pickles

[jazzy]

i made pickels today for the first time, at least i think i did. only time will tell.

i followed the directions and thought i packed the jars pretty good, but there sure seems to be alot of space and juice floating around. the recipe called for making spears but i wish i made chips instead.

i was aiming at making sweet pickles.


any pros out there that can give me some tips? it says to wait 6 weeks after canning, but im wondering already if i messed up.


jazzy

 

[Splicer205]

Doesn't that just tick you off when things don't turn out how you expect them to? I bet they're going to taste real good this winter.

Don't know if you hot packed or cold packed, but am thinking that the main cause of floating veggies is either air or shrinkage. Usually when you wash the pickles before processing, some will float to the top. If you cut them open, they have a hollow space and you just know those little suckers are going to be floaters in the jar and they're best to just eat raw.

Sometimes if you either blanch, or boil the produce, they will shrink some before they're packed and you can get more in. With fruit, the syrup consistency has a lot to do with whether or not it floats, but with pickles, I'd be more likely to think it could have been air, or shrinking.

Did you boil the brine before you poured it on the pickles? Have heard that you should always boil the brine because the boiling liquid drives air out of the pickles and helps you be able to get more in the jar.

But, maybe they were just contrary little pickles.

I'm sorry you were disappointed because it's a lot of work and is so frustrating when you're envisioning these beautiful well behaved little pickles. But, I betcha they're going to taste as good as any pickle ever tasted, and if you put them on a dish to serve them, no one will ever know.

And if it makes you feel any better, I've had pickles from the store float when about half the jar is used, so just pat yourself on the back for having fresh home canned goodies.