Floating is usually not a safety issue. It simply means that air was still trapped in the vegetable pieces. Over time, assuming it was processed correctly, they will sink. But slimy can be a serious problem as it is often indicative of too low acid brine (too little vinegar) and the food should not be consumed. The problem okra is often slimy naturally, especially if overly mature when harvested. So there is no way to know if the slimy results was from the okra or the too-low-acidity. To be safe I would recommend tossing them. " Are these ingredients good enough to can 1 quart of okra I'm using canning salt, garlic, ( ball) kosher dill pickle mix , and some (ball) mixed pickling spice, and the okra. These are the ingredients I have as of now. I know nothing at all." There are many tested and approved recipes for making pickled okra and when one is new to canning only those tested and approved recipes should be used. In all cases the amounts that can be added are limited to the specific amounts in the recipe - no additions. In other words the Ball Kosher Dill Pickle Mix is safe to use IF you follow the instructions on the label. I don't have a packet of it to check butyou would use only the packet mix, and the vinegar and water it calls for and the okra. No additional pickling spices or salt can be added unless the instructions call for them. I doubt they do as the salt and all the spices should already be in the mix in the packet. As for quarts - only if the instructions call for quarts. Normally such instructions are for pints only and you can never go to a larger jar than what is in the instructions as it creates safety issues in the pH and the processing time required. If you want to use an approved recipe for Pickled Okra instead use this one. http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_06/pickled_dill_okra.html Dave

I am always happy to hear that people get enjoyment out of my help. Thats why I make an effort to really be active here where I am apprieciated. You will now know that the 2 first jars are vinegar 'topped off', and hae beein made space in the fridge. Had to readjust the fridge shelves for those tall 1/2 gallon jars. Aslo, Mrs. Wages, semes to be offering a few 'refrigerator type' pickle mixes, that need no heat process, but instead do pickling with mostly vinegar instead of a salt water brine. They also have a pickled beet and dilly bean pickle mix now too. Canning Pantry offers these. After the summer and all the heat and busy, I hope to do some Canadian bacon again, as well as a batch of pepperoni, salami, some beer bratwurst, and cheedar cheese sausgaes. If they get me off the steroids and my sense of taste and smell can come back. I expect that most of what I had left in the freezer should be cooked by the end of summer. Tonight, I was actully able to sip lemonaid and almost tasted tart. A friend asked me if I would like to go out for a steak at the Texas Road House. I had to decline, even knowing how tempting it was, as it just wouldn't taste like a steak to me. As you can see, another sleepless night too.. hate being sick.

The nice thing about the commercial mixes they are cheap, easy and tasty. You need to know how to but crisp in pickles. If you grow your own it's hard , if your like me you want to do 28 quarts at a time, that means 30 lbs of cucumbers. I go to the farmers market early buy the cukes I want take them home but them in ice water them the frig over night. I have my jars ready, and fresh dill weed, just for looks, Mrs Wages polish are a family favorite, as well as a simple recipe of dill weed, garlic , vinegar, salt, and water. An other recipe add red pepper flakes. You know how to pack the cukes add the mix. The next step is important. But the filled jars in the canner, bring the water to a boil remove the jars. Crisp pickles, wait a month before eating. Then with all canned food if its dis colored, looks funny, smells funny, don't taste it , discard it! Wrs wages makes a great bread & butter mix zesty. Ball also makes a great bread& butter mix.

Thanks, I decided to try it, and I also gave some peppers to my neighbor, I'm really over run with my hot peppers, now if my bells would just turn red! Looks like another batch of annie's salsa and some crushed maters, and the pepper rings are on the list! I'm bummed because I grew dill and it did great, but is dyeing off before I could use it! My cukes did terrible this year and so did our green beans! My lettuce never took at all. I don't know what went wrong with it! Oh well looking forward to next year's crop! Thanks again Brenda