Years in Sacramento, California, I ran across an old man sold pickles in an exchange. He made the cucumber in her own kitchen in large plastic barrels and sold them on weekends. I went to swap meet every Saturday throughout the summer and noticed the lines of people gathered in front of his stand, but I went through ever.
Then, on a Saturday, I stopped. He had many types of homemade pickles, laid with bite-sized samples from the different pickles to taste. They wereall good, but if I hot, garlic, dill pickle trying ... I was hooked. So, for what would have been the equivalent of about six dollars in today's money, I bought a liter of cucumbers in a Chinese take-out cardboard box served. They were the absolute best pickles I have ever eaten.
I have several times over the years, pickles, but they were nothing special. In fact, pickles from the store were better. I thought if only I knew how he made it, I could make my own. But I wassure he would not give his prescription because he made his living selling. So, I've never asked.
Instead, I went through every recipe book in the library looking for pickles. I have tried dozens of recipes came, but never near the old man's formula.
Several years passed with me buying pickles from the old man up on a Saturday, he was not there. He also was there the next Saturday. So, after several weeks, I went to the Swap Meet Office and asked what happened, the cucumber man. When Ifeared he had died.
So I took the fact that I never taste the fabulous hot garlic dills again. Until one morning when I read the Sunday paper, I discovered a small article about "The Pickle Man passes. The old man's daughter of her father's life story and provided a reminder to keep him alive, they contain his best recipes cucumber. She felt that his cucumber want to continue to enjoy.
As my name is the recipe for those garlic dill pickles read, I was not sureIt was the real thing. It was too easy. There was something exotic, are secret ingredient. But there it was ... without the secret ingredient.
Of course I have the cucumbers on the same day, and they were perfect. It was the old man's Pickles!
Because they were easy, I wondered why my efforts over the years were never as good as his. After careful consideration, I have found that the secret services not only the ingredients, it is also the procedure.
The first secret is FRESHIngredients.
As the pickle man, I grow all the ingredients except salt and vinegar, in my own backyard. The cucumbers are picked and processed within an hour after leaving the garden. Likewise with all other ingredients. I am convinced that this freshness a little extra something added to the flavor and crunch of the pickles.
Another tip is in the processing (water bath) of the pickles. The cucumbers are just a short time, so they are not processed "cooked". While expertson canning can argue with the procedure (I do not know) that I've made (and sold) pickles for years this way.
OK, ready for the recipe? A note first: This recipe assumes you are familiar with the basics of canning foods. If not, you might want to read an article before on canning pickles (see link at the bottom of this page).
INGREDIENTS:
The quantities of ingredients vary depending on how many pickles do you like. It should be clear as you read the procedurebelow.
Fresh cucumber (how many? ... How many cucumbers you will want to do?)
Water
Pickling salt
Jalapeno peppers
Grape leaves (fresh)
Whole peppercorns
whole garlic cloves (peeled)
Fresh dill sprigs
White wine vinegar (5% distilled - commonly sold in stores)
crushed red pepper (optional)
Note 1:
This recipe makes a cucumber too salty, that is, for many people. Others love it. If you prefer a less salty taste, reduce the salt in step 2 below, 1 / 4 cup. If youjust want a touch of salt, use 3 tablespoons.
Note 2:
Choose cucumbers that are about 3-5 cm long, are without blemish! You can use any kind of cucumber, not only pickling cucumbers. I have always done with the whole cucumber pickles, as did the Pickle Man. I have never tried slicing the cucumbers (length-way). I think that would take away some of the crunch.
PROCEDURE
1st Prepare jars and lids in boiling water. Let stand in boiling water for at least 15 minutes
2nd In aLarge pot combine two liters of water, 1 / 2 cup of salt, two cups of white vinegar. Bring to a boil until all the salt is dissolved.
3rd In each sterilized jar place: a large bunch dill, 1 medium jalapeno pepper (sliced length-way), 3 garlic cloves, 1 / 2 teaspoon black peppercorns and 2 grape leaves.
4th Fill glass with cucumber (previously washed in cold water) and top with hot vinegar mix in the glass, within 1 inch.
5th Seal jars and process in water bath 15 minutes.
Agood thing about you is your own pickles that you have control over how they taste. You like hot? Add more crushed jalapeño or 1 / 2 teaspoon paprika. You want them milder? Use only 1 / 2 jalapeño. You like strong garlic pickles? With 5 cloves of garlic per glass.
The point is, do not worry, the recipe to adapt to the pickles you like to do. The recipe above is basically the original and what I like.
You can by only one jar (the original startIngredients for salt / vinegar mix, although that's only a jar). The pickles can cost in about 3 days and you can adjust the ingredients to your taste, if you have a full batch. Just be aware that all the flavors will intensify a bit over time.
Final Note: Put the grape leaves, cucumbers their crunch. You may have trouble finding fresh grape leaves, since they do not sell them in stores. If you can not grow your own or have a neighbor who grows them, I have not a solution. Iwould not use alum as a substitute in my pickles. It is still a pretty good crunch without the vine leaves, if you do not over process.
Good luck with the hot, garlic, dill pickles.
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