Small Batch Pickles
When I think of pickling I think of a big production where there are pounds of the desired ingredient to be pickled. Several hours and multiple quarts later you are done.
It doesn’t have to be that way. Sometimes you have just a bit of produce that you’re not going to eat fresh. I suppose you could blanch and freeze it, but I want to enhance the flavors, besides, I don’t have a big freezer. Canning is way to capture summer in a jar. Pickling is a way to do that.
Recently I harvested a scant 1/2 pound of sweet Hungarian Wax peppers, and some small green onions that seem the perfect size to jar up.
You could use any pepper you want – jalapenos’s come to mind, and that would be similar to the Cowboy Candy I made in the past.
The pickling solution is a common and super easy one.
Pickling Solution: for 2 x .5 pint jars ( I doubled this since I have 4 cups of produce)
2 cups white vinegar
1/3 cup sugar – you can double the sugar if you want really sweet pickles. I like them slightly sweet
1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
About 1/2 pound of peppers sliced – stem ends and seeds removed
2 cups peeled and rinsed green onions
Directions:
Prepare jars, lids, bands and put water bath on to boil
Combine all pickling solution ingredients into a non-reactive pot and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar
Pack vegetables into half-pint jars.
Pour hot pickling liquid over veggies, wipe rims, top with lids and bands
Process in hot water canner for 10 minutes.
After cooling let steep for 2 weeks before using. The peppers should be great on burgers or with any grilled meat and the onions will be awesome on a charcuterie plate!
Until next time, Eat Well & Keep Digging!
July 19, 2012
I’m planning to pickle some of my shallots soon, but I think I will use a more traditional English pickling method (I’ll write about it), because we can’t use that amount of sugar on account of Jane’s diabetes.
July 19, 2012
I look forward to it Mark! I understand you have some restrictions to work around but I am sure you have a way!
July 19, 2012
Hi David,
Glad to hear you are still enjoying a bumper harvest after the dreadful weather you had. I’m always fascinated by the way we do things differently in each country and pickling is a case in point. In the UK we don’t have/use a ‘hot water canner’ but simply place the ingredients in sterilized jars and seal.
I shall be pickling my shallots this week in balsamic vinegar and I might try your combination of mustard and celery seeds in some of them and see how they turn out!!
July 19, 2012
Shallots in balsamic sounds lovely! There are many “old-timers” who do pickling that way. Perhaps the USDA (Department of Agriculture) is overly cautious but they do recommend canning in a boiling water bath. This recipe’s pickling solution was sugar and vinegar, and could probably be done safely in the manner you describe. That said, I’ll err on the side of caution.
July 19, 2012
This settles it! I need to break out the pickling spices & vinegar and get some vegetables! It’s the middle of July and I’ve not pickled a thing yet! This must change!
July 20, 2012
Hooray! And I’m making ricotta tonight!
July 20, 2012
Good luck!
July 20, 2012
Ok tonight…
July 30, 2012
We tried canning pickled jalapeños several years ago, but they turned out rather limp. We did refrigerator canning just last week, but you’ve inspired me. We’ll trying canning again when we harvest a bit more jalapeños. 🙂
July 30, 2012
You can add a small amount ( follow the label) of calcium chloride to jars to help keep pickles crisp. When the jalapenos come in, I’ll be making a sambal oelek, which I use through the year.