Joy Beeson wrote:
....
> When I make bread-and-butter pickles I put a pinch in the bottom of
> each jar and they come out crisp. But I haven't tried it without the
> calcium chloride. They also came out crisp when Mom made them, and
> her recipe doesn't say a word about lime. But one does have to be
> very careful not to let the vegetables boil. Also helps if the
> cucumbers were picked soon enough and haven't developed seeds.

we've never limed any of our pickles and they
are fine if eaten within a year (almost all of
them are). after a year it can get iffy especially
if you use different kinds of cucumbers. some of
the kinds for fresh eating just turned to mush.

we've never used PC or the generic version.

my prep is to put the dill in the bottom of the
jar, pack the jar full of slices/spears and whatever
chunks i may have left to fit in there. when i have
all the jars done i fill them with water and dump
that water in the pot. this way i do not have to
waste much if any brine because i know how much i
need to make.

then i make the brine and bring it to a boil but
i don't cook the cucumbers at all, just dump the
brine in the jars, wipe the rim and put a lid on
and then process as quick as possible to get them
sealed. the lids are warmed up in some hot water
first.


songbird