Question about Heinz Pickles

16 years ago

So, with the few remaining cucumbers I have left I'd like to try a sour pickle (this is my first year pickling anything). I prefer sour pickles...next year I might try fermenting.

Anyway, I found a thread using the search engine and found this from annie1992 and I'm wondering if she means 2tsp dried dill in place of the 12-14 sprigs of dill OR 2tsp per jar:

Thanks!

Astrid

These turn out perfectly for me every time. I actually prefer dried dill weed to fresh, but my husband likes the fresh dill. I have used dried dill seed and thought they were good. I used 2 tsp. dried dill weed or dill seed in place of the fresh dill. If you like a stronger dill flavor, then use 1 T. dried instead.

Kosher Dill (Heinz Recipe)

4 lbs pickling cukes

14 cloves garlic, peeled & split

1/4 cup salt

3 cups distilled or apple cider vinegar 5% acidity

3 cups water

12-14 sprigs fresh dill weed

28 peppercorns

Wash cucumbers; cut in half lengthwise. Combine garlic and next 3 ingredients; heat to boiling. Remove garlic and place 4 halves into each clean jar, then pack cucumbers, adding 2 sprigs of dill and 4 peppercorns. Pour hot vinegar solution over cucumbers to within 1/2 inch of top. Immediately adjust covers as jar manufacturer directs. Process 10 minutes in BWB. Makes 6-7 pints.

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Comments (8)

ksrogers
16 years ago
Sour pickles usually have no herbs, but maybe a few peppercorns only. They use mostly white vinegar and pickling salt and have some alum added to give them that 'pucker'. Today, alum is stil used in small quantities in some mixes from Mrs Wages and Ball. The old recipes also used a bit of tumeric for the yellow color.
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bristlingacres
Original Author
16 years ago
Okay...so I guess they're not a sour pickle (truly, I don't know anything about pickles as I eat them seldom) but the Heinz recipe doesn't call for sugar (which I wanted to avoid).

Regardless, I'm wondering about the amount of dried dill in the recipe. I don't have fresh dill and I'd like to make these pickles tomorrow as I've waited too long as it is.

Thanks.
Astrid
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I still have the lime here (Mrs. Wages brand) and it did help to hold the cukes a bit firmer for the all vinegar sour pickles. I do not use alum anymore and because it still seems to be linked to aluminium and allzheimers I was not going to even try going any further with it. The lime was used, and the whole cukes were soaked in it for 24 hours in the fridge. I used huge stainless steel bowls that take up a whole shelf in the fridge. I cut off the tips of both ends prior to the soaking, They did get a long rinse afterwards, but even for that, there was a bit of white sediment in the brine after a few days. I also used a bit of tumeric for some color. They were quite pungent. I could have even added a bit of my acid blend and made them even more potent.. My sours are not fermented. They are just 100% plain white distilled vinegar, salt, and a little tumeric. My pickled pepperoncini are also done that way, but without the tumeric. My half sours are just a salt brine with a dash of vinegar added after they sit on the counter overnight. Ive also use the pickling lime for making some sweet mixed, but it was just for the cukes to soak in first. The amount of alum used in a 7 quart batch of sour pickles was something like about 2-3 teaspoons for the toatl amount of vinegar brine. With Pickle Crisp, you do have as slight flavor of chlorine, but that tends to dissipate once they are opened and allowed to 'breath' a few minutes before serving. A chilled pickle always seems to be a bit crunchier than at room temp. FYI> Rumford brand baking powder has no alum in it. Baking soda is basically bicarbonate of soda and nothing else. There is also a bakers ammonia that is still used today for some Swedish cookies and pasteries. I can't taste Pickle Crisp, but that might be because of the heat of the peppers, or the strength of the flavors and spices I use in regular pickles. Mrs. Wages and Ball mixes are the primary ingredients I use when making spiced pickles, and I add extra spices like dill, celery seeds, mustard seeds and such to the various kinds of pickles.There is nothing worse (besides a sour or mushy cuke) than a bland tasting pickle. A recent America Test Kitchen episode dealt with making a flaky pastery for a big berry tart. They mixed the butter and flour to a very course mix, then used their palms to press the flour into the butter lumps. This helped to spread the butter into thinner bits. Ever made puff pastry? I have, with excellent results. MUCH better than the Pepperidge Farm frozen stuff. It does take a long time, a cold work surface, lots of patience and lots of rolling between each chilling.
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readinglady
16 years ago
I think Annie was quoting Linda Lou, who has posted the Heinz-style pickle recipe many times. The comments are Linda Lou's and she was referring to amounts per jar.

Linda Lou also gave this information from the NCHFP re using dried dill for fresh:

National Center for Home Food Preservation:
I don't have the type of dill my recipe calls for. How can I substitute what I have?
For each quart try 3 heads of fresh dill or 1 to 2 tablespoons dill seed (dill weed = 2T).

So Linda Lou chose to go a little lighter than the recommended amount. You might try different amounts in different jars, note on the lid which is which and see what you prefer.

Carol
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bristlingacres
Original Author
16 years ago
Thank you!
Astrid
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Linda_Lou
16 years ago
I use 2 or 3 tsp. of dried dill weed in each jar of the pickles. I also have done the same with dried dill seeds.
They are tart enough for me. I add a pinch of sugar to each jar, so without it the pickles should be tart for you. I like cider vinegar better than white.
I hope you like the pickles. I also use Pickle Crisp in each jar.
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cakesces_cappsnet_com
15 years ago
What is the difference between cider and white vinegar when pickling for sour pickles? I have had a hard time finding a really sour pickle recipe. (I am not experienced in canning or pickling)
I would appreciate your help.
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readinglady
15 years ago
Cider vinegar has a slightly softer finish (i.e. taste on the tongue) while distilled has more bite. Cider also darkens the pickle brine slightly. It sounds like you want distilled.

But in terms of pickling, any 5% vinegar (or more) is fine.

Carol
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ksrogers
15 years ago
Cider vinegar is made from apples (apple cider), and is just filtered, compared to white vinegar which is made from fermented vegetables like potatoes and others. The distilling removes all traces of taste and color. For really sour pickles, a higher than 5% acidity is very necessary. To help raise it a bit higher, you can add a little citric acid to the all vinegar and salt brine, or try using some of the driy vinegar powder sold by Spices Etc.. The true sour pickles you remember also used some alum, tumeric and at least 7% vinegar, which is hard to find, unless its bought by the 55 gallon drum from Heinz (20% strength). Trust me, I have not had any success finding any of the higher types, except one from from Marshall Grain in Texas, and that one is used as weed killer, and may not be suitable for consumption

Here is a link that might be useful: Vinegar powder
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Question about Heinz Pickles

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Question about Heinz Pickles

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