I'm surprised you couldn't find pickling spice in S&S, most all the grocery stores here in CT have it. You could always make your own mix, though I couldn't find whole coriander seeds. Got mustard seeds at Big Y. Haven't found pickling salt yet (been using plain non-iodized salt), have to make it to Tractor Supply.

San Francisco Herb Co on line is the cheeps i have found.

you hjave to order a mim. of thirty dollars but that will get you a lot of herbs.

one pound of pickling spice is around three dollars and dill seed is less.

Dean

Hope you don't mind if I don't re-type all the info already in the discussion linked below. Unless they are sold out, both pickling spices and canning salt are sold in the salt, pepper, and spices section of any large chain grocery store including WalMart Super Centers.

This question comes up a couple of times every year and it is always found. ;) The problem is that people just don't know what to look for. But they are there. Just ask the department manager.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: How to find canning salt discussion

Speaking as another person who lives in Massachusetts, in one of the Boston suburbs - it is very difficult to find canning supplies around here. We are an urban area, many people live on 5,000 sf lots. Canning isn't very popular. Home vegetable gardening isn't very popular. And most of the Farmers Markets have a higher percentage of people selling artisan food than actual fruits and veggies. And the fruits and veggies are expensive - I paid $4 for a head of broccoli today. And $4.50 for a pint of blueberries. Neither organic.

karissa - not sure where you are located. But I saw canning salt at the Walmart in Framingham last week. (That is - if you can actually find the canning section at Walmart!). And I've seen pickling spice at the Hannaford at Twin City Plaza (the Fitchburg/Leominster Twin City.)

Pickling spice is used for a lot of cooking that has nothing to do with canning, so you will find it in the spice racks at the supermarket whether the locals can or not.

Thanks for the info. I'll try Walmart Supercenter before ordering online.

Karissa

Agree - pickling spices and canning salt both are used for many different things other than just canning. But as discussed in the other thread it doesn't come in containers like table salt and there are several different brands too. So Google pictures of both so you know what to look for.

But honestly, every single time the question comes up the person comes back and says they found it right where they they couldn't find it before because they didn't know what it looked like.

But if all else fails it is readily available online to order.

Dave

What part of SE Mass are you in? There's a grocery store in Cumberland RI (just over the border from MA) called Seabra that usually has pickling salt. That's where I found it last year! I believe I also saw it at Walmart in Attleboro.

Hi mom2wildboys and pixie_lou. I am from Blackstone, MA. Framingham is about 45 minutes away and Cumberland, RI is only about 10-15 minutes away. Where is Seabra? It sounds like it would be very convenient for me. Attleboro is good too. Actually, I might be in that area tomorrow, I'll be sure to look.

Thanks for the info,
Karissa

The best selection around Concord NH seems to be at the Agway and Blue Seal stores. Do you have any farm and feed type stores in your area? At whatever store you try, whether grocery or feed store, ask for help if you don't find it. I couldn't find it at Market Basket but it turns out they were simply sold out.

I am guilty of that 2 days ago Dave
I found the salt at the 3rd walmart and I found 2 different brands of it once I knew what I was looking for thanks to you all guys
And it only cost $1.28, Moton 4lb box right next to the Icream salt and sea salt on the bottom shelf
Thanks all who helped me
Yoshi

Stopped by the local feed store - they had Mrs. Wage's B&B Mix and 2 cases of jars, but instead of a feed store they've been "yuppified" into a garden center and pet supply.

Someone at Goodwill told me where there was an Agway not far from the hospital I was picking my cousin up at, but I made it there 10 min after closing.

DH met me at cousin's house and helped get him inside (foot surgery), then we went to Tractor Supply. They *had* Ball Canning Salt - but all sold out and not getting any more for the season. BTW, I don't know how big a box that comes in, is $2.99 good?

I can get kosher salt $1.99/3 lbs in the grocery store, I think next year if I miss it at TSC, I'll just buy kosher and grind it fine. Haven't noticed any sediment at the bottoms using plain non-iodized S&S brand salt.

I got morton canning salt today at walmart. I forget how much I paid, but it was definitely between $1 and $2. I couldn't find the pickling spices that I was looking for, but I did find a small bottle of McCormick pickling spices.

Mom2wildboys, thanks for the heads up about the Walmart in Attleboro. It had everything I needed.

Karissa

Try Costco.

Or may be Sams or Walmart, depends on where in the country you are. BJ's is good too.

The original date on this post was almost five years ago. If the salt hasn't been found by now....

However, I've got to say that I did have trouble finding canning/picking salt (I do know what to look for) last year, except for Mrs Wages which I thought was priced too high. I had enough left from the previous year to do my canned vinegar pickles. Then I just bought sea salt for my fermented pickles.

I picked up an entire selection of pickling spices - Bay leaves, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, celery seeds, dill seeds, Jamaican Allspice, black peppercorns, Szechuan peppercorns, red pepper flakes, yellow mustard seed, and curry powder - at a health food store yesterday. The only item on my list that they didn't have was brown mustard seed. There's a larger health food store on the other side of town. I'll to there for those seeds and the Kosher salt.

Everything was so very fresh, in bulk, and sooo much cheaper than I would have paid for the jarred spices at a grocery store.

My tomatoes here in North Dakota are just starting to come on with small green tomatoes. I plan on making several batches of these four versions of pickled green tomatoes. I've got everything ready...just waiting on the cherry and olive tomatoes to be fully grown but still green.

http://www.gardenbetty.com/2011/08/four-ways-to-pickled-green-tomatoes/