General Category > Other Fermentables

Pickles and Crispness

(1/5) > >>

majorvices:
So, I have been experimenting with pickles this summer and I have had limited success, mostly because they have not been very crisp. Doing some research, I see grape leaves and horseradish leaves are suggested for  tannins that may help inhibit some enzymes that break down the pickle. Oak leaves (rounded leaf kind) are also added but some reports say that they add too much tannin.

Then I was looking at a valassic pickle jar and noticed calcium chloride is added, did not see that ingredient listed on a competitor's "mushier" style pickle. So I am going to try that and see if it works.

A couple other ideas: What about that powdered wine tannin? Oak cubes? I wonder if that would work in lieu of leaves? Also, is it necessary to add the water to the pickles hot? Seems like hot water would only cook them, even at 185. I was thinking about heating up the brine and adding it when it is cooled off after ice soaking the cukes for several hours and scrubbing them clean. Heck, maybe even a star-san dunk if microbial concerns are what the hot brine is for, though, that doesn't seem necessary for excellent sauerkraut - it goes straight into the crock with only a lightwash.

What say the forum?

a10t2:
Sounds like these are refrigerator pickles. My experience has been that unless you add the brine hot they take *forever* to cure. Mine always have a satisfactory crunch, although they do tend to soften up over time.

CaCl2 sounds easy. Maybe I'll try that next time.

majorvices:
No, I'm not talking about refrigerator pickles. I was just wondering if adding the brine at room temp would make a crisper pickle.

euge:
How about Bay leaf? That would be appropriate. One thing I can't stomach is limp pickled vegetables. Cucumbers doubly so.

denny:
Did a little reading on adding CaCl2 to pickles.  Looks like 3/4 tsp./pint, added directly to the jar.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page