Garbage Pickles Food

GARBAGE PICKLES

Steps:

• Trim both ends of each radish and cut them into quarters. (If you leave the radishes whole you won't be able to pack the radishes in tightly and there will be too much room for brine in the jar. The pickles would then be far too salty).
• Pack the radishes as tightly as you can into a jar, spacing the garlic cloves evenly around. I recommend using a small-mouth pint jar, but a bag of radishes is not made to fit exactly into a jar of a particular size, so use your judgement on how many bags of radishes and jars you want to use. Cover the radishes with brine and cap the jar. Turn it upside down and place it in the fridge for 3 weeks to pickle. You will notice that very quickly the vinegar starts to break down the red skin on the radishes, making the pickle juice and the radishes each uniformly pink.
• About that brine recipe. I make mine with a gallon of water, 1 cup salt and 1 cup vinegar as my Grandma taught me, but have cut the measurements down for folks who may not use so much. I keep this brine in a gallon jar and whenever I have something around that might be good to pickle (green tomatoes, string-beans, baby carrots, cauliflower ect.) I just grab a jar, pack it with veggies and seasoning (garlic, dill, curry, italian seasonings etc.) and pour on the brine. I always have some very good pickles in my fridge! Makes a good gift as well, if you seal them.

NOT-TOO-SOUR REFRIGERATOR PICKLES

Steps:

• Fit as many cucumber spears as possible into a 1-quart mason jar along with the dill, garlic, mustard, salt and sugar. Combine the vinegar with 2 cups water in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Pour the hot mixture into the jar with the cucumbers (you may have some left over) and swirl gently to combine (be careful; the jar will be hot). Let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate at least overnight and preferably 2 days. The pickles keep, refrigerated, up to 2 weeks.

OLD-FASHIONED PICKLE BARREL PICKLES

Steps:

• Gently scrub pickles with a vegetable brush and rinse with cool water. Dry thoroughly. In a large stoneware crock or a deep enamel kettle sprinkle in half of pickling spices, dill and garlic over the bottom. Layer cucumbers in crock, filling to within 3 inches of top. Sprinkle with remaining pickling spices, dill and garlic. Mix vinegar with salt and 2 quarrts of water. Pour over cucumbers, to cover. Weight with a plate and cans, making sure cucumbers are completely submerged. Cover loosely with cheesecloth. Check pickles each day and skim off scum as it forms -- it may not begin to form until fifth day. Do not stir pickles, but make sure they remain completely submerged in brine at all times. If necessary, add additional brine. Leave for 3 to 4 weeks. Pickles will turn an olive-drab color and texture will be soft-crisp and be uniformly translucent. Let stand or an additional month to develop flavor, replacing brine as necessary.;

REFRIGERATOR PICKLES

Steps:

• Mix the cucumbers and salt and let sit for one hour. Do not drain mixture and follow by adding the sugar, onions, bell pepper, cider vinegar and celery seed. Mix well, cover and refrigerate.