Different recipes often have different processing times. I'm not familiar with the ingredients in their mixes as I am with the Mrs. Wages mixes but if you are going to use their mix then yes, you should follow their directions. That is how the recipe was lab tested for safety. When one starts comparing different recipes with different ingredients and different processing times it is not only confusing but it can turn very risky. Dave

"3 1/3 c vinegar and 7 1/3 c water" (they are also smaller packs and make less pickles). That is a 50:50 (even a little better than 50:50) mix and would be safe. Erica - it finally dawned on me during supper just how flat out wrong my math was when I said that. It never was my strong suit and age has made it even less so. I still feel the Mrs. Wages mixes are safe to use because of the long established experience with them and their added citric acid, but please disregard my flawed math assurances when making up your mind, ok? Sorry for the confusion. Dave PS: yes on the Annie's salsa question assuming you use the full cup of acid (vinegar, bottled lemon or lime juice).

Dolivo, I hope by now that you've done the following: Telephoned Mrs. Wage's customer service number and gotten answers to your questions, and Been reassured that your pickles will be satisfactory to eat for the six months as Mrs. Wage's package stated. As far as being concerned about "soggy pickles" you have perhaps not been aware of a product by Ball's called PICKLE CRISP. If you want to read (more than you ever want to know!) about it, you can search those words on this forum. There's no need to ask questions here, though, because the answers are on this forum and also on the little Ball's container. You can also learn from reading Ball's reviews of the product. So, if you'd like to see what it looks like and read about it, go to the link below. It's an easy solution, and an inexpensive investment that will work for you on pickling cucumbers and also other canned products. To save yourself some time by shopping all over town, you might want to telephone a couple of stores to see if they have any more in stock. That should keep you from driving around town searching. Oftentimes stores don't carry much of this product and -- as you know -- it IS pickling season, so they might have sold ot. Good luck, Kathy Here is a link that might be useful: Ball's Pickle Crisp

Bill, You are the nth person calling me a mad man. I am proud of my mental state...LOL If any off balance fool wants to replicate my Nga Chutney pickle, he or she may have to either pay the royalty for the recipe or try and hold me to ransom. Hahahaha Seriously speaking, a research of almost two years has gone into perfecting the recipe which I am planning to exploit commercially (if this economic downturn continues any more). I am also giving finishing touches to my Hot sauce which my friend in Ohio is going to test, taste and certify as "Fit for Non Human consumption" Hope you won't mind dear friend. NJA