A couple weeks ago my Mom asked me if I wanted to come over to make pickles. I hadn't made pickles with her since I was a kid, so Jared and I hurried over.
When we got there my Mom already had sterilized jars and the sweet pickle juice cooking on the stove and it smelled delicious!
and slicing them into pickles sized slices.....
then we put them in the jars.....
poured the pickle juice over them.....
and tightened the lids.
Then it was time to seal the jars.
That's right, it's my Mom! She was all set up for this project. (Isn't she adorable) The huge pot even had a rack inside to set the jars on over the boiling hot water.
Next she immersed the jars into the water.
They were done in 10 minutes!
The hardest part was having to wait 2 weeks to sample these little guys.
Boy, was it worth the wait. Sweet pickles are easily one of my favorite foods, and these are by far, the best sweet pickles I have ever eaten. I'm going to have to slowly sneak as many jars of them as I can out of my parents house and into mine!
Homemade pickles are the best! The ones I make from cucumbers aren't hot processed so they take almost 3 months to be ready. It's torture. I have 9 jars of them at home right now taunting me. Also, I love your jar lids. So cute!
ReplyDeleteHow do you make them without the heat? It's the only way I know of... fill me in!
ReplyDeleteI've never had homemade pickles, but it seems a little overwhelming for someone like me who has never canned before. Maybe you could send me a jar! ;)
ReplyDeleteI thought it'd be overwhelming for me too, but it was actually easy. :-)
ReplyDeleteTo make them without the heat you basically sterilize the heck out of the jars, soak the seals, get all of your stuff ready while you're doing that, including boiling the brine. Pack the hot jars full of spices and pickles and whatnot then fill with the hot liquid with about a 1/2" headspace. Wipe the rims, put on the seals, turn the scewtop thingies on really tightly and turn the jars upside down. Wait at least overnight before you move them and turn them upright again.
ReplyDeleteI think, though that you have to use a specific kind of brine to do it this way. I'm planning to do a blog post about my pickles (which are really my boyfriend's stepmother's family recipe). They're the best I've ever tasted and so delicious and easy.
I did make some hot bath pickles this year out of okra, beets, peaches and green beans, too. :)