Dill Pickles - Canning Using Mrs. Wages
Fresh out of the Canner Kettle
A New Twist on Tried and True
In the past, we have used various methods to convert cucumbers into a fermented product referred to herein as a pickle.In the past, we have mixed a salt, water and vinegar brine together and used it to make pickles.
This year, we are using a package mix made by Mrs. Wages. Dill Pickle flavor. Dill is not the only flavor offered by Mrs. Wages. There are hot versions, sweet versions, garlic versions. Again, we chose Dill. Dill is the flavor found in fast food hamburger pickles.
A jar of glass is used to contain various versions of our pickles. We have deliberately pickled cucumbers whole, sliced, pinked. You name it, we have tried it. Our favorite version, this year 2021, is to pink the cucumbers, load them into the jar. Add some thinly sliced sweet onion, sprigs of cilantro and a small bit of alum.
We added a 1/4 teaspoon of alum to each jar to see if the crispiness of the finished pickle changes to crispier. Nothing more disappointing than a soft, mushy pickle.
Ingredients
For the Brine:
- 1 package mrs. wages dill pickle mix
- 7 1/2 cups water
- 3 1'3 cups vinegar
Per Jar:
- 1 teaspoon onion, thinly sliced
- 1 sprig cilantro
- 1/4 teaspoon alum
- cucumbers
Mix the Mrs. Wages
Fill Water Bath Canner with Water
Fill with water. Then, Water needs to boil.
Need jar basket out
Jars on jar basket
jars packed with raw cucumbers, raw onions, cilantro and a small bit of extra alum
lids and lid rings , matching size of jar mouths
heat lids with boiling water. take some from boiling water bath canner.
heat water to boiling
half full to two thirds full. I had to remove some water because the jars displaced more water than I thought.
the jar lifter comes out. It holds the jars in place and the handles are above the hot water so you can pull the jars out.
meanwhile, stirring the brine on medium heat just to a boil.
Preparing to Fill Jars
lids in hot water
jar lifter on cutting board or other suitable counter protector. The brine will be hot as you place it in the jars.
Fill one at a time,
use a canners funnel.
Preparing to Fill Jars with Brine
use sturdy cup with handle, as brine will be hot.
take brine off heat.
cover until ready to use.
dip out brine with measuring cup and pour one by one into jar, stopping at bottom edge of funnel. These jars were overfilled, so the brine was extra.
Cannot correct the pickles. Next time, not so much cucumber in the jar. note to self.
One by One Clean off Drips from Edge - Add Proper Size Lid and Ring - Tighten Gently
Using paper towel, wipe drips off edge
select lid from hot water
dry off and place on jar, hold in place until you get a ring.
Turn ring until it stops. Turn to the right. Tightening ring is called completing. Complete each jar before filling the next.
Place completed jars into boiling water bath canner. Make sure there is at least a little bit of water over the jars. Rule of thumb is inch above jars. Place lid on pan. Set timer to either 10 minutes for pints or 15 minutes for quarts.
Finishing Up - Cleaning Up or Repeat - Depends on How Many Jars You Have
Button on top of jar will suck down and flatten or dimple down when sealed.
Remove jars from boiling water bath and let sit on counter overnight. They will loudly ping as they seal.
Carefully dump water down drain.
let pan dry.
Extra brine may be saved and added to next batch or poured down drain.
Let Steam Go Out the Window from Hot Water
hot steam
open window temporarily to let hot steam outside. Especially if you air condition your home.
I used the two bigger burners
Hot mitts are a must.
Comments
Char Milbrett (author) from Minnesota on July 15, 2021:
Dora Weithers, thank you for your comment!
Dora Weithers from The Caribbean on July 14, 2021:
Thank you for sharing! Quite useful and helpful to satisfy the craving of both children and adults.
