Cukes are ready!!

[baymule]

Bay,
My wife bought me the unit a few years ago because we like to make small batches of pickles. It came from Perfect Pickler.
I use 4 cups of distilled water, 2 tablespoons of sea salt, garlic and dill. You could also add a tablespoon or two of vinegar if you prefer a more sour taste. They have a site with recipes if you would like to visit:
http://www.perfectpickler.com/

jackb

Thanks jackb!! We will be moving to a home on acreage by the end of the year and I can't wait to have a bigger garden! I really will have room for cukes and I'll have to try that recipe!

 

[britesea]

I want to try making more fermented pickles, including dilled carrots and beans. DH just went through a course of antibiotics so I need to help him build up his gut bacteria again. I figured I'd start by making some farmers cheese and then I would have the whey to help things along. I love the fermentation lock! We have some for making wine and beer, but I never thought of adapting one to a mason jar.

This year I'm not growing pickling cukes because I still have several jars of dills and relish from last year. We are, however growing 2 lemon cukes and 1 Burpless for fresh eating. I've been able to harvest 2 of the burpless ones, but the lemon cukes haven't made any fruit yet, even though they are covered with flowers.

 

[digitS']

Lemon cucumbers are later than most others.

If we have one of those miserable Junes with just too much cold - the lemon cukes won't be harvested until September!

You probably don't have to worry about them, tho. They will be along eventually. By the way, I'm not in the least interested in eating them when they actually look like a lemon. A hint of yellow is about as far as I let them go.

Steve

 

[britesea]

I agree... I usually eat them when they are white with just the slightest touch of yellow. They are so delicious!

 

[curly_kate]

Holy cow, are the cukes in!! I harvested about a 5 gal bucket off of 4 plants today!

 

[baymule]

Holy cow, are the cukes in!! I harvested about a 5 gal bucket off of 4 plants today!

Pickles!!!

 

[secuono]

I don't buy 'pickling' cucumbers, just any kind and turn them into pickles, works just fine. IDK what the difference is supposed to be.

 

[britesea]

The main difference I've seen is the size- pickling cucumber seem to be shorter, perhaps so they'll fit in a jar more easily?

 

[jackb]

From the wize geek:

Pickling cucumbers typically have thinner skins than the salad type, allowing for the vinegar, brine, or other pickling solution to better penetrate the skin and flavor the meat. They are short and squat, instead of long and lean. Pickling cucumbers also usually have "warts," the little bumps on the skin that are the trademark of the classic dill pickle; salad cucumbers usually have much smoother skins. Good pickling varieties will also have fewer seeds as well, unless they have been left too long to ripen."


jackb

 

[britesea]

thanks @jackb! Now I know the difference!