This week's recipe was provided by pickle expert, Sheena's Pickles. Sheena often uses JBG produce for her pickled delights, and we were thrilled when she agreed to share her classic sour recipe with us.. with you! It's pickling season, y'all!

Photo by Shenna of Shenna's Pickles!

This recipe is my sister Alisha’s (Lee’s) favorite pickle flavor. It is a classic, clean, and simple sour pickle.

Prep time: 20 minutes Water bath time: 10 minutes Ready to eat in about four weeks Shelf life: 1 year (or more)

Ingredients: Yields 5 pint-size jars

• 8 cups white vinegar (5% acidity)
• ½ cup of pickling salt
•  ¼ cup granulated sugar
•  ¼ cup dry mustard
•  3 lbs of pickling cucumbers

 

Homework:

If this is your first time canning pickles, please read about the water canning method. This method allows you to have a safe, repeatable, shelf-stable product.

What to buy:

• Pickling cucumbers: Do not use the waxy, shiny salad cucumbers. These cucumbers will make your pickles mushy. Find pickling cucumbers at your local Farmer's Market.
• Pickling salt: Can be purchased at your local grocery store. You can find it on the same aisle with the ice cream salt. Do not use table salt for this recipe.
• Extra canning lids: Canning lids are designed for one-time use. Rings can be used multiple times. Wash and rinse them before use.

Prep:

• Wash pickling cucumbers, remove the ends, and slice. *Note: The ends of cucumbers contain enzymes that can cause the cucumber to go soft. Remove at least 1/16th of an inch from the ends before you cut cucumbers into rounds or spears.
• Wash and rinse your jars well.
• Prepare a boiling water bath with enough water to cover your pint-size jars.
• Sterilize jars---your jars need to be submerged in boiling water for 10 minutes.
• Remove the sterilized jars from the boiling water.

Packing jars:

• In a saucepot, heat the vinegar, sugar, pickling salt, and dry mustard until the mixture comes to a simmer and the salt and sugar dissolve. This brine will be cloudy and yellow due to the dry mustard.
• Pack a sterilized pint-size jar with pickling cucumbers. Leave 1/2 inch of space at the top of the jar for liquid.
• Cool the brine down to warm, and fill the jars so that everything is covered with brine.
• Remove air bubbles by placing a nonmetallic spatula or plastic knife inside the jar between the food and the side of the jar. Gently press the spatula against the food to create a path for trapped air to escape. If this step is not done, air bubbles can cause pressure to build during water bath canning and it can break your jar.
• Recheck the headspace and add more brine if necessary.
• Wipe the jar rims and apply lids and rings. Screw the rings on firmly, but do not overtighten.

Canning

• Process in a boiling hot water bath for 10 minutes.
• When the timer goes off, remove jars using a jar lifter and place them on a kitchen towel.
• Let jars cool before handling.

Note: You don't want to have any resistance from the lids, meaning that when you press the lid center, it should not make a cling-clang sound. If it does, this means that your product did not seal properly. Remove the lid and toss away. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used promptly.

Photo by Shenna of Shenna's Pickles!