I need some advice on half sour pickles

[Tesha]

The recipe looks just like a regular pickle, but there's no vinegar.
AND you leave it open (and lightly covered) on the counter for 4-5 days while they cure submerged in the liquid.

The problem is the liquid is looking a little cloudy after 3 days. :shrug:

Does anyone know if this is normal or should I decant and refrigerate them now, hoping they haven't spoiled.

[grasswire]

1. you're talking about fermented pickles?

Is the water fizzing a bit with little bubbles?

I believe that cloudy is okay.

Slimy/soft is NOT okay. Scummy is NOT okay.

Basically, with fermented pickles you are risking botulism. I have made them from my aunt's old recipe. It's a little different, though, in that the jars are sealed and then stand upside down. Some do go bad and would be dangerous to eat.

I believe that experts now advise processing the jars of pickles in a hot water bath -- but that's not the true old method.

If you want to be really, really sure, call your county agricultural extension office and ask for advice.

[Warpy]

2. Half sours are generally pickled in brine, with or without vinegar

The salt is what acts as a preservative and retards most nasty bacterial growth while allowing the cukes to ferment naturally. Done correctly, they're really my favorite pickle. Done incorrectly, the smell and texture will tell you not to eat them.

They're sometimes called overnight pickles since they'll do their thing if you use sliced cukes overnight at room temperature but a few days for whole pickling cukes at room temperature. It takes them about a week to mature in the fridge.

They should be firm and crisp, with both a salty and sweet flavor. Garlic, dill and hot peppers can add considerable kick.

This looks like a real winner of a recipe for making and preserving them: http://lasaan.tripod.com/canningrecipes/halfsour.html

(and yes, some cloudiness is OK)

On edit: I don't have a pickle crock, so I got one of these gizmos: http://www.amazon.com/ori-por-Tsukemono-Pickle-546-333/dp/B001VEEIB6/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1282103704&sr=1-9 It works just fine.

[Tesha]

4. A little cloudy

but firm and looking pretty much like they did when they went in.

I wondered by the recipe said DON'T SEAL - the bubbles!

Thanks for the links!

[Tesha]

3. Thanks...

I never thought of botulism. My grandfather always made sauerkraut - in a crock in the basement. Very fragrant - tasted wonderful.

My pickles are still firm, and no scum - but the smell of the garlic is almost overpowering when you get close.

[Warpy]

5. These are barrel pickles

made daily and stored in the back of the store until they matured. They were never meant to be kept forever in jars. People would line up to buy them when the barrel got put out front and they rarely lasted until closing time. Yes, I'm old enough to have had an elderly relative with that kind of store.

I used to be able to get the real thing back in Boston, real lower east side New York City half sours. There is nothing better and my own attempts are but pallid imitations, but they'll do as a flavor memory.

I haven't even seen the pickling cukes here this summer, only those waxed things that are as full of water as melons. I suppose I'll have to get some overpriced English cukes if I can find those to satisfy my once a year half sour Jones.

[Tesha]

6. These are our own cukes!

We tore up an old ornamental planting bed, loaded it with homemade compost
and some good old horse poop and - tho' it's small - it gave us zucs and cukes
and now lots of tomatoes.


So I wanted those marvelous half sours -

like this... Don't leave Rein's without a bucket of our famous half sours...
from http://vernon.reinsdeli.com/ordereze/default.aspx


My first attempt isn't bad, but they're waaaaay too salty. I'll try again.
I bought some fresh dill today for the next try.

[surrealAmerican]

7. I've made pickles this way.

A little cloudy is not a problem. Make sure your cukes are weighed down to keep them completely submerged, or they will grow mold. Also, skim the top every day or two. I normally just cover the top with a few layers of cheesecloth.


By the way, if you want them more sour than "half-sour", follow the exact same recipe, just ferment them for two or three times as long.