Making pickles - question

[Mackay]

Thanks for telling me how to do it.

Question... why use non iodized salt? What difference does it make?

 

[ORChick]

As I understand it iodized salt also usually has additives to keep it free flowing in damp weather ("When it Rains it Pours"). All of that thends to make the pickles cloudy, and give them an off taste. Pickling salt is just salt.

Slight hijack: Mackay - an amusing thing happened the other day. My computer was having a slow day, and the page hung up while loading. What I saw was a post from you, and half of your signature line: "The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit. The second is to look thin"

 

[kcsunshine]

No, looking thin is the first. Untroubled spirit will naturally follow. (Spoken as a fat person with a thin person wanting out!)

 

[DrakeMaiden]

I found a University of Ohio extension article (pdf) on fermented dill pickles. It suggest, of course, sticking closely to the recipe. I wanted a solid recipe, since the amount of water you add to the ingredients can influence how well the pickles come out. Don't you want an ideal osmotic pressure, or whatever?

I thought I would share the link, especially since I have heard a lot of you say you want crisp pickles. They say:

Be sure to remove and discard a 1/16 inch slice from the blossom end of fresh cucumbers. Blossoms may contain an enzyme that causes excessive softening of pickles.

Who knew?

 

[abifae]

i'm fermenting cukes this week. we'll see what happens. how long do they usually take?

 

[freemotion]

I leave them at room temp for three days, then into the fridge. There they mellow for several weeks/months to develop their best flavors.

If it is hot, like now, in the 90's, I leave them for 2 days or so, then into the fridge.

Gotta make another batch today! Gotta go buy another two-gallon jar to store them in! I make them in one and two quart jars, then transfer them into the bigger jar. Had to do this because I ran out of rocks to weight them down....

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Depends upon your room temp. The article I linked says:

55-65 F takes 5-6 weeks
70-75 F takes 3-4 weeks <-- this is considered ideal temp

It says don't try it at over 80 F or under 55 F