Fermented Cabbage and Cucumbers

Or, in other words, kraut and pickles.  Back on 6/20, I posted about our kraut making afternoon and now seven weeks later, we have the finished product.  It is the old fashioned, fermented-in-the-crock, variety.  I forgot the shot until I'd removed half of it.

After seven weeks, I put it into pint and quart plastic bags for storage. 

Many people can theirs, but I prefer to just store it in the fridge.  I thought it was very good with a nice tang and not too salty – some kraut must actually be rinsed before using, but this will require a little salt when cooked.  My next step will be to buy a bag of my favorite kraut from the store for a taste test to see if the homemade version was worth the effort – and it definitely took effort.

This year we also decided to make some dill pickles from our abundance of cucumbers – we use a white variety that works very well for pickles – crisp and rarely ever bitter.  Even though I’ve never been satisfied with those I’ve made, I was inspired to make them by Mary’s post over at Ocean Breezes and Country Sneezes for Best Dill Pickles Ever!!! 

After looking at several, I selected her recipe as the various proportions sounded good and the name grabbed me.  I used her recipe except I substituted dried dill and I made mine in a plastic bucket that came to our neighbors school kitchen with dill pickles in it.

Bucket Fermented Dill Pickles – Adapted from Ocean Breezes and Country Sneezes

Ingredients:

8 pounds 3 to 4 inch long pickling cucumbers

4 cups white vinegar

12 cups water

2/3 cup pickling salt

12 cloves of garlic peeled and halved

1 T dried dill weed

4 T dried dill seed

1 T crushed red pepper

Directions:

1. Wash cucumbers, slice off 1/16-1/8 inch of the blossom end, and place in the sink or large pan with cold water and lots of ice cubes.  Soak in ice water for at least 3 hours and refresh ice as required.

2. In a large pot over medium-high heat, combine the vinegar, water, and pickling salt and bring to a rapid boil.
3. If using jars, check out Mary’s site.  For a bucket or crock that has been sterilized, add everything but the liquid.
4. Pour the boiling liquid over the cucumbers, add an inverted place to keep them submerged, and top with the lid (just lay it on the bucket).
5. I allowed them to ferment for 24 days in a cool dry place at room temperature and they tasted just right, so I sat the entire bucket in the basement refrigerator to stop the fermentation process.

This jar is for the kitchen fridge.

I believe these are the best dill pickles I’ve made and all who’ve tried them liked them a lot, so I believe this is the new go to recipe – Thanks Mary.

All photos can be enlarged by clicking on them.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by Almost Heaven South.

One year ago: Salmon Cakes

Two years ago:  A BBQ Send-Off

Larry

7/25/12 event date