Pickling is one of the oldest known ways of preserving food and liquids. Pickling is accomplished by inducing a fermenting process using vinegar, brine or oils that penetrate the food and maintain its value while preventing deterioration for a longer period. In the Western World, mostly vegetables and fruits are pickled, although eggs and meats are sometimes used.
Instructions
1. Follow pickling recipes exactly. It is important that basic ingredients are used in specific proportions to achieve the acidity necessary to complete the pickling process. Don't change quantities of an ingredient or substitute one for another.
2. Weigh your ingredients to get the best results. Many recipes will call for specific amounts by weight. If you have a scale, this is the best way to go since precise amounts are needed to achieve consistent flavor and texture.
3. Sterilize all your utensils and canning jars before packing them with the pickled product. This is achieved by boiling jars, lids, rims and sieves for 5 minutes then allowing them to dry on a clean towel while you are preparing the food product.
4. Seal your jars in a pressure canner or a water bath. Your recipe will recommend which one to use. A water bath consists of placing the closed jars in a large pot filled with water over the level of the lids and allowing it to boil for a pre-determined amount of time, usually 5 or 10 minutes. A pressure canner is required for non-acidic vegetables and meat products. It intensifies the heat in the pan and seals the lid with greater efficiency.
5. Keep the jars undisturbed for 24 hours, after processing, and then check the seal by pressing down the middle of each lid. A properly-sealed jar will not have any room to depress the center. If you can move the lid, it hasn't sealed properly. Either re-process it or discard it, whichever your recipe states.
6. Attend your county fair to see the variety of locally-grown foods being pickled in your area. Fresh produce makes the best-tasting end product. The fair is also a good place to get award-winning recipes since the contestants have to list their ingredients and the process they used.
Tags: pressure canner, water bath