned slaked lime but far FAR easier to lay hands on these days!

What recipe did you use? (My favorite pickle in the entire world is pickled cauliflower - the sweet/sour yellow kind.)

Earl · September 24, 2007

Same here, Granny. I mostly went by the Ball Blue Book recipe, using ground mustard because I didn't have any mustard seeds. If I'm not careful I can go through a pint in a NY second. :-)

Granny · September 25, 2007

Earl, when it comes to that pickled cauliflower and those little bitty pickled "cocktail" onions, if I open the jar, the jar is gone.

igarden · October 20, 2007

i've never pickled cauliflower...yet...but when i pickle cukes, i keep them chilled for 2 to 8 hours before i can them in the hot liquid. going from the extreme cold to extreme hot seems to keep them nice and crisp! might work for the cauliflower, maybe.

September 19, 2007	#1
Earl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 1,278	Crisp canned cauliflower? I just canned some cauliflower and the flavor is very good but it's not very crisp. Any suggestions on making it come out crisp? Soak it in lime or alum for a couple days before canning??? Thanks! __________________ "Seriously think about what you're about to do/say before you do it and the outcome will always be better." Earl

September 19, 2007	#2
cosmicgardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Tasmania, Australia Posts: 407	I just dunk it to blanch it for a few seconds in boiling water and salt, then freeze it. I've never tried canning or bottling but think those methods will cook it too much hence it becoming soft. Same with broccoli. cosmic __________________ http://cosmicgardening.blogspot.com

September 20, 2007	#3
remy Buffalo-Niagara Tomato TasteFest™ Coordinator Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Z6 WNY Posts: 2,354	Hi Earl, Have you tried soaking it in salt water overnight? I have not done cauliflower, but everything else I've pickled comes out crisper that way. I would think it would work on the cauliflower too. Remy __________________ "I wake to sleep and take my waking slow" -Theodore Roethke Yes, we have a great party for WNY/Ontario tomato growers every year on Grand Island! Owner of The Sample Seed Shop

September 21, 2007	#5
Earl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 1,278	I'm talking about pickled cauliflower, Worth. Should have been more clear. I found some Ball Pickle Crisp {calcium chloride} that's supposed to make veggies crisp. I'll give it a try. Even without being very crisp, what I made was very good, and easy to make. __________________ "Seriously think about what you're about to do/say before you do it and the outcome will always be better." Earl

September 24, 2007	#7
Earl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 1,278	Same here, Granny. I mostly went by the Ball Blue Book recipe, using ground mustard because I didn't have any mustard seeds. If I'm not careful I can go through a pint in a NY second. :-) __________________ "Seriously think about what you're about to do/say before you do it and the outcome will always be better." Earl

September 21, 2007	#4
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	If Earl is talking about pressure cooking I don’t think there is any way to make it come out crispy. Freezing is the better option, but nothing beats fresh. 20 psi at 20 or 30 minutes is the required time I think. It has been years since the last time I have done it. Pickling of course is a different story. Worth

September 23, 2007	#6
Granny Tomatovillian™ Honoree Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 507	Pickle Crisp should do it for you Earl. Not quite so good as old-fashioned slaked lime but far FAR easier to lay hands on these days! What recipe did you use? (My favorite pickle in the entire world is pickled cauliflower - the sweet/sour yellow kind.)

September 25, 2007	#8
Granny Tomatovillian™ Honoree Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 507	Earl, when it comes to that pickled cauliflower and those little bitty pickled "cocktail" onions, if I open the jar, the jar is gone.

October 20, 2007	#9
igarden Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: eastern washington Posts: 53	i've never pickled cauliflower...yet...but when i pickle cukes, i keep them chilled for 2 to 8 hours before i can them in the hot liquid. going from the extreme cold to extreme hot seems to keep them nice and crisp! might work for the cauliflower, maybe.