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In a recent internet search I became aware that many, including the Home Extension Advisors, think the pickles you make, let sit out for a week and then refrigerate are dangerous because of the possible presence of the bacteria listeria. If you pour the heated syrup over the cukes and refrigerate immediately is that product considered safe to eat???? I really love the refrigerator pickles and hate to give them up.
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Re: Pickles
I've got to ask my Mother for the pickle recipe she used, it was a cold pack method, I believe, I don't recall if the brine was hot or cold when it was poured over the cukes. I do know that you did not process them and they had to sit for several weeks before they were ready to eat. They were the best dill pickles ever! We would refrigerate the jar after we openned it, some how the jars sealed theirselves.
Luv, I agree with you on putting hot food into the frig, I don't do it. If I have something that is super hot I will first let it cool, off burner or out of the oven for a few minutes, then put it in the freezer to quickly cool it down.
We don't have one of those frig/freezer that is packed full up with food either, I only keep enough fresh foods in the frig for the pay period. Foods need space around them for the coldness to circulate. Our freezer that is part of the frig does this weird defrost cycle, so I don't store long term in it either, we have a chest freezer for storing the bulk of our frozen items.
Re: Pickles
I love all kinds of pickles, even the hot ones! Yummm!
Re: Pickles
There are no good pickles!
Re: Pickles
Oh, Tom, what are you saying?!? Pickles go great with everything! I make several,several quarts each year. Mostly dill/garlic..but some mixed veggies, dilly beans, some hot, and a very few sweet(for my dad). I also pickled radishes this year!! I haven't gotten to the beets yet....
Re: Pickles
I have pickled everything except radishes. Never heard of doing that.
Re: Pickles
Neither had I, but I have a recipe for radish relish. I figured if you could make that,you could make pickles! I sort of tweaked a recipe for pickling onions..we haven't tried them yet. I will let you know how they are. I used red radishes, but since pickling they are pink!
Re: Pickles
Barb, we picked 90 lbs of green beans out of my parent's garden this past month. I ended up canning 11 pints of dilly beans for the first time, and I took a pint to their house last weekend to try. They LOVED them! Now I have my non-canning mom canning dilly beans LOL
I've done 8 pints of beets, and I hope to get 3 or 4 more. I haven't tried them yet, but I can't wait! What kind of brine do you use? The recipe I used was water/vinegar/sugar, a small amount of salt, and some cinnamon sticks thrown in while simmering. They do look very pretty in their jars :-)
Re: Pickles
That is the same brine that I use! I think you'll like 'em!!! And you're right, they are pretty.
Re: Pickles
I only like sweet pickles (cucumber). I also like pickled beets but have never made them. We're going to work on a fall garden this weekend - everything from the summer garden is gone now except okra is still going strong. Anyway, I will plant some beets in the fall garden. I've never grown them - this will be a first. Don't know anything about growning them. Is there a particular type that you find best for pickling? We'll also sow seeds for spinach and turnips.
Re: Pickles
We plant Detroit dark red beets. They have always done well for us. For some reason, our turnips are bitter this year. Never had that happen before, anyone have any ideas?
Re: Pickles
I am not much of a turnip fan, but my mom is. She said the saying for turnips is "wet or dry, plant on the 4th of July". She didn't get hers planted yet... wonder if there is still enough time??
Re: Pickles
We only plant turnips as a fall crop - too hot in the summer. My Dad always said that turnips were better after a frost. He thought they were not as bitter then. I don't know if he meant the roots or the greens (we eat both)
Re: Pickles
Your dad is right, but it has been such a wet summer that we had to dig them because they were starting to rot. I don't think I can save them, they taste awful!! I guess in this case ,I am thankful for a small crop.
Re: Pickles
Sorry about your turnips. Are the tops still good? Maybe you can get a 'half-a-loaf' out of your crop by cutting/blanching/freezing turnip greens? We Yankees didn't know about that until we moved to the South--here more ppl use the tops than the turnips. I've even had a coupla ppl ask me if the root is really safe to eat.
Re: Pickles
No they were attacked by some little bugs.I have had turnip greens, but not often. I do freeze beet greens and kale tho'. They are all good!! Thanks for sharing!
Re: Pickles
I believe they would be safe when prepared the way you describe. The acidity of the vinegar (as well as the sugar) makes it harsh for bacteria to grow. Refrigeration also decreases bacteria, as opposed to room-temp when they thrive.
I think with all of the food-borne illness scares we have had, the FDA and extensions are erring on the side of caution. In reality, it is probably okay to do some of the preserving as it has been done for years (and is still being done by many). But that is just my opinion ;-)
ps...
Just a note... you would want to allow your pickles to cool down considerably before you put them in the refrigerator. Adding something too hot raises your frig temp, which isn't good for any of your food.