Cucumber Pickles

[recruiterg]

I saw an Alton Brown - Good Eats episode where he made dill pickles in the basement. Does anyone have a recipe for this method (ie. not refridgerator pickles)?

[shelleybean]

I don't have the reicpe but you can probably get it from www.foodnetwork.com and check in the GOOD EATS recipes.

[duajones]

Came across these recipes awhile back and have made several batches changing up the seasoning here and there and havent had a bad pickle yet. I have sliced all of mine versus spears and they are real tasty after only 24 hours. Great for small batches

http://www.thehungrymouse.com/home/2...ning-required/

http://www.thehungrymouse.com/home/2...fresh-pickles/

[shelleybean]

Yum, yum, yum! Mine are about gone from this past summer. Too bad it's not cuke growing time here! I'd make some of these now. I'll keep this in mind for next summer. Thanks.

[duajones]

About the only thing that has done well for me this fall is the Boston Pickling cukes I am growing. Picked around 35 so far and it looks like I will get another 20 or so before the plants are done. I am thankful that they have done well as most everything else is struggling for whatever reason. I am really enjoying the pickles and they are so easy to make

[duajones]

I should add that both recipes call for using white balsalmic or white wine vinegar which I didnt have for my first few batches. I used white wine vinegar on my last batch and didnt like it as well. I will continue to use rice vinegar and plain white vinegar in future recipes

[Penny]

Good links, thanks.

[tessa]

duane....thanks for this! i've got the cukes coming in now and was going to spend some time tomorrow searching for a recipe.
you've made my day just that much easier!

[duajones]

cool Tessa! Let us know how they turn out and dont be afraid to experiment. These are ready to eat the next day but do improve in flavor after a couple of days. You will know what you got flavor wise on the second day. Dont like it , change ingredients and make another batch. I like that because I dont have to wait weeks to know what I have. Good luck to ya

[tessa]

duane...i can see this a ripper recipe.
i've had a tragic accident, however.
since there is precious little jewish community here in perth...there was also no kosher salt. so i used regular salt. this was a BIG ERROR. researching the difference between kosher and regular salt AFTER THE FACT was just plain stooopid.
so my pickles are extremely salty.
i would suggest to anyone following this recipe...that if they can't find the kosher salt...to use regular salt...but try 2 tsp instead of 2 tbs.

oh well.
more of them gherkins on the way as we speak.
also...i thought it might be nice to do up a batch of cauliflower and red peppers this way too.

[Zana]

Tessa,

I am probably like you in that I prefer less salty pickles. However, you might offer those to friends that like to do some serious drinking. My younger bro used to make batches of what he called his drinking pickles - about double or triple the amount of salt that anybody else could stand. Apparently they're great for hangovers...or when you're still drunk and have the munchies....or just whenver - he's a serious salt addict.

So don't toss them out.

The iodine in regular table salt really doesn't react well in brines with pickles. And can leave a weird aftertaste in my estimation....not just the salty flavour. Kosher salt or sea salt have no additives, so don't produce that same reaction.

But will be interesting to see how your's turn out.

Duane,

Great looking recipe. Might have to do some mixed pickles and try it out.

[duajones]

I used pickling salt in mine and for the bread and butter recipe, I used a little sliced onion as well. They were very good

[Zana]

Pickling salt is basically the same as kosher salt. No additives like iodine.

[tessa]

okay...so i went out and got sea salt.
re-tried the recipe using half the salt called for.
it's much better...but still a little salty, however, not out of the realm of pickle saltiness like the first batch.
so i threw both batches together into one jar...and these will be great drinking pickles.
the recipe is the bomb and i will keep it...however...i think that maybe they might have written 2 tbs in the recipe when they meant 2 tsp of salt.
i challenge someone else to try the recipe and tell me if there is a typo there.

there is no pickling salt here where i am. also...there is no pickling spice, such i as i knew at home. three hours of driving/shopping/store scouring failed to turn up any celery seeds. surely they must exist here?
so...i doubled up on the mustard seeds...which i would recommend to anyone else to double what's called for as well.
love to pop them in my mouth!

[Zana]

Looking good Tessa!!! LOL.....so the recipe as is becomes known as the "drinking pickles" version and the less salt is the one for the sober ones among us? LOL...she says with tongue firmly planted in cheek.