# Need some help with my cucumbers



## PlayingInDirt (Aug 2, 2017)

First off, I have a full time gig in addition to this huge garden we planted. So I have no way to pickle every single day, there's just not enough time in the day. Can anyone give me some tips as to how to store up cucumbers in the fridge until I get a good enough amount to jar them? My last batch was not crisp enough. 

Also, does anyone have a good simple sweet pickle brine they could share?

Thanks!


----------



## greenTgoats (Jul 1, 2017)

Put a grape leaf in each jar. Crisps them up like you wouldn't believe.


----------



## PlayingInDirt (Aug 2, 2017)

Well, according to my internet research that I really should have done before engaging in my pickle enterprise.... I'm afraid I might have effed up about 5 lbs of cucs sitting in my fridge on ice. You'd think I'm new at this, but, alas I am not. Just not that bright, and rather busy.

As we've been saying a lot lately, next year will be better haha.

At least my plants are still producing! So the year won't be a total loss, and the relish came out pretty good. Do cucumbers do any good as a late summer crop if I started some more plants? I think we're zone 9, very mild climate.

Cucumbers seem to be the hardest to pickle. Carrots, easy. Green beans, easy. Cucumbers, better take a month off work or pick up a meth habit in order to wash, soak, put in lime, rinse rinse rinse, soak some more, etc!!


----------



## wdcutrsdaughter (Dec 9, 2012)

The meth habit would probably take over and you'd still get nothing canned.


----------



## Back2Basix (Dec 24, 2015)

I've been making fridge pickles lately in jars but they're not canned/preserved. My wife hates dill but loves sweet/bread&butter pickles. 

My brine consists of 1 cup vinegar, 1.5 cups sugar, celery seed, fresh garlic, mustard powder or seed, & pinch of salt. I like to add some sliced onion and a jalapeno to the jar withthe cucumbers. I do great the vinegar, sugar, garlic, and spices until simmer, then pack jars with cucumbers, onion, jalapeno and fill jars to top with liquid. 

Supposedly they stay fresh in the fridge a few months but we're lucky to get a week out of them


----------



## PlayingInDirt (Aug 2, 2017)

Just to update, I've had a lot of success with Mrs. Wages cucumber lime sweet pickles. Good thing my plants over compensated for my mistakes this year because I sure have chucked a lot of cucumbers. And pickles, my first batch came out so soft you could spread it on toast. I chucked the whole batch, pickles and relish, prob 10 quarts. My chickens like them but I didn't think that was good for them to eat all that vinegar. 

As I keep telling myself, lesson for next year. 

So I have probably 10 quarts of cucs doing their lime soak on the counter, and I'll pick again on sat and make some tiny dill pickles, per hubby request. And I need to get a batch of relish that's actually good done, before the plants start sputtering. I think we've got another month on them. 

And now it's time to prepare for the torrent of tomatoes.


----------



## marsharini (Dec 31, 2011)

I used a recipe for small batch bread and butter pickles that was featured on PBS on Americas Test Kitchen. https://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/9731-bread-and-butter-pickles

I had never made pickles before and was pleased with how they turned out.


----------



## PlayingInDirt (Aug 2, 2017)

I love America's test kitchen! Will have to try


----------



## danil54grl (Mar 10, 2014)

Don't know if your interested in making them into something besides pickles, but I have made them into 'dried strawberries' 'crushed pineapples', 'strawberry preserves' & ' apple pie filling'. What can I say, I got tired of doing pickles and have at least 300 jars on my shelves already. I like to soak in pickling lime to make them crisp. It is hard to find, at least down where I am at so have to order online.


----------



## PlayingInDirt (Aug 2, 2017)

I did end up doing the pickling lime recipe. The ACE hardware has a good selection of supplies, got it there. I've got a ton put up, my guys tried them for the first time today out of the jar... the look on each of their faces made all the effort worth it 100%.

So now I've got some fermenting, also made some relish, and just picked a bunch too... I'm thinking garlic jalapeno spears possibly. 

I think we'll eat them all up in a year, but if not, I just won't plant any cucumbers. I did 20 plants this year, I think that was just about perfect.


----------

