Pick a Peck of Perfect Pickles

Crisp pickles are the gold standard for those who make them at home. Raw
cucumbers are naturally crunchy, but keeping that crispness during the pickling process can be a bit tricky.

Let’s start with the cucumbers themselves. First, not all cucumbers are destined to be pickles. Select pickling not slicing or salad cucumbers. Likewise, varieties that claim “burpless” status do not make the best pickles either. Information about cucumber varieties is available in seed catalogs, University of Missouri Extension publication G6201 Vegetable Planting Calendar, or from staff at farmer’s markets and nurseries.

Growing conditions can affect pickle crispness. Cucumbers grown during dry weather are more likely to be shriveled and flabby. They tend to develop a bitter flavor as well. Unfortunately, there is no cure for this problem in years with spotty rainfall. Start the pickling process as soon as possible after the cucumbers are picked. If they must be held, store in the refrigerator to reduce moisture loss and slow enzyme activity that ultimately leads to spoilage.

Wash cucumbers very well, especially around the stem where soil may cling. Bacteria in the soil can cause softening of the cucumber and ultimately pickles made from them. Enzymes in cucumber blossoms also cause soft pickles. Removing a 1/16-inch slice will solve this problem.

Other ingredients can also affect crispness of pickles. If water is one of the ingredients in the pickle recipe, and if the water used has been treated in a water softener, pickles will lack crunch. Softened water = soft pickles.

Likewise, weak brine (salt solution) or weak vinegar can lead to soft pickles. Do not
reduce the amount of salt or vinegar in pickle recipes. Add more sugar if the recipe is too tart, or use a recipe specifically designed for low-sodium pickles if that is the kind of product desired. And, use pure granulated salt such as “pickling” or “canning” salt which does not contain anti-caking agents.

Old time recipes often suggest the use of firming agents such as alum or grape leaves. If good quality ingredients are used in pickling and up-to-date methods are followed, these are not needed for crisp pickles.

The calcium in lime, however, can improve pickle firmness. One cup of food-grade lime mixed with ½-cup salt in a gallon of water may be used as a lime-water solution for soaking fresh cucumbers 12 to 24 hours before pickling them. However, excess lime absorbed by the cucumbers must be removed to make safe pickles. To remove excess lime, drain the lime-water solution, rinse and then re-soak the cucumbers in fresh water for 1 hour. Repeat the rinsing and soaking steps two more times. Use this process only when recipe indicates.

Pickled products spoil easily unless they are canned and processed properly. Some
pickles may be successfully processed in simmering water (180°F) for 30 minutes, resulting in crisper products. To do so, pack the room temperature product into hot sterilized jars. Fill jars with 165°F to 180°F liquid, leaving ½-inch head space. Seal jars and process at 180°F for 30 minutes. Be sure to use a thermometer. This temperature is hard to maintain without one. Again, use this process only when the recipe indicates this is an option.

Recipes that feature these options are included in University of Missouri Extension publication GH1457, In a Pickle.

Recipes for low sodium or low sugar pickles are common requests of callers to University of Missouri Extension offices. The recipes printed here and on page four are both from the
National Center for Home Food Preservation website, http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/index.html. The “No-Sugar Added Sweet Cucumber Slices” is a newly developed recipe using the sweetener Splenda. Both of these recipes have been thoroughly tested for safety and quality. For safety, do not make changes to them.

Other August  2005 Articles:
Pick a Peck of Perfect Pickles
No-Sugar Added Sweet Cucumber Slices
Pointers for Sweet and Hot Peppers
Tangy Tomatillo Relish
Reduced-Sodium Sliced Dill Pickles