I don't refrigerate pickles cause I don't like them cold. When I was a kid my mom never refrigerated pickles, ketchup, or mustard. It's only been the last few years that they have put it on the labels to refrigerate after opening and I don't know why it is required now and it wasn't back then. And jams and jellies...why do they have to be refrigerated? I just don't like everything I eat to be icy cold. That's my opinion and I'm stickin' to it!!!

Barbara

I did not get these from the refrigerated section of the gorcoery. They were just on a shelf in the aisle. I have decided not to refrigerate them and we enjoy them at room temperature. We have not eaten them as fast as I thought that we would..they still smell fresh, the same as when I got them. Perhaps after a short time I will discard any left over and buy a smaller jar.

Barbara.. I don't refrigerate ketchup and never have. I remember the days when we kept all of the items that you mentioned on the shelf...jams, jellies, etc. I don't like to have those items chilled when I eat them.

Nita

They will be fine...lots of places used to sell them from a crock on the counter.....Laugh all of you, I never refrigerated the other stuff either and believe it or not, I never put my butter in the frige...It is a little crock in the cabinet...

In home ec class (over 30 years ago) the teacher told us pickles,relish and ketchup can be kept room temperature because they are acidic. And jellies and jams because the sugar prevents the growth of bacteria.

Most of my friends go nuts when they find out that I don't refrigerate my butter...I have it in a little covered container in the cabinet...it would probably eventually get rancid but we use it long before that happens and there are actually only two of us and Idon't even use it every day...so do you refrigerate yours?

Yes, I do refrigerate my butter. How long do you actually keep it in the cabinet? I don't know the ruling on this. MY mom refrigerated her butter always and by habit so do I.

Nita

I was lurking here trying to get some ideas...this was an interesting read. I've wondered about the ketchup.

I don't refrigerate my butter. I put it on the counter in a container and we go through a cube during the week. Haven't ever had a problem. When it is very hot outside I do refrigerate though.

I don't refrigerate my Ketchup. I no longer discard my butter if I leave it out overnight by accident. I now just put it in the fridge the next day. I used to think that it was bad and I would not use it if it had been left out overnight. I think that I was putting it in the same category as Mayo.

Nita

Being in Florida, I keep it all in the fridge. Even peanut butter.

I noticed recently there is a mayonaise out that requires NO refrigeration even AFTER opening! How about that?

I do refrigerate mustard, catsup, relish and pickles. I have plenty of room, so never thought about it. I do not refrigerate table butter. I dislike hard butter. Williams Sonoma sells a butter boat that keeps butter fresh out of the fridge. I'm going to get one as soon as my new kitchen is done.

I can't imagine not refrigerating jams and jellies. Now I'm curious about the necessity for that.

Here is a link that might be useful: Williams Sonoma Butter Boat

Like all common sense issues, there's endless debate spread across the entire net regarding the refrigeration of food and the necessity thereof.

I offer this: this issue should be considered as one of individual personal preference. Don't stop reading, though, thinking that you've stumbled upon backup reinforcement for your careless thinking. The individual personal preference being suggested here is the one that determines whether you want to live or whether you want to get sick or die.

If the label on the package specifically requests that the item in question be refrigerated after opening, you may choose to disregard that warning... and end up risking your health and life in doing so.

Pickles are taboo, to stay on topic. Some prefer cold, crisp pickles so they refrigerate them. Others have no concern for cold and crisp, so they leave them floating in the brine in a cupboard. Since 'most' bacteria cannot grow in a vinegar solution, one might conclude that it's perfectly safe to leave items containing vinegar out of the fridge. However, if the concentration of vinegar isn't strong enough, potentially harmful bacteria can survive and thrive within, especially when you add water to the mix (which vegetables contain a great deal of). In the case of pickles (cucumbers), water from the cucumber is exchanged with the brine, lowering the acidity of the vinegar concentration. If it's lowered enough, rest assured that bacteria will take full advantage of the situation.

If you're going to eat it, it is advisable to follow the directions on the label. If the label suggests that you should refrigerate, you definitely should do so or you're only playing roulette with serious health consequences and even death.

If you must leave those pickles out, do yourself the favor of topping off the jar with 7% acidic vinegar each time you remove a dill to ensure that you don't end up getting sick... or worse.

BJS3D, I found your post useful. Bacteria can grow in acidic foods under the right circumstances, for instance the cases of botulism from several decades ago in home canned tomatoes.

I like my pickles at room temperature, but I store them in the refrigerator and microwave them, usually on the same plate as the hot pastrami sandwiches that they go so well with. I do the same thing with orange juice, store in the fridge and microwave before drinking to take the chill off.

Another thing worth noting, most canned foods (both home canned and stroe bought) do not require refrigeration until after they are opened and the seal is broken.

Just to let everyone know-I had on of those butter crocks. It was working fine for about six months. Till one day I lifted the lid and there was green-gray mold and it smelled sour! Out went the crock.

I bought two huge jars of Mt. Olive dill pickles when my local grocery was closing. Sold in the pickle aisle, not refrigerated. Kept them in my pantry closet for about three to six months, but once opened, they were just too tall for my fridge. DH got some plastic containers from the deli and we divided the whole pickles into the deli bontainers. They kept just fine. We are all dill pickle lovers and this worked for us, we consumed them pretty quick.

Don't believe everything you're told. Jars now carry warnings because once opened, jars will acquire microbes. Factories can control contamination, but your house doesn't. Most people don't get sick, but food safety minimizes your risk. Chances are, since food poisoning can take place two weeks after ingestion of the offending materials, you won't know when you get sick what really caused it.

Trust science, not your home ed teacher.

Now, you may still want to leave it on the countertop, just because it's been done for a hundred years. But don't kid yourself and think that just because it's worked before, it'll continue to work. That's how we got both space shuttle disasters.

I refrigerate ketchup and jellies because they can get mold on the top surface when left out, although you can just scrape the mold off and use the rest. I don't refrigerate peanut butter. The box of butter goes in the fridge door and one cube goes into a dish in the cupboard. It's protected from dust in there. I also dislike hard butter, it tears bread and is harder to butter a baking dish. Butter does eventually go rancid and smell funny after a few months so only put out as much as you will use in that time. Mind you I live in a cold climate. People in hot climates might prefer putting butter in the fridge.

My husband, because of room issues decided that pickles could stay on self. They go pretty fast any way. What could live in that briny juice? Butter is left in a Tupperware container on counter. It stays in fridge or freezer until needed then a stick or two at a time is out for use. Only keep out what you will use in a week because it does get some mold, usually a week to 10 days. My mother cared for an elderly lady who's older child and spouse even kept mayo in cupboard after it was open. That I would never do! Ketchup yes, mustard, no and jelly and such can mold in fridge let alone in cupboard. I could never eat anything I scraped mold off of to salvage. Today they have us afraid of everything, they kept pickles in barrels for goodness sake....this did start an informative thread though, thank you.

Well, it's not going to hurt you. It's just recommended for food preservation.

They're just pickles....I think you'll be fine!

Sealed jams dont have to be refrigerated but i would think since all bacteria slows down with cold you are better to refrigerate. Since i am a food handler manager maybe i am overly cautious

Pickles and preserves may not need to be refrigerated when opened, but I say better safe than sorry, and all my jams, jellies, and pickles go into the refrigerator after opening. Sugar and vinegar are both powerful preservatives, but why take a chance?

I have made my own pickles and jam in the past, but, not trusting my ability to properly seal these jars, I put mine right in the fridge from the start.

I don't like cold pickles either, but I put a dill pickle that I intend to eat into the microwave on a low power setting for 10 seconds or so, and that solves the problem.

People used to keep a can of bacon drippings for seasoning food with no refrigeration, but I never bought into that. When I save bacon drippings or other animal fat, they go into the freezer.

Dill pickles are often fermented....not preserved with vinegar but with salt. Look up a recipe for old fashioned crock dill pickles.
If you keep a dirty knife, or one with crumbs on it out of your jelly, and it is "real jelly" not one of those sugar free concoctions, it won't mold on your counter. Do you suppose great grandma kept the peach preserves in the ice box?
I keep my butter out too....never ever had mold grow in butter.
The food experts say that mayonnaise, the commercial stuff not home made, is so full of acid and preservatives that unless the jar has been contaminated with a knife with egg on it or some tuna, it is really shelf stable, even when opened.
http://thestir.cafemom.com/food_party/110153/7_foods_that_dont_need

Pickles: I buy the large glass jars of pickles. Like many I don't like ice cold pickles, but hubby does. So, when I purchase pickles. I put some in a small pint size canning jar, keep in cabinet. As pickles empty, I refill from jar in fridge.

As for butter...when bought, I buy 1 lb ( 4 quarters ). I place 3 sticks in fridge. Keep one out on counter in butter dish to use during the week. When gone, replace with cold stick from fridge.

This in response to Brian Spencer. I'm curious how old you are? I just happen to be old enough to remember when most of these items were not refrigerated. When the kosher variety of pickles, were sold out of open barrels, with tongs that you used to fish them out. The vinegary kind, were sold out of open jars on the counter. That included things like cured meats, and cheeses. They were simply hung from hooks, until sliced. Of course today, I'm sure the processed foods we eat, are not near the real stuff we had years ago. Smoking, brining, pickling, and salting are all ways to preserve food. People lived without refrigeration for centuries before it was invented in the 2Oth! In Europe this is still the norm, and I haven't read about masses of people there dying from food poisoning! This country wastes tons of food every year, because of misinformation. On the other hand, anything will go bad with time. Theres an old saying, "when in doubt throw it out". If it looks moldy, or tastes off, then by all means discard it. Much of what we read about food today is simply a way to get us to purchase food more often, and spend spend spend!

Most restaurants still keep their mustard, catsup, and yes peanut butter at room temperature. There is no health department regulation to do so. ( I have worked in food service for years ) Butter likewise has a high enough fat content that it can be kept at room temperature, unless you live in a place like me here in Florida, where it would melt into liquid. Similar jams and jellies can be kept without refrigeration. Once opened however, if they are not used within a reasonable time they can go moldy. This younger generation seems to be overly germ conscious. I didn't live to be sixty nine, refrigerating everything I purchase at the grocery store!

Mr. Strumer is absolutely correct. You can go into deli-marts today and find the big 3 gallon glass jars of Dill pickles setting out. I worked in fast food for many years, and we always left the mustard and ketchup out on the counter, refilling them as they were used. Health department said it was fine. Peanut butter is usually fine unless contaminated during manufacturing, as it was by a company many years past. Country cured ham hangs up in many stores unrefrigerated. I keep a leg at home and just slice off it as I eat a piece. Just make sure that the knife or spoon you use to get the stuff out is clean. Once contaminated it will go bad rather quickly...

My refrigerator went bad on Friday it's Tuesday are the kosher pickels still good to eat?

I make jars and jars of zucchini refrigerator pickles and it is advised to keep them refrigerated. Of course they haven't been properly processed.

Now that I know my hubby's monster jar of pickles will be OK in the pantry, that'll free up a bunch of fridge space!

Now in my house we always have the butter we want in a butter bell, we use distilled water in the lower dish to keep it sealed and it stays fresh for a couple weeks actually but the rest of the sticks of butter stay in the fridge. Store bought peanut butter has always been stored in the cuppboard but the fresh peanut butter stays in the fridge to keep it from completely separating. Jams, Jellies, and preserves (even our home canned ones) stay in the cuppboard until opening, where they are then stored in the fridge.

I like a cold crisp pickle personally but I was curious, as I had bought a jar that can't currently fit in the fridge, if it can be kept without fridgeration. I was just thinking I'd slice the whole dills as needed and store them in a smaller jar in the fridge? Still not sure one way or the other if that's feasable.

You all keep saying " butter" . I think you're talking about margarine, which is just vegetable oil. So sure that doesn't need to be refrigerated...but its not butter lol.