CHefJohnboyardee

Recipes 

If it ain't broke don't fix it. I've passed this recipe on to so many people... But yes it did get it off of arfcom.

dinnerstick

Recipes 

i got my lacto pickles going! the cukes were on the downhill side of mt. old so i skimmed a little bit of pellicle from some saurkraut to help it on its way as quickly as possibly. after 3 days they are starting to honk a bit but not as bed as cabbage so far!

dinnerstick

Recipes 

these are really good. 1 week in and they are prefect, sour and garlicky throughout. moved them to the fridge as i did 2 kg of pickles (proper gherkin pickling cukes!). salt, water, black peppercorns, yellow mustard seed, garlic cloves, lots of fresh dill. inoculated with a bit of sauerkraut lacto as i said above, just in case. the cukes were a bit old and they sort of hollowed out in the middle a bit and got a little bit mushy at the center, but not too bad, the outer flesh is still crunchy. measured the the liquid on a pH meter out of curiosity, it's 3.7

crushingblackdoom

Recipes 

Originally Posted by simmons
These are AR15 Pickles. But I agree these are the best pickles ever. Only thing I add to this recipe is a grape leaf in each jar to keep them crisp.

These grape leaves, are they fresh or canned? Like the kind used to make dolmas, beef&rice stuffed grape leaves?

dinnerstick

Recipes 

i stuck in a fresh one off a neighbor's vine.... no harm done, but is there any evidence that it actually does anything or is it an old wives tale?

Tamarlane

Recipes 

I use oak leaves for the same reason and I don't know whether I can tell the difference but meh it doesn't hurt any

I have tried making sour pickles with mixed results, my favorite batch consisted of about 2.5 lbs cukes, a head of garlic, black pepper, coriander, dill weed and about 15 habaneros.

As far as vinegar pickles, my latest batch was my favorite so far:
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup cider vinegar
2/3 cup water
Approx:
2 tbsp salt
1/4 cup cane sugar
1/4 cup+ chipotle powder
1/4 cup cow horn flakes
1-2 tbsp cayenne powder
1 scotch bonnet powder

add all ingredients to a jar stuffed with quartered cukes, shake to mix, refrigerate to desired heat and smokiness (both increase with age), at least 5 days

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simmons

Recipes 

I use the canned grape leaves and I found that they were crunchier. I dont think its a wives tale and it seems to work so I'm sticking with it.

Schmutzli

Recipes 

The grape leaves and oak leaves supply tannin (same tannin as in red wine) which inhibit the enzymes which break down the cucumbers' structure. I'm curious whether a pinch of purified tannin from the homebrew store would do the same... I think I will try it soon.

I just need to find a good container.