Did I ruin my pickles by slicing before brining?

14 years ago

I am trying to make my grandmother's 14-day Iowa Sweet pickles. They soak in a brine solution for 8 days, then you start in with the vinegar/alum/spices for the remaining 6 days.

I just bought my cukes today, washed, sliced, placed in the crock and poured the brine over all. Then I realized the recipe doesn't have you slicing the cukes until the end of the brining step.

So did I mess up? Are they going to rot, or will it be ok? I figure at this point, I could still do another type of pickle, the kind that I would can today. But I really miss those 14 day pickles and wanted to make them....

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Comments (10)

ksrogers
14 years ago
Probably going to be quite salty, and might not be very firm. The salt is used to draw water out of the cukes, and slicing them would draw out even more. Rinse well after the brine soak. Need to see your whole recipe..
kathy_in_washington
14 years ago
You're well on your way to Bread 'n Butter pickles if you want. All you need is some onions and bell peppers to slice and combine with your sliced cucumbers. They're quick, easy, and delicious. Then tomorrow you can begin with Grandma's recipe ... again!

Sorry I can't help with your grandmother's recipe or that process.

Kathy
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readinglady
14 years ago
I doubt you would have the results you desire. That week-long fermentation will destroy those slices. Your idea of doing a quick pickle sounds like a good way to salvage those cukes.

Carol
eve22
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks!! really appreciate all the feedback. I'll post the whole recipe later (don't have internet connection at home right now, don't have recipe here) but first it has you bringing 2 cups of pickling salt and 4 qts of water to a boil, pouring over pickles in a crock, placing a plate on top of the liquid, weighting down as necessary, and stirring every day for 8 days.

Then on the 8th day you start in with an alum / cinnamon oil / clove oil mixture, and on some kind of schedule for the next six days you pour that off, boil it, and return it to the crock.

I think my cukes are too big anyway. Granny would pick them about thumb sized from her garden.... I am relying on farmer's market stuff and it's not going so well. Yeah, i know... grow my own next year....

I'll have to read up on fermentation. most of the recipes I saw on brining and fermentation were for really long periods, like 6 weeks?

thanks again!
eve22
Original Author
14 years ago
more on the 8th day step... that step also includes the vinegar, obviously :)
readinglady
14 years ago
Fermentation doesn't necessarily require 6 weeks but it will be interesting to see your recipe. Then we can offer more focused feedback.

Carol
ksrogers
14 years ago
Go easy on alum and clove. Neither will help crispness and the clove oil would be quite strong. I have weed killer that is 85% clove oil and it can eat through plastic! Smells sickening after a while too. Cinnamon oil is quite hot (spicy) and it too can get way too strong a flavor. Using 'oils' in pickling isn't really a good way to season them.
readinglady
14 years ago
There is nothing wrong with using oils in pickling. You just have to be sure you use them in very small amounts.

Farm wives have used cinnamon and clove oils in pickling for many years because they don't discolor the pickles the way whole spices do.

Carol
Linda_Lou
14 years ago
I do agree, I would not finish the batch with the sliced cukes. The water brine is to toughen the skins and to remove impurities in the cukes.
Have you looked at my Linda Lou's Sweet Pickle chunk recipe ? It is SO good ! You may want to try them, too. Everyone seems to love them.
I would leave out the alum. It can make them softer in the jars. It only works in fully fermented pickles to make them firm. Otherwise it is not good to add.
The fermentation you are asking about is for dill pickles.
ksrogers
14 years ago
Added 3 drops or cinnamon oil to a batch of apple pie jam and it was VERY hot and spicy!!

Did I ruin my pickles by slicing before brining?

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Did I ruin my pickles by slicing before brining?

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