Tomatoville® Gardening Forums - View Single Post

bower · October 17, 2012

Worth,

My first pickle adventure was a very sweet one. Adapted from a Swedish recipe for pickled chanterelles, the brine is 1 cup balsamic vinegar, 1 cup plain vinegar, 1/2 cup water, 2 cups sugar and 1/2 tsp salt (which I have now figured out to be starting pH of 3.3) plus spices (cinnamon, cloves, pepper for winter chanterelles. I use a wine vinegar and bay, rosemary, garlic, thyme instead for hedgehogs). The recipe calls for simmering the mushrooms in the brine 20-30 minutes.
I kept the pickles in the fridge initially as I wasn't sure of the keeping qualities, but after a couple of years of slooow housekeeping, found that jars of leftover pickle vinegar which were left on the counter (okay, for months), never spoiled. I use that stuff for meat marinades now, since it's too good to throw away!

Last year I tried a pure vinegar/sugar brine poured hot over raw pepperoncini peppers, carrots, onions. The pickles were great on a cheese tray, nice and crisp, but could be a little less vinegary for my taste.

This year I'm trying a more salty basic brine for raw peppers/vegs: 2 cups vinegar, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup salt, 1/2 cup sugar (starting pH is still around 3.3, around the 12% brine) plus spices. Can't say what it's like cause I haven't tasted it yet.

I also made some sweet and hot matsutake pickles this year with raw chilaca peppers, reducing the mushroom simmer time to 5 minutes in hopes of conserving the aroma, maybe use the pickled chunks in a hot and sour soup.

I definitely like pickles.

I'm not sure how picky I am about em. Eventually, I'll have some real favourites...

October 17, 2012	#35
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,793	Worth, My first pickle adventure was a very sweet one. Adapted from a Swedish recipe for pickled chanterelles, the brine is 1 cup balsamic vinegar, 1 cup plain vinegar, 1/2 cup water, 2 cups sugar and 1/2 tsp salt (which I have now figured out to be starting pH of 3.3) plus spices (cinnamon, cloves, pepper for winter chanterelles. I use a wine vinegar and bay, rosemary, garlic, thyme instead for hedgehogs). The recipe calls for simmering the mushrooms in the brine 20-30 minutes. I kept the pickles in the fridge initially as I wasn't sure of the keeping qualities, but after a couple of years of slooow housekeeping, found that jars of leftover pickle vinegar which were left on the counter (okay, for months), never spoiled. I use that stuff for meat marinades now, since it's too good to throw away! Last year I tried a pure vinegar/sugar brine poured hot over raw pepperoncini peppers, carrots, onions. The pickles were great on a cheese tray, nice and crisp, but could be a little less vinegary for my taste. This year I'm trying a more salty basic brine for raw peppers/vegs: 2 cups vinegar, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup salt, 1/2 cup sugar (starting pH is still around 3.3, around the 12% brine) plus spices. Can't say what it's like cause I haven't tasted it yet. I also made some sweet and hot matsutake pickles this year with raw chilaca peppers, reducing the mushroom simmer time to 5 minutes in hopes of conserving the aroma, maybe use the pickled chunks in a hot and sour soup. I definitely like pickles. I'm not sure how picky I am about em. Eventually, I'll have some real favourites...