Cucumber Pickles

[duajones]

As I mentioned, my first batch was in an 80 oz jar instead of a gallon. While they were good, they were a little too tart for most peoples taste. My sons girlfriend liked them so much, she asked me to make her a batch exactly like that one, which I did yesterday. I also sowed seeds for county fair yesterday, which I am looking forward to using with the recipe.

[harleysilo]

Originally Posted by duajones

As I mentioned, my first batch was in an 80 oz jar instead of a gallon. While they were good, they were a little too tart for most peoples taste. My sons girlfriend liked them so much, she asked me to make her a batch exactly like that one, which I did yesterday. I also sowed seeds for county fair yesterday, which I am looking forward to using with the recipe.

So, any updates???????????????????????????????

[duajones]

I made up a batch and added some jalapenos from my garden. Nice addition as it added just a touch of heat, but still very good. forgot to add that while the pickles used were primarily boothbys blonde, there was one diva in the batch and since its practically seedless, it makes a good pickle in my opinion.

[felpec]

Let me start off by saying I have HATED pickled beets for nigh on fifty years now. They have always been so sickening sweet that my teeth would ache just looking at them.

Until...my aunt (who still gardens vigorously at 82 years young) brought over a jar of her homemade ones. My DH ate the entire quart jar, but I did manage to grab the next to the last one.

I love these - and thought I'd share this recipe. It comes from a 1944 Good Housekeeping cookbook, when sugar was rationed during WWII, so they're not too sweet. And I need to go pick my 100 foot row of beets tomorrow.

2 cups cooked or canned beets, drained (save the juice)
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cloves, powdered
1/2 cut clove garlic
6 tablespoons vinegar
1/4 cup water (I use the juice from cooking the beets)

Slice the beets and place in a bowl. In another bowl, measure mustard, sugar, salt, cloves and garlic. Add vinegar and water (or beet juice) gradually while stirring. When the mixture is smooth, pour over the beets.
Put in the refrigerator to chill; then remove the garlic, and serve with meat or fish.

I put the beets and garlic into quart jars and make enough liquid to cover - and I leave the garlic in there. Store in the refrigerator. I don't think this recipe is suitable for canning, due to the low ratio of sugar and vinegar to vegetable.

Enjoy!

[shelleybean]

Sounds good. I want to try this recipe this coming fall. Thanks for posting!

M.

[Mischka]

My thanks too, for posting your recipe.

Mrs. M. is an avid beet fan and I'll be sure to try it when my fall beets are ready to harvest.

She has a very old family recipe for Polish Beet Soup that I make several times a year. I have to quadruple the recipe because her family shows up with empty Tupperware containers, once the word is out I've made a batch.

I'll post it here if anyone would like it. It's customary to serve it with marble rye bread and mashed potatoes, but not mandatory.

[felpec]

Mischka,

Please do post it. I put up 20 pounds of beets yesterday, and always save the cooking water for a starter for beet soup.

Thanks.

[Granny]

This is about the recipe I have always used. After you have eaten all the beets in the jar, put peeled hard boiled eggs in and leave them a couple or three days. You then have Amish pink pickled eggs. Lovely for summer picnics.

[Mischka]

Originally Posted by felpec

Mischka,

Please do post it. I put up 20 pounds of beets yesterday, and always save the cooking water for a starter for beet soup.

Thanks.

Traditional Polish Beet Soup
Original Recipe from Stella Augustynski (Mrs. M's grandmother)

Approximately 9-10 good sized raw beets (tennis ball size or better)
2 lbs. country style ribs OR end cut pork roast
5 cups water
6 stalks celery, thinly sliced
2 large onions, diced fine
3 pints heavy cream
8 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablepoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Dice your onions.

Brown the pork and onions in a large pot with a little bit of butter.

Add the water and boil until the pork is tender. Skim off any foam and discard. Remove meat from water and set aside until cool enough to pull apart into small, bite sized pieces. SAVE the water.

While your meat is cooling:

Julienne slice your beets. I use a mandolin slicer for this. (You could dice them as long as you dice them into very small cubes)
Chop up your celery into thin slices.

Add your meat, beets and celery into the saved water and heat until it begins to simmer. Keep it simmering - not a rolling hard boil.

While this is simmering, in another pan, heat the heavy cream up slowly (scorches if you do this fast) until the cream is very warm to the touch. Do NOT let it boil.

While stirring the simmering beets/meat, slowly stir in the hot cream.

Add your salt and pepper, then again while stirring, add your vinegar.

Simmer this slowly until the beets are tender to the bite. I think about 30 minutes will do it.

This is traditionally served in a bowl, over a scoop of mashed potatoes and with buttered slices of marbled rye bread. I don't always make the potatoes but I never forget the marbled rye!

[felpec]

Mischka, this would be perfect for my fall Lutz beet crop (another 100 foot row - can you tell we LOVE beets?) Thanks so much for posting it.

What is not to love about a rich bowl of soup, mashed taters and a great marbled rye bread!

I have to say one of the reasons I hated living in Texas (Number 1 on the list was the fire ants crawling out of the walls into our bed) was their bread. I grew up in the Northeast as a total bread "junkie". We went to a really fancy wedding in Fort Worth - the bread on the table? Mrs. Baird's white bread out of the bag. I could NOT believe it!

[shelleybean]

I made a gallon of these this morning. They look so yummy, I don't know if I'll be able to wait a week to try them! 8) I'll report back once we're allowed to eat them.

[shelleybean]

Okay, I tried my pickles today. They are quite tasty. If you like the Clausen pickles in the refrigerated section at the store, you will probably like these, too. The flavor is similar but these have more flavor because of all the herbs and spices. These are very good. Thanks for sharing the recipe!

[duajones]

I am currently making quart size jars with variations of the recipe. Made 2 batches yesterday but couldnt find any fresh dill so I used dill seed. Interested to see how they turn out.

[harleysilo]

Originally Posted by shelleybean

Okay, I tried my pickles today. They are quite tasty. If you like the Clausen pickles in the refrigerated section at the store, you will probably like these, too. The flavor is similar but these have more flavor because of all the herbs and spices. These are very good. Thanks for sharing the recipe!

You are welcome!

[shelleybean]

REFRIGERATOR BREAD AND BUTTER PICKLES
3 cups white vinegar
4 cups sugar
1/4 cup canning salt
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. celery seed
1 tsp. mustard seed
1 tsp. pickling spice

10 cups sliced cucumbers
1 cup sliced onion
1 cup sliced sweet peppers

Combine vinegar and next six ingredients in a stainless steel saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook until sugar is dissolved. Cool. Pour over veggies and store in glass jar(s) in refrigerator. These will keep for several weeks. They are especially good on hamburgers, hot dogs and sandwiches but I also use them in potato, chicken, tuna and egg salad.

Makes three quarts.