Cucumbers

[rachael simpson]

After planting 3 20ft rows of cucumbers this year, we've got cukes coming off left and right! I've been getting 15-20 cukes a day for the last 4 days. (Thankfully, the cucumber plants survived the cows attack on the garden the other day.) Since I have such a supply of cukes so far, I'm wanting to try something different this year as far as pickling them. Normally do dill & sour, but open to any kind. Anybody have a favorite recipe they want to share?

Thanks! ~Rae

[Omelet]

I cheat. I prefer Kosher dills for flavor. I go to the store, buy my favorite brand (either Clausen's or Vlasic), eat the pickles and save the brine.

I then place whatever I want to pickle in that brine in the 'frige and let it go for a couple of weeks. When mom was on her last legs and unable to do much for herself, I used to pickle fresh okra pods that way for her. She loved them. :-) I have pickled eggs and fresh cucumbers this same way and it works very, very well. I can generally get 3 uses out of the brine for veggies and 2 uses when I do eggs. I also add some beet juice to the egg brine to dye them that wonderful pink color...

[Steve Peek]

[Billy]

Sorry, I grow lemon cucumbers, mostly, and eat them fresh. You asked for favorites but I'm just gonna dump a load of recipes. Hope you take them in the spirit intended.

Garlic Dill Pickles Refrigerator Pickles Texas Sweet Pickles Candied Pickles Bread and Butter Pickles Easy Pickles Hot Sweet Dill Pickles Garlic Dill Pickles Pickles by the Bushel Garlic and Dill Pickles Pickles

• Exported from MasterCook *

Garlic Dill Pickles

Recipe By :Ruth Adams Bronz - Miss Ruby's American Cooking Serving Size : 10 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

-------- ------------ -------------------------------- 20 4 inch Kirby cucumbers -- unpeeled 6 stalks fresh dill 8 cloves garlic 1 teaspoon alum 1 cup salt 12 cups water 4 cups white vinegar

Wash cucumbers and let stand in the refrigerator overnight. Put cucumbers in a 1 gallon crock and add the dill, garlic and alum. In a large saucepan, over medium high heat, add water, salt and vinegar. Bring to a boil and pour over cucumbers. Let cool then place in refrigerator to chill. Will keep in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks. Wait at least 3 days before serving.

• Exported from MasterCook *

Refrigerator Pickles

Recipe By :rec.food.cooking Serving Size : 20 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

-------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1 gallon cucumbers -- sliced 1 large onion -- halved and sliced 4 cups sugar 4 cups white vinegar 1/4 cup pickling salt 1 1/3 teaspoons celery seeds 1 1/3 teaspoons turmeric 1 1/3 teaspoons prepared mustard

In a medium saucepan combine sugar, vinegar, salt, celery seed, turmeric and mustard. Heat to just below a boil. Do not boil. Place sliced cucumber and onion into a crock and pour hot liquid over. Let cool, cover then refrigerate 5 days before serving.

• Exported from MasterCook *

Texas Sweet Pickles

Recipe By :Carrie Pecher Serving Size : 10 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

-------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1 gallon medium cucumbers -- sliced 5 tablespoons salt 2 tablespoons powdered alum 4 tablespoons pickling spice 8 cups white vinegar

In a large saucepan, over medium high heat, combine vinegar, salt, alum and pickling spice. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. In a large non-reactive container add cucumbers and cover completely with pickling brine. Push cucumbers completely in solution with a plate or plastic lid and weight down.( Do not use a metal container. Use plastic, stoneware or glass). Let stand 3 weeks. Rinse cucumbers well in cold running water and drain. Return to container and add 5 cups sugar over top. (Sugar will make it's own juice.) Cover and let stand for 1 week. Pack in smaller jars and cover with liquid and cap. No need to can. Store in a cool dark place.

• Exported from MasterCook *

Candied Pickles

Recipe By :Jo Anne Merrill Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:20 Categories : Canning Recipes

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

-------- ------------ -------------------------------- 3 1-pint canning jars 2 quarts cucumbers -- sliced 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 cup cider vinegar 2 tablespoons salt 1 tablespoon mustard seed 1 1/2 teaspoons celery seed 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Wash and drain the cucumbers; cut into 1/4-inch slices. Use a large heavy kettle or sauce pan. Combine the sugar, vinegar, salt, mustard, celery seed and red pepper flakes. Place over medium heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Add the cucumbers and simmer for 5 minutes. Immediately pack the pickles into sterilized and drained jars; seal tightly. Yield: about 3 pints

• Exported from MasterCook *

Bread and Butter Pickles

Recipe By :Marcia Adams Serving Size : 20 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

-------- ------------ -------------------------------- 25 slender cucumbers 3 onions -- as big around as the cucumbers 2 red bell peppers 1/2 cup coarse salt -- (not iodized) 2 cups cider vinegar 2 cups sugar 1 cup water 2 teaspoons mustard seed 3 teaspoons celery seed 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon turmeric

Scrub cucumbers and slice them into 1/8" - 1/4" rounds. Peel and slice onions. Core peppers and cut into strips. Place vegetables in deep pans in layers, sprinkling each layer with salt. Allow to stand for 3 hours, then drain. Combine the vinegar, sugar, water, mustard seed, celery seed, pepper, ginger, cinnamon and turmeric in a deep kettle and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the cucumbers, onions, bell pepper and bring back to a boil. Lower heat to medium and simmer 5 minutes. Using tongs, pack pickles tightly into 10 sterilized pint jars. Ladle in the hot brine, leaving 1/2" headspace. Wipe rims of the jars, cover with the lids, screw tight and process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Remove jars from water cool and store in a dark place.

-- Easy Pickles Hot Sweet Dill Pickles Garlic Dill Pickles Pickles by the Bushel Garlic and Dill Pickles

Easy Pickles

32-oz. jar Kosher dill pickles, drained and cut into chunks 1 cup water 1 cup sugar or Splenda substitute 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar or white vinegar 1 fresh clove garlic, crushed, peeled (optional) Drain solution from jar of pickles and set pickles aside after cutting into chunks. In a medium sauce pan add water, sugar and vinegar; bring to a boil. Boil 2 minutes. Add garlic clove. Let solution cool to room temperature and add to pickles. Keep refrigerated.

Hot Sweet Dill Pickles

1 quart (bought) dill pickles, drained and sliced 2 cups granulated sugar 1/2 Tbsp crushed red pepper 1 or 2 cloves fresh garlic, crushed, peeled and minced Drain and slice pickles. Layer sliced pickles, sugar, red pepper, and garlic in clean jar. Turn jar once each day until sugar dissolves. Let stand about a week before eating.

Garlic Dill Pickles

7 Pints

4 pounds 3- to 4-inch pickling cucumbers

2 cups water 2 cups distilled white vinegar (5%) 1/3 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup pickling salt 2 tablespoons McCormick (or other) pickling spice

Prepare 7 (1 pint) jars according to manufacturer's directions. Slice cucumbers into quarters lengthwise. Combine water, vinegar, sugar and salt in a large pan. Toss pickling spice into the liquid. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.

For Each Jar

1 fresh dill "head" with seeds 1 bay leaf 2 to 3 crushed and peeled garlic cloves 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds 1/8 tsp powdered alum

With clean hands, pack the cucumber spears snugly in the jars. Add dill, bay leaf, garlic and mustard seeds to each jar. Pour the hot liquid over the cucumbers, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Process the jars in a water bath for 10 minutes. For best flavor, let the pickles sit for at least one week before serving them.

Pickles by the Bushel

1 Bushel pickling cucumbers (yields 40 to 45 Quarts) 1 Gallon Heinz Distilled 5% acidity Vinegar 3 Gallons tap water 2 Cups Mortons canning & pickling salt 6 large bunches of ripe dill (just starting to seed at the top) Dried hot red peppers (OUCH! Optional) cloves fresh crushed and peeled garlic 1 grape leaf for each quart Or, 1/4 tsp powdered alum per quart

Fill kitchen sink with half water and one pint of grapefruit juice. Scrub cucumbers in the sink, cut out blemishes and abnormalities with a paring knife. The grapefruit juice helps to clean chemicals and human diseases that may have attached from the people picking the pickles. ??? - That is news to me, Nita.

In the bottom of sterilized quart jars place a pepper (optional -- Use only if you want HOT pickles), 1 to 3 cloves of crushed and peeled fresh garlic, and half of the grape leaf Or, 1/4 tsp powdered alum, then pack the cucumbers as tightly as possible without breaking them. Leave about an inch at the top of the jar, put the other half of the grape leaf (omit if using powdered alum) and 1 or 2 more cloves of crushed and peeled garlic (make sure you stuff it in so it doesn't come to the top and break the seal). At this point you can also add the stalks of dill to further pack your jar.

Mix vinegar, water, and salt to make a brine and bring the brine to a boil. In a smaller sauce pan boil your lids in water (the rubber on the lids will swell and help to insure a good seal). Pour the brine into the packed pickle quarts and wipe the rim of the jar. Pull the lids out of the boiling water with a fork, place on top and secure the lid with the ring. Place the jars at least 2 inches apart for them to pop down (when they pop down you will hear it, that means your jar has sealed). Let the jars sit undisturbed for 24 hours. Wait 6 weeks to open and enjoy. I have adjusted this for use without grape leaves. Also I increased the amount of and changed garlic cloves to crushed and peeled.

The original of this recipe is said to have won the Adams County fair in Colorado 1999.

Garlic and Dill Pickles

Brine:

1 qt. cider vinegar (5% acidity) 3 qts. water 1 cup Kosher salt (non-iodized)

Bring to a boil. Clean quart jars, lids and scrub 1/2 bushel small cucumbers. Pack jars with 3 crushed and peeled garlic cloves and a sprig of fresh dill on the bottom. Add cucumbers til jars are full. Top with 3 more crushed and peeled garlic cloves and another sprig of dill. Fill jars one at a time with boiling brine leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Seal at once and process in a boiling water bath. Age pickles for 2 months before opening. Note: If a lid doesn't vacuum seal you can refrigerate and use as is.

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Pickles

submitted by rcoen

Basic Pickle Brine

2 quarts water 1 1/2 quarts vinegar (cider, red wine or rice vinegar) 1 Tbsp crushed red pepper flakes 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup kosher salt

Optional

2 Tbsp mustard seeds 2 tsp whole cloves 2 Tbsp whole allspice berries 1 Tbsp celery seed 6 bay leaves 1 bunch of fresh thyme

To make the pickles, simply mix all the ingredients together in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Place your prepared vegetables in a clean container with a tight fitting lid. Allow the brine to boil for a couple of minutes to release the flavor of the spices. Carefully pour the boiling brine over the vegetables and allow it to cool with the lid off in the refrigerator. When the container is cool (about 3 - 4 hours), fit the lid tightly. If you are going to be canning the pickles, follow the instructions that come with the canning jars to avoid potentially dangerous foodborne illness.

-- ~~

We of an older generation can get along with what we have, though with growing hardship; but in your full manhood and womanhood you will want what nature once so bountifully supplied and man so thoughtlessly destroyed; and because of that want you will reproach us, not for what we have used, but for what we have wasted...So any nation which in its youth lives only for the day, reaps without sowing, and consumes without husbanding, must expect the penalty of the prodigal whose labor could with difficulty find him the bare means of life."

-Theodore Roosevelt "Arbor Day - A Message to the School-Children of the United States" April 15, 1907

[rachael simpson]

*snip*

Cool idea, Om! I'd have never thought of that! Thanks! ~Rae

[rachael simpson]

lol! Do you have any idea how many hits come up with that? Only about 18 thousand! lol! I did a general search for pickle recipes before I posted here about it. Now if I can only figure out which one it is that you use...lol! Thanks though! ~Rae

[rachael simpson]

Thanks, Billy, I appreciate all the recipes. I'm definitely gonna give the "candied" ones a try! They sound like they'd be a hit with my family!

Thanks again! ~Rae

PS: I need to give those lemon cukes a try too...I'll try to remember that for next year...

[Steve Peek]

REFRIGERATOR BREAD & BUTTER PICKLES Printed from COOKS.COM

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9 c. sliced cucumbers, unpeeled (5 lg. or 12 sm.) 1 c. onions, red & white 1 c. peppers, red & green 2 c. sugar 1 tsp. turmeric 3 c. vinegar 1 tsp. mustard seed 2 tbsp. salt 1 tsp. celery seed 1 tsp. salt

Put 2 tablespo>> Do a google search for refrigerator bread & butter pickles. I can't put

[rachael simpson]

Thanks for posting your recipe for me! Appreciate the emailed copy too!

~Rae

[Steve Peek]

You're quite welcome. The recipe is very easy and delicious. The key to crispness is the salt removing the water from the raw veggies. They have to stay in the fridge, but I've kept them for over 1 year. Good Luck, Steve

[Omelet]

Cheers! :-)

[zxcvbob]

Some red pepper flakes or a couple of dried red "jap" peppers in each jar *really* perks up Bread & Butter pickles. (If you have fresh cayenne peppers from your garden, by all means use those.)

Bob

[Henriette Kress]

I _love_ cucumber soup. Mmmm. Yum!

That's not pickles, but it does take care of a *load of cukes.

Henriette

[Omelet]

Cucumber sandwiches are also good. Another fun way to eat them is to slice them lengthwise in half after you peel them, then take a spoon and scoop out the sees making a cucumber "boat". This can then be filled with a variety of fillings such as tuna salad, etc.

Good for those sticking to a low carb lifestyle. ;-)

[Steve Peek]

Agreed, this is just a method. I've replaced all the veggies with hot banana pepper rings for a wonderful sweet/hot pickle. Steve

[Mike]

This is recipe file compiled from rec.food.cooking:

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"Cucumber Salad" - 2nd Ave. Deli cook book - Pg 12. (needs to marinate over night, so plan ahead)

2 1/2 straight, long, cucumbers. 4 paper thin slices cut from the center of a lage onion (separate into rings, cut into thin strips). 1/2 cup white vinegar. 1/4 cup sugar. 2 Tbls finely chopped fresh dill. 1/2 tsp salt. 1/8 tsp white pepper.

Peel cukes by removing alternating strips. Slice cukes 1/16" thk. In a bowl incorporate all other ingredients. In large bowl pour over cukes and toss well. Cover and let marinate in fridge over night.

[rachael simpson]

Well, I took Steve's recommendation and made the "Refrigerator Bread & Butter Pickles" yesterday afternoon. Made some of Billy's "Candied Pickles" today. They both look so good, I can't wait to see how they turn out! Om, I took your recommendation and passed it on to a friend and I will try that out as well, as soon as my store bought pickles have all been ate.

Thanks to everyone for their recipes!

~Rae