I'll bet this is absolutely the silliest question

[janetnjim]

I did the pickling lime followed by raw pack with the Low-Temperature Pasteurization Treatment this year. I think I got more spears crammed in and had less shrinkage. Plus the pickles were crisp rather than mushy.

I think the pickling lime preshrunk them some and made the spears stiffer and easier to pack.

I'll definately do it again regardless of the extra time involved.

Could you please explain all 3 processes ?

 

[janetnjim]

You know what, I just cut the spears so they are about the whole length of the jar, arrange them around the outside so it looks nice, and then pack the whole inside with giant dill stems, whole hot peppers and whole garlic cloves. The herbs don't contain as much water, so it doesn't shrink so bad.

Ya sure got me salivatin all over my keyboard

 

[averytds]

Pickling Lime-

Variation for firmer pickles: Wash cucumbers. Cut 1/16-inch off blossom end and discard, but leave 1/4-inch of stem attached. Slice or strip cucumbers. Mix 1 cup pickling lime and 1/2 cup salt to 1 gallon water in a 2- to 3-gallon crock or enamel-ware container. Caution: Avoid inhaling lime dust while mixing the lime-water solution. Soak cucumber slices or strips in lime water solution for 12 to 24 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove from lime solution and rinse and resoak 1 hour in fresh cold water. Repeat the rinsing and resoaking two more times. Handle carefully because slices or strips will be brittle. Drain well.

Raw Pack - Don't heat them in the brine, just stuff them into the jars. Pour your hot brine on top to correct headspace.

Low-Temperature Pasteurization Treatment - http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_06/low_temp_pasteur.html

HTH

 

[janetnjim]

Pickling Lime-

Variation for firmer pickles: Wash cucumbers. Cut 1/16-inch off blossom end and discard, but leave 1/4-inch of stem attached. Slice or strip cucumbers. Mix 1 cup pickling lime and 1/2 cup salt to 1 gallon water in a 2- to 3-gallon crock or enamel-ware container. Caution: Avoid inhaling lime dust while mixing the lime-water solution. Soak cucumber slices or strips in lime water solution for 12 to 24 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove from lime solution and rinse and resoak 1 hour in fresh cold water. Repeat the rinsing and resoaking two more times. Handle carefully because slices or strips will be brittle. Drain well.

Raw Pack - Don't heat them in the brine, just stuff them into the jars. Pour your hot brine on top to correct headspace.

Low-Temperature Pasteurization Treatment - http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_06/low_temp_pasteur.html

HTH

Thank you very much averytds , i will certainly give this a try. Now, if only i had more cukes growin in my garden.