Don’t Pickle Me
I have taken a lot of flack for making my own condiments. Their argument was how much do you use? My argument is even if it was just a little when you wake up in the morning and you can’t see, and your face and feet are swollen, and you feel lethargic even a bite or two is worth it. Simply I would like to eat pickles, not be pickled.
I started making my own pickles when I started paying attention how much better my body felt as I removed processed food. I heard last week that there are over 40 different salts. I am not sure if all are edible or even if the number is correct. If you just read the label on a jar there is always a suffix with an -ite or an -ate representing the salt family. So I decided to remove those and just start making my own pickles. I just know that I get along much better when I know what is in my condiments.
I remember when I was growing up the canning process took all day; sometimes longer. Jars and jars of green beans, or tomatoes, or peaches, blackberries for cobbler, and of course pickles. I remember Mom’s big blue water-bath, and that giant scary pressure cooker. It’s no wonder people stopped canning. Who has all day for this labor-intensive job when you can go to the market and pick up a jar? But along with the convenience we sacrificed the knowledge of what was in our food. It became a company secret. And you know what happens when there are secrets…
If you want to spend the day in the kitchen for pickles that would be your business, but if you would like real food quickly here is a way to make a quick pickle to top off that burger or pulled pork sandwich, or sloppy Joes, or the turkey sandwich, or… The trick is to make it easy and make them quick. This recipe came from Rachel Ray. I think she is a national treasure. She is one of the first ones that started this whole thing about getting a meal on the table in less than 30 minutes. She used real food and she made us believe we could do it. After learning this quick way to make pickles that only take such a short time I just quit buying them at the market.
I use kosher salt. If you use Morton or its equivalent you will need to adjust the amount. I no longer use it because it taste like chemical to me. I was told the chemical keeps it from clumping. Rachel suggested Kirby cucumbers, but I use Persian cucumbers. They are small, have very little seed, and take pickling well. When I first made these I cut them very thin. I now cut them a little thicker to give them body.
I started with pickles. Now on to ketchup or is it catsup because that almost always has lecithin, and high fructose corn syrup, and that is another issue.
Thank you Rachel for showing me we can have real food that does not take days to make.
- ½ cup white vinegar, eyeball it
- 2 rounded teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon mustard seed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 clove cracked garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried dill or 2 tablespoons fresh dill leaves, chopped or snipped
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 Persian cucumbers cut into 1-inch slices on an angle
- Heat small saucepan over medium high heat.
- Add vinegar, sugar, mustard seed, salt, and garlic to the pan and cook until it begins to simmer and sugar dissolves.
- Toss the dill, bay leaf, and sliced cucumbers together in a heatproof bowl.
- Pour the simmering liquid over the cucumbers and stir to evenly coat.
- Allow to cool to room temperature or chill before serving.
- Place pint jar and canning lid into boiling water to sterilize.
- Cut cucumbers at angle.
- Place into jar.
- Pour over liquid.
- Allow to cool – turn jar over to distribute liquid – place in frig.
I am taking this to
Susan’s at Metamorphosis Monday
Yvonne’s at On The Menu Monday
Sarah’s at Make The Scene Monday
Jane’s at Melt In Your Mouth
Chandra Show Me Your Plaid Monday’s!
Kayla at Sweet Sharing Monday
Linda’s at Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Marty’s at Inspire Me Tuesday
Lauren’s at Off The Hook Link Party
Stephanie’s at Back For Seconds Social
Wanda Ann’s at Tuesday Trivia
Maria’s at Tuesdays At Our Home
Kathe ‘s at Your Gonna Love It Tuesday
Kim’s at Wow Us Wednesday
Ashley’s at What’s In The Kitchen
Dana’s at Two Girls and A Party
Sherry’s at Home Sweet Home
Lindsay’s at Show And Share
Sherry’s at Home Sweet Home
Miz Helen’s at Miz Helen’s Country Cottage
Liz at The Brambleberry Cottage
Becky’s at Beyond The Picket Fence
Debra’s at Be Inspired Friday
Cindy’s at Show and Tell Friday
Michael’s at Foodie Friday
Ruthie’s at Show and Tell
Leigh Anne’s at Finding the Pretty and Delicious
Linda’a at What To Do Weekend
Paula’s at Saturday Dishes
Ms. Scaper’s at The Tablescaper
Aimee’s at Twigg Studios
Paula’s at Saturdays’s Dishes
Diana Rambles says
Awesome. Didn’t know it was this easy!
Pary Moppins says
I make my own pickles (jams, jellies, chutneys, preserves, relishes, etc.) too. I think that my daughter thinks store bought pickles taste funny and not the other way around. Pickled and fermented veggies/fruits are good for digestion too. Thanks for the quick pickle recipe. I’m always looking for new recipes to try. Found you through Full Plate Thursday.
Ms. Lemon says
You have a very smart daughter.
Jenna says
Had no idea making pickles could be so easy! Thanks for sharing! Pinning! Would love it if you would link this up to Give Me The Goods Monday: 1 Party, 5 Blogs! http://www.rainonatinroof.com/2013/04/give-me-goods-monday-3-link-party.html
Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof
April @ The 21st Century Housewife says
I’m visiting via Foodie Friday at Rattlebridge Farm, and your pickles sound amazing. While I agree that so many store bought pickles have ingredients I would prefer not to eat, I can’t even get what I consider to be proper pickles here in the UK, so this recipe is wonderful for me! I am looking forward to trying it. I’ve put vinegar on cucumbers with spices before but didn’t get very good results. I like that this recipe actually heats everything together before pouring it over the cucumber, just like ‘proper pickles’ – but it’s quick and easy 🙂
linderhof says
This look so good! I’ve been thinking of making my own pickles!
Ms. Lemon says
I hope you will try. Start with a few, and if you like them it is so easy to make more. They are better with fresh dill instead of dry, and after they have been in the frig for a while.
Sherri @The Well Floured Kitchen says
I just happened to buy a pack of persian cukes at Trader Joe’s this week. I have been meaning to try quick pickling for a while. You are right, it is next to impossible to find pickles with an ingredient label I am comfortable with. Any idea how long they last in the frig?
Ms. Lemon says
Thank you for visiting Sherri, I am not sure how long they last – they usually don’t last that long – because someone eats them. Just start with a small amount. But keep in mind that”store pickles” have a shelf life of nuclear waste, but these are real food.
Cindy (Vegetarian Mamma) says
Can’t wait to try this! YUM My name is Cindy and I blog over at Vegetarianmamma.com I wanted to invite you to link up your recipe and any others at our Gluten Free Fridays Recipe Link up party! It happens every Friday and we’d love to have you join us with some of your awesome recipes! It doesn’t mean that you have to be a gluten free bloggers. If you have some recipes on your blog that are gluten free that counts! 🙂 Many recipes are naturally gluten free.
Thanks, Cindy 🙂
Diane Balch says
Your pickles sound delicious and really not too hard to make. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe with us on foodie friday.
Miz Helen says
We make lots of pickles in the summer and can’t wait to try your awesome recipe. Thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and hope to see you again soon!
Miz Helen
Rattlebridge Farm -- Foodie Friday says
I’m with you–I don’t want to be pickled by my pickles. lol Love this recipe. I will never buy store-bought again and eagerly await your next recipe!
Ms. Lemon says
Thank you so much for visiting. I have enjoyed your site so much. I always find something good.
The Tablescaper says
Great job!
Super to have your at Seasonal Sundays.
– The Tablescaper
The Café Sucre Farine says
Very cool and so simple! These sound awesome, I’ve done dill but not this type. My mother-in-law use to make this type of pickle every year. One year she broke her arm so my father-in-law and myself had pickle duty that year. She was very adamant that we should not include any of the “ends of the cucumbers in our bowls”. I would save all my ends on a little pile and when no one was looking, I would throw them in his bowl. Then “the sergeant” would come past to “inspect” our work and man, would he get a tongue lashing. After a while he figured out it was me ………. 🙂
Ms. Lemon says
Chris, that is hysterical. My mil was pretty sharped tongued. I would have been afraid, very afraid….
Marty@A Stroll Thru Life says
Cute post, and love the recipe for the pickles. Thanks for joining Inspire Me. Hugs, Marty
Meredith {A TIPical Day} says
I use to make my own pickles, but they were a lot of work. This looks so much easier! Going to give these a try. Thank you for sharing this recipe. Found you over at Sweet Sharing Monday.
Ms. Lemon says
Meredith, Thank you for visiting. I see no reason to spend so much time when you can have them so quickly and no preservative except the kosher salt – not those other unpronounceable names that pickle you.
Chandra@The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen says
What a great idea! You are so right about the amount of “hidden” salt is in our food. These pickles look so tasty! Thanks for sharing on Show Me Your Plaid Monday’s!
Linda says
I wanted to let you know that I featured your pickles! The new linky is up also. Thanks for always linking up to Crafts a la mode. Linda
http://www.craftsalamode.com/2013/04/what-to-do-weekends-16.html
Ms. Lemon says
Thank you so much. What a surprise.
Happier Than A Pig in Mud says
They sound great! I’d like to make some this weekend but need a clarification, do you pour the brine over whole cukes or sliced cukes? Thanks:@)
Ms. Lemon says
Thank you for visiting. I slice the pickles and pour the hot brine over them. You can actually place the slices in the jar and pour the brine over them. As soon as they cool enough, I put them in the refrigerator. From time to time I turn the jar over a few times and place them back in frig – this is just so the brine gets evenly distributed.
Diane Balch says
Along with featuring your pickles I will be pinning and tweeting them this week too. I could not use your image because of your pin function. If you could email me a jpg I will replace the photo. Thanks again for sharing your recipe with us on foodie friday.
Miz Helen says
Congratulations!
Your recipe is featured on Full Plate Thursday this week. Enjoy your new Red Plate and have a great weekend!
Miz Helen
Brandi says
You make it seem so simple. As much as we eat pickles in the summer, I need to give this a try. Thanks for sharing.
Ms. Lemon says
I hope you will try them. They really are that easy.
Linda says
I totally agree with the reduction of processed food from the diet makes you feel better.
Thanks for sharing these pickles at Saturday Dishes,
Linda @ Tumbleweed Contessa