Pickles

[digsdirt]

I think you might be asking about the Russian Fermented Tomato Pickles? The are not brined and no vinegar is used. They are fermented with salt and a bit of sugar (optional) then stored in the fridge for approx. 3 months. It is the fermenting process that makes them safe to consume.

If so then the only real safety issues are (1) using the correct amount of sea or canning salt for the amount of produce and jar size - 1 T per quart, and (2) fermenting them for at least a full 7 days before consuming so that the beneficial bacteria has sufficient time to develop.

You might want to start with 1 quart the first time to see if you really like them and be sure to start with boiled to sterilize jars. Just fill the jar with tomatoes/vegetables and herbs/seasonings of your choice, use basil, mixed Italian, dill, hot pepper flakes or black pepper corns, garlic, etc.
Fill the jar with boiled water that has been allowed to cool to room temp. Remove any air bubbles in the jar and leave a 2" space at the top for expansion. Add 1 T sea or canning saltto the jar and wedge the vegetables below the water level (half a tomato dome side up works well to do that). Place cap on tightly and invert the jar several times to mix the salt throughout then loosely cap the jar. Set in a bowl to catch overflow and ferment out of the direct sun for 7 days. Check daily and if any scum has formed on top skim it off and toss it. When finished, store in the fridge.

Hope this helps.

Dave

[BlackBear]

yum yum sounds good !

I saw these pictures of Big huge 1 gallon 2 gallon clear glass jars of "Pickled" preserved Tomatoes ...how intriguing !

I think it has a lot of potential for tomatoes ...and end of the garden storage mixes ......not waste etc.

and the use of Italian herbs and spices as well as possibly other Slavic recipes seem
very interesting to me.

Will definitely have to start a serious file with recipes in this preserves "Art " .

It seems better to me than irradiation.

[Tracydr]

We do a lot of ferments,especially a pepper mash, which we mix with fresh tomatoes,cilantro,onions and lime when ready to eat.
Peppers seem to take a bit more salt and we've found adding 1/2 cup of organic vinegar at the end extends shelf life. We are still eating some from last summer.
I'm planning to experiment with a fermented salsa this year. I will probably use a lot of lime juice at the end of this fermentation for extra acid and flavor.
Easiest to ferment are the cabbages. Pickles I've had good and bad batches. Eggplant pickles and armenian cucumber dills are wonderful. The Joy of Pickling is a great place to start.

[BlackBear]

yes ! those are good tips and good info.

thanks

[Worth1]

If you start liking what you are doing you may want to invest in a fermenting crock like this one.
My Mother used a 5 gallon one.

[BlackBear]

ah ha perhaps ......

this concept of "fermenting " was a bit fuzzy to me as before I called it pickling

as it was a form of preserving produce .

this is most interesting ....

[wormgirl]

Blackbear, there are two kinds of pickling, one with salt & vinegar and one by fermentation with just salt. They are both delicious and wonderful ways to preserve. Furthermore, you can do "quick pickles" with salt, sugar and vinegar that can be refrigerated rather than canned. All of these methods are "pickling," so you were not incorrect. But to say fermented or fermented pickles is more specific.

I don't have a lot of experience with ferments but have been experimenting. Sandor Elix Katz has two good books on fermenting I've been meaning to get. I also have Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon, which is loaded with fermented food recipes of all types. Not just veggies but fruit, beverages, condiments, breads like sourdough, even fermented bean dips.

Dave, thanks for the great recipe! (Good to see you here!) I am definitely going to try that this year. I have a couple questions: What size do you cut the tomatoes? And also, if you fill the jars first, then put in salt, then pack it full of tomatoes doesn't most of the water overflow out of the jar? (Is that why you shake after rather than stirring before, to ensure enough salt stays in?)

TracyDr, that pepper mash sounds good. Is that with sweet peppers, hot, or a blend?

Worth, I can't see your pic but I expect it looks similar to the 3 gallon one I inherited. It stiil has the lid!

Jenn

PS: Last year someone gave me a recipe for Dilly Green Tomatoes, a vinegar pickle. They put cherry & small tomatoes whole WITH STEM in a vinegar pickle (with dill of course) and process, then start eating at Thanksgiving. I was going to try it, but never got around to it and all my tomatoes ripened, HA!

[BlackBear]

I found an interesting Book for this topic :

Preserving Food without Freezing or canning Complete ( Jan 2007 )


original publication in Paris 1992 by Terre Vevante


English translation 1999 and 2007 ?

Chesea green publishing company ..Vermont .




The book explains traditional techniques of preservation


using Salt , Oil , Sugar , Alcohol , Vinegar , Drying , Cold storage ,

lactic fermentation etc.


the book has a grid at the back with a list of produce and

the acceptable preservation techniques (with out canning or freezing)


Tomatoes have a diverse potential for preserving .......


Whole /inground silo, cellar, lactic fermentation ,
Drying, Oil , Vinegar , salt , sweet and sour , .........

notably NOT sugar or alcohol methods ......(will have to read more in depth).


I will keep looking in the general preserve/canning books for

the "Russian "/ Slavic ethnic recipes for this sort of non canning /

non freezing .....techniques .

[Worth1]

I cant see the picture either.

Worth

[BlackBear]

Originally Posted by wormgirl

Blackbear, there are two kinds of pickling, one with salt & vinegar and one by fermentation with just salt. They are both delicious and wonderful ways to preserve. Furthermore, you can do "quick pickles" with salt, sugar and vinegar that can be refrigerated rather than canned. All of these methods are "pickling," so you were not incorrect. But to say fermented or fermented pickles is more specific.

I don't have a lot of experience with ferments but have been experimenting. Sandor Elix Katz has two good books on fermenting I've been meaning to get. I also have Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon, which is loaded with fermented food recipes of all types. Not just veggies but fruit, beverages, condiments, breads like sourdough, even fermented bean dips.

Dave, thanks for the great recipe! (Good to see you here!) I am definitely going to try that this year. I have a couple questions: What size do you cut the tomatoes? And also, if you fill the jars first, then put in salt, then pack it full of tomatoes doesn't most of the water overflow out of the jar? (Is that why you shake after rather than stirring before, to ensure enough salt stays in?)

TracyDr, that pepper mash sounds good. Is that with sweet peppers, hot, or a blend?

Worth, I can't see your pic but I expect it looks similar to the 3 gallon one I inherited. It stiil has the lid!

Jenn

PS: Last year someone gave me a recipe for Dilly Green Tomatoes, a vinegar pickle. They put cherry & small tomatoes whole WITH STEM in a vinegar pickle (with dill of course) and process, then start eating at Thanksgiving. I was going to try it, but never got around to it and all my tomatoes ripened, HA!

oh geeeese all this talk of various pickles and condiments and confections

is very motivating ....ha ha ha

and makes me hungry just talking about it ha ha ha

This will be the year I get serious with the preserves and varied recipes.

[digsdirt]

Dave, thanks for the great recipe! (Good to see you here!) I am definitely going to try that this year. I have a couple questions: What size do you cut the tomatoes? And also, if you fill the jars first, then put in salt, then pack it full of tomatoes doesn't most of the water overflow out of the jar? (Is that why you shake after rather than stirring before, to ensure enough salt stays in?)

You can cut them however you wish. Just use firm tomatoes (I use lots of cherry types and roma types) if you are going to cut them as you don't want them to be really mushy. I'd say quarters tops. You fill the jars with the tomatoes and other vegetables first, then salt, then water, cap and invert a couple of times to mix the salt. Some recommend doing it a bit different - fill with vegetables, fill with water, then dump the water out into a bowl and mix the salt into it well, then refill the jar with the salted water. Either works.

Dave

[Keiththibodeaux]

I just bought this last week.

[BlackBear]

Originally Posted by Worth1

I cant see the picture either.

Worth

awesome Pix worth ....

I used similar jars to prepare Icelandic "rolipilsa " (pickled sheep shanks ....then frozen and sliced very translucent thin with crackers and capers etc. )

hmmmm this fermenting stuff is a sort of lost food art eh ?

[Worth1]

These crocks have a raised lip under the lid and when you cover it you pour water in the trough and it seals the lid.

My mom made all of our kraut and pickles with crocks fermenting them.

I need to start doing it too.

Worth

[coronabarb]

Keith, I bought that book for my daughter for Christmas. Fermenting is very popular here. The MFP course featured instructions/demo for making both sauerkraut (which is very big in this state) as well as kimchi. Our farmer's market has a gal who is very successful with her kombucha. Lots of interest in fermenting veggies and fruit here.