Preparing Pickled And Fermented Foods

* Exported from MasterCook *

PREPARING PICKLED AND FERMENTED FOODS

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The many varieties of pickled and fermented foods are
classified by ingredients and method of preparation.

Regular dill pickles and sauerkraut are fermented and
cured for about 3 weeks. Refrigerator dills are
fermented for about 1 week. During curing, colors and
flavors change and acidity increases. Fresh-pack or
quick-process pickles are not fermented; some are
brined several hours or overnight, then drained and
covered with vinegar and seasonings. Fruit pickles
usually are prepared by heating fruit in a seasoned
syrup acidified with either lemon juice or vinegar.
Relishes are made from chopped fruits and vegetables
that are cooked with seasonings and vinegar.

Be sure to remove and discard a 1/16-inch slice from
the blossom end of fresh cucumbers. Blossoms may
contain an enzyme which causes excessive softening of
pickles.

Caution: The level of acidity in a pickled product is
as important to its safety as it is to taste and
texture.

* Do not alter vinegar, food, or water proportions in
a recipe or use a vinegar with unknown acidity.

* Use only recipes with tested proportions of
ingredients.

* There must be a minimum, uniform level of acid
throughout the mixed product to prevent the growth of
botulinum bacteria.

INGREDIENTS

Select fresh, firm fruits or vegetables free of
spoilage. Measure or weigh amounts carefully, because
the proportion of fresh food to other ingredients will
affect flavor and, in many instances, safety.

Use canning or pickling salt. Noncaking material added
to other salts may make the brine cloudy. Since flake
salt varies in density, it is not recommended for
making pickled and fermented foods. White granulated
and brown sugars are most often used. Corn syrup and
honey, unless called for in reliable recipes, may
produce undesirable flavors. White distilled and cider
vinegars of 5 percent acidity (50 grain) are
recommended. White vinegar is usually preferred when
light color is desirable, as is the case with fruits
and cauliflower.

PICKLES WITH REDUCED SALT CONTENT

In the making of fresh-pack pickles, cucumbers are
acidified quickly with vinegar. Use only tested
recipes formulated to produce the proper acidity.
While these pickles may be prepared safely with
reduced or no salt, their quality may be noticeably
lower. Both texture and flavor may be slightly, but
noticeably, different than expected. You may wish to
make small quantities first to determine if you like
them. However, the salt used in making fermented
sauerkraut and brined pickles not only provides
characteristic flavor but also is vital to safety and
texture. In fermented foods, salt favors the growth of
desirable bacteria while inhibiting the growth of
others. Caution: Do not attempt to make sauerkraut or
fermented pickles by cutting back on the salt required.

FIRMING AGENTS

Alum may be safely used to firm fermented pickles.
However, it is unnecessary and is not included in the
recipes in this publication. Alum does not improve the
firmness of quick-process pickles. The calcium in lime
definitely improves pickle firmness. Food-grade lime
may be used as a lime-water solution for soaking fresh
cucumbers 12 to 24 hours before pickling them. Excess
lime absorbed by the cucumbers must be removed to make
safe pickles. To remove excess lime, drain the
lime-water solution, rinse, and then resoak the
cucumbers in fresh water for 1 hour. Repeat the
rinsing and soaking steps two more times. To further
improve pickle firmness, you may process cucumber
pickles for 30 minutes in water at 180 degrees F. This
process also prevents spoilage, but the water
temperature should not fall below 180 degrees F. Use a
candy or jelly thermometer to check the water
temperature.

PREVENTING SPOILAGE

Pickle products are subject to spoilage from
microorganisms, particularly yeasts and molds, as well
as enzymes that may affect flavor, color and texture.
Processing the pickles in a boiling-water canner will
prevent both of these problems. Standard canning jars
and self-sealing lids are recommended. Processing
times and procedures will vary according to food
acidity and the size of food pieces.

ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ ÿ * USDA Agriculture Information Bulletin No. 539
(rev. 1994) * Meal-Master format courtesy of Karen
Mintzias



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