Flaccid pickles

[BoozeMedic]

Right, so got your attention.

I made a batch of garlic dill pickles and kimchi pickles (cukes and carrots) with a 3.6% brine. I couldn't find "pickling cucumbers" so I used some really firm regular store bought.
I added bay leaves, wine tannin, and calcium chloride. After 2 weeks, they taste great but the texture is anything but crisp. As I would like to give these out as holiday gifts, is there anything that I'm missing? Is it the cucumbers themselves? Because the carrots are flimsy too. Will they crisp up if I wait or should I make another batch?

 

[passedpawn]

If I was at McMurdo, my pickle would be crisp as hell.

Pickle crisp/CaCl is the normal answer. I've made lots of fridge pickles and they came out pretty good with that. Did you cut off the end of the pickle before pickling?

 

[BoozeMedic]

If I was at McMurdo, my pickle would be crisp as hell.

Pickle crisp/CaCl is the normal answer. I've made lots of fridge pickles and they came out pretty good with that. Did you cut off the end of the pickle before pickling?

McMurdo isn't too bad this time of year, and getting warmer (and sunnier)! I'm not currently there, but I'll be back there someday in the not too distant future.

I'm 95% sure that I added enough CaCl, and definitely sure that I cut off the ends. I even added tannin. Not sure why I've got soggy issues.
Can I add more CaCl? Will it even help at this point?

 

[Yooper]

I'm 95% sure that I added enough CaCl, and definitely sure that I cut off the ends. I even added tannin. Not sure why I've got soggy issues.
Can I add more CaCl? Will it even help at this point?

It seems you did everything right, and I don't know why things are soggy. Adding more CaCl won't help at this point, I'm afraid.

 

[BoozeMedic]

It seems you did everything right, and I don't know why things are soggy. Adding more CaCl won't help at this point, I'm afraid.

Maybe it's my cucumber variety. Only variable I can think of. Oh well, better luck next time.
Thanks!

 

[passedpawn]

I buy Kirby cukes locally. They've been pretty crisp for me.

 

[homebrewer_99]

I came here thinking "Flaccid Pickles" was a band name...

 

[BoozeMedic]

I came here thinking "Flaccid Pickles" was a band name...

Definitely a 90's ska band

 

[Tartan1]

For pickles I use a 3% brine mixture consisting of 1L filtered water and 30Grams Himalayan pink salt. (The salt is weighed and not measured by Tbs). They ferment out in about 4 days with a PH about 3.5-3.8 range.
I use to use a a 3.5% brine but found the pickles were soft and too salty tasting for my liking when finished.
For the carrier I use currant leaves for tannin's.
I have had good luck with the above recipe over many batches, nice and crispy every time.

 

[mashpaddled]

The cucumbers are probably an issue due to the variety of cucumbers. The grocery store variety you normally find (pole) are really watery and soft to begin with. Pickling them will just make them softer. When pickling cucumbers you need them firm and young. If you can find kirby or Persian cucumbers at a local store then those would be a better choice.

I think your carrot problem is related to the cucumbers. Too much water from the cucumbers diluted the brine to the point you stopped curing the vegetables and just gave them a really long soak in water.

Like @Tartan1 I don't add ChCl just leaves for tannins. I use grape leaves or oak leaves.

 

[Oldskewl]

How long did you ferment? I usually do 3-5 days then into the fridge. 2 weeks would turn them to mush. No pickle crisp for me, I don't like the taste of it. I just put in piece of horseradish leaf as I have several plants in the garden.