Pickle All the Things!

[Ari]

Mmmm offered in 5 gallon buckets...

[Ari]

I got a second 1.3 gallon e-jen, and just prepped a batch of pickles, and omg I don't know if it's only measuring out ingredients once or not needing to cut and fit the pickles (besides the tip cut) but the process went so fast. 1.6kg of cucumbers, about 2.5 jars worth, went into the box and it took me less than 30 minutes.

(The kraut in the first e-jen is getting nice and funky but still has weeks left.)

[It's Me!]

Originally Posted by LarsMac

The daughter has tried canning/pickling for the last two years, and so far, has ended with relative disaster both times.

I always thought that for canning anything, one needed a pressure cooker, which she does not have. (This from my limited experience with helping Grandmother with canning when I was quite young.)

I thought about sharing this thrad with her, but so far she has never appreciated unsolicited advice, ever, so I have, to date, avoided even a hint at suggesting anything. (A difficult task for a constant meddler such as myself.)

No need for a pressure cooker*, just a large pot, patience, and a good jar lifter (I didn't think it was necessary, but after burning my hands enough times I realized I choose poorly).

I thought about using my Instant Pot, but it seems that they're not recommended even though many come with a canning option.

*depends on the foods acidity. Low acidity = pressure cooker required, high acidity** = no pressure cooker required.

**High acidity foods include jellies, jams, fruits, and pickled items.

[Ari]

Related if anyone is interested in pressure cookers, I would recommend Presto brand. I've had an All American brand in the past, partly lured in by the steampunk 'carrying a reactor core' look of the thing and because they don't need an O ring, and there's been nothing wrong with it, but I've since moved to a presto, it holds a few less jars but also isn't nearly as heavy and doesn't feel like as much of a chore to use, especially in a small kitchen.

All American


Presto

[It's Me!]

Originally Posted by Ari

Related if anyone is interested in pressure cookers, I would recommend Presto brand. I've had an All American brand in the past, partly lured in by the steampunk 'carrying a reactor core' look of the thing and because they don't need an O ring, and there's been nothing wrong with it, but I've since moved to a presto, it holds a few less jars but also isn't nearly as heavy and doesn't feel like as much of a chore to use, especially in a small kitchen.

All American


Presto

Sign me up for whichever one is less likely to throw the lid into orbit* upon failure.

*given that my kitchen is right below my master bathroom, not sure exactly if the stove and toilet share the same vertical space, but that sort of event would be a poor time to find out.

[Ari]

Haha, while there have been cases of people blocking all the holes and have the lid go flying, they really don't get up to a high enough pressure to be that dangerous of a bomb.

The real danger is the steam! The canning water inside is superheated aggressively turning to steam when exposed to the atmosphere and splashed on everything around. Steam burns are their own kind of hell, it somehow bypasses the skin and quickly heats the subcutaneous fat layer underneath, resulting in things you should not google, such as skin sloughing and degloving.

[It's Me!]

Originally Posted by Ari

Haha, while there have been cases of people blocking all the holes and have the lid go flying, they really don't get up to a high enough pressure to be that dangerous of a bomb.

The real danger is the steam! The canning water inside is superheated aggressively turning to steam when exposed to the atmosphere and splashed on everything around. Steam burns are their own kind of hell, it somehow bypasses the skin and quickly heats the subcutaneous fat layer underneath, resulting in things you should not google, such as skin sloughing and degloving.

Great point/reminder on the steam aspect. My job involves frequent uses of autoclaves, so I've probably seen/shown many of those pictures as a way to remind my staff to respect that device.

[Ari]

Evening out the fermenting threads I've finished my first 14 day run of pickles in the e-jen and wow that went smoothly!

After eating a few during packing I got about 2.25 jars worth for the fridge, thanks to their floppiness I was able to cram a few more into each jar than normal. The spices were a bit weak but I wasn't sure how to scale things up just yet.

I come away with so much left over flavored brine, I've also started the first batch of cold pickling carrots, onions and celery in the left overs. I have the thought the veggies will drop the salt content low enough that the resulting veggie brine juice will be drinkable.

[Ari]

General update.

Using the leftover brine for salad dressing, and soaking onions like I've done with vinegar based brines, especially for burgers. Yes!

Whatever I was trying with carrots. Noooooo.
I'm missing something, as the sweet from the carrots and the sour of the ferment comes together to say 'rancid.'

Forcing so much garlic into the two week ferment that it still comes out with garlic spice. possible, but No.
Just too much like I've licked a chopped clove of garlic.

Finally adding a layer of Brussels sprout to the pickle ferment. Yes!
The sprouts need twice as long so I'm only half way through, but they've added a cabbage funk and increase sourness to the pickles. I haven't decided yet if they're going to sit the extra two weeks on their own or with another batch of cucumbers.

[Qingdai]

this year I made pickeled lacinto kale, which I grow way too much of, I think I already pickled and canned 5 pounds. Recipe I used had dried chile flakes, caraway seeds and garlic for flavor along with the distilled vinegar and salt.