More than a month ago on these pages we publicly announced our first attempt to make pickles the old fashioned, fermenting-on-the-counter, then pickling-in-the-fridge way (a la Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions).
Everything looked like it was going swimmingly. The brine (just salt+water) got a little bubbly-looking at the top and the dill blossoms remained intact when we transferred our little babies too the fridge, after 3 days of room-temperature incubation.
Then, about six or seven weeks later, we popped open the lid on one of the jars and pulled out a sample. It came out solid, but as soon as we cut into it, our dear sweet pickle dissolved entirely into mush. We pulled out another. It too was mush. In fact, they were all mush. We were perplexed. Perhaps we were too eager?
This weekend, with trepidation, we tested the second jar. Healthy, solid+robust. Because we threw a few garlic cloves in the mix, there is a distinct trace of that flavor. But although the cukes have transformed their physical appearance into pickles, there is no sour pickly flavor to them.
So we come to you, friends, for some guidance and advice. Maybe a scientific explanation. Jar No 2 remains in the fridge, undisturbed. We hope it will continue to grow into the preserve we dreamed it would be.
I’m not sure what happened, but I can offer some ideas.. I read on another blog that the pickles should be consumed within 3 weeks (unless “properly” jarred.)– so maybe in fact your pickles were too old? Another thought — maybe your cucumbers were too watery. The younger cucumbers tend to be better because they stay crispier. Some people pre-salt the cucumbers to help draw out the extra moisture. Finally, maybe you didn’t use enough salt… you need about 1 tbs. of salt for every two cups of water.
HMMMMM… Check the brine solution. Not enough salt would allow other creatures to digest the pickle.. Also if you precooked you may have overcooked. If you pre soaked in a vinegar solution you may need more vinegar..
Otherwise it is the Cukes themselves. Choose unripe cukes, which make for the snappiest pickles as their moisture content is lessened.
alternatively perhaps try burying them in salt for a day or too to draw out excess moisture.
lots to experiment with fun fun
Onion