FERMENTING & PICKLES

Pickled Vegetables and Fruits

Pickled vegetables and fruits, commonly known as pickles, are made from fruits and vegetables or their combinations. They are preserved with vinegar, lemon juice or citric acid. Bacteria will not grow in strong acidic environment and this rule applies to fruits, vegetables and fast fermented meat products. The natural fermentation is a lengthy process and to preserve foods fast we have to increase acidity of the product by other methods. Generally, pickled foods are made with vinegar in varying proportions and are canned in glass jars using the boiling water processing. Vinegar imparts a characteristic acidic flavor which is usually offset by the careful selection of fruits and adding sugar. In addition to cabbage and cucumbers, other vegetables can be successfully naturally fermented. Root vegetables such as radish, turnip, and beets are very healthy and ferment easily with salt alone. They will retain all nutrients, minerals and vitamins as long as they are not subjected to thermal processing.

Pickled foods are classified into the following groups:

Fermented Pickles - usually cucumbers, but other vegetables may be employed. Vegetables are placed in a salt solution for several weeks until fermented. Curing time largely depends on temperature. During this time, changes in color, flavor and texture take place.

Unfermented Pickles - also known as Quick Pickles or Fresh Pack Pickles. The vinegar in the recipe preserves the fruit or vegetable. You can make vegetables directly into pickles without soaking in salt brine, or you can soak them a short time.

Relishes - fruits, vegetables or their combinations. Sweet relishes contain more sugar. Pickles and relishes are very similar. For pickles, you leave vegetables whole, or cut them according to the recipe. For relishes, however, you chop vegetables and/or fruits before you put them into a vinegar mixture.

Fruit Pickles - whole or sliced fruits like peaches, pears, watermelons, figs and other fruits are heated in a spicy sweet-sour syrup.

Chutneys - fruit and vegetables or their combinations. Chutneys are usually strongly spiced. Chutney is also classified as a type of jam.

Sauces - usually vegetables, they can be mild or hot. Very popular sauces can be pickled such as Tomato Ketchup Sauce, Chili Sauce, Red Pepper Sauce, Taco Sauce and others.

Sweet pickles are prepared in much the same manner as other pickles, except that vinegar is sweetened and more spices are added. Sometimes portions of vinegar are drained and sweet spicy liquid is added a little at a time until the desired sweetness is obtained.

Quick pickles are made from fresh fruits and vegetables. Quick pickles are not fermented. Vinegar, sugar and spices are added. Then the pickles are pasteurized. Quick pickling requires at least as much vinegar as other liquids. For pickling purpose brine, fruit or vegetable juice are all considered water and must be matched with an equal amount (or more) of vinegar. It is recommended that homemade pickles contain at least 70% acetic acid (pH 4.0 or less).

To write one's own recipe and be on the safe side, the recommendation is to have at least a 1:1 vinegar to water ratio. For calculation purposes other liquids such as fruit or vegetable juices are considered to be water and should be mixed with an equal amount of vinegar.

We recommend processing quart size jars at 180° F (82° C) for 30 minutes or at 212° F (100° C) for 15 minutes at 0-1000 ft above sea level. During the heat process oxygen will be eliminated and the resulting vacuum will prevent yeasts and molds from spoiling pickles.

Because acidity and heat treatment are the main safety hurdles against spoilage in canned pickles, the amount of salt can be negotiable. This may sound attractive to people on a low sodium diet. They can use commercially produced blends of sodium chloride (common salt) and potassium chloride to reduce the salt content in half. Keep in mind that changing salt levels may bring changes to the texture of the pickles.

Brine for Pickles

Brine for pickles is made with salt and water. Too little salt lets undesirable bacteria grow rapidly. Too much salt slows down the fermentation process. The strength of the brine largely determines the taste of a pickle. Pickles made with lower salt brines result in better quality and contain less salt, a fact which is of much importance for people on a low salt diet. Cucumbers placed in low salt brines may exhibit a softer texture due to the enzymes which came from the cucumber itself, or yeasts and molds. Cucumbers placed in higher salt brines around 10% will develop a harder texture, but will be much saltier. Very salty brines (over 10%, 40 SAL) can prevent fermentation. As a general rule, fermentation takes place well in a brine of about 20° SAL (3/4 cup salt per gallon of water) and most people use this combination.

Typical brines:

Seawater contains approximately 3.6% of salt which corresponds to 14 degrees salometer. Higher salt concentrations than >10% (>40° SAL) are not recommended as:

Such high salt percentage inhibits lactic acid bacteria which may not ferment at all. This will result in very salty pickles which will have to be soaked in clean water before use. More bloaters (hollow-center pickles) may be produced. At 15% salt , 60° SAL, lactic bacteria cannot function, and no fermentation will take place.

Fermented Pickles

Genuine Fermented Dill Pickles are the best known type of fermented cucumbers which are made by home and commercial producers. They are made with fresh cucumbers, salt, and spices. They are fermented in low salt brines, usually 5% or lower. Pickles fermented in low salt brines taste best but spoil sometimes and may have to be discarded. To avoid this risk commercial producers like to add some vinegar into the brine.

Fermented pickles owe their complex taste and flavor to the action of bacteria. The speed of the process is greatly influenced by the fermentation temperature and strength of the brine. The basic process has not changed much and the best genuine dill pickles are made using the same methods that were employed in the past. Poorly developed cucumbers may cause hollow pickles. Fermented pickles will usually be softer than fresh-pack pickles, but if fermented ones become too soft you probably did not remove all cucumber blossoms before you started to brine the cucumbers. Or, you may not have removed all the slime from the top of the brine as the cucumber fermented.

Fermentation

Cucumbers follow a lactic acid fermentation pattern similar to sauerkraut. Cucumbers are placed in the brine ensuring that none float on the surface. In the presence of air, the exposed cucumbers will react with yeasts and molds and white scum may develop. The salt in brine draws sugar and water out of cucumbers. As the cucumber contains around 90% water, a significant amount of cucumber water will mix with the brine making it weaker. Commercial producers readjust brine strength by adding more salt when needed. During fermentation cucumbers absorb salt. Due to this gradual absorption of salt, cucumbers become heavier and they start to sink. In two days they soften and the brine solution starts fermenting. Salt inhibits the growth of undesirable bacteria but lactic acid bacteria multiply and start consuming sugar which cucumbers contain inside. They break sugar into lactic acid, acetic acid and carbon dioxide gas (soda gas). If you are using a clear jar, you will see bubbles rising inside. The color changes from bright green to olive or yellow-green as acids react with the chlorophyll (a green pigment found in almost all plants). The tissue changes from solid white to translucent as air is forced out of the cells.

At the beginning of fermentation brine becomes cloudy due to bacteria growth and gas production. Brine may become clearer or remain cloudy which does not affect pickle quality in any way. It may not look visually pleasing but keep in mind that this cloudy brine contains all those complex flavors that are the product of fermentation. For better looks this brine could be filtered or replaced with a fresh clean brine of similar strength, but the wonderful flavor of the original brine will be gone.

Cucumbers in fresh brine.

Two days later.

Four days later.

Cucumber colour. As the fermentation progresses the texture of cucumber changes from opaque white to translucent. White areas signify incomplete fermentation. The photo depicts pickles which have been in brine for four days.

A cloudy brine or a white sediment may indicate the use of table salt rather than pickling salt. Table salt contains an anti-caking ingredient. Or it could also be that yeast has developed and settled to the bottom of the jar.

In most cases it is the result of a normal reaction during fermentation caused by the bacteria which produce fermentation. A small amount of white sediment is normal in a jar of firm pickles. However, if the pickles are soft, slippery or slimy, they may be spoiled so don't use them. You can eat partly fermented pickles after 3-4 days. They will still be deep green color, but the color will start turning olive green. After about three weeks, the cucumber flesh will become a translucent olive green. At this point, you can store them in a refrigerator or can them in jars. Cover with boiling hot brine that they were fermented in, and process pint jars for 10 minutes and quart jars for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath canner, if you live at altitudes below 1,000 feet.

Save some of the fermented cucumber juice as this is an excellent starter culture for the next production. Some claim, it is a great hangover cure. Strain the juice and pour it into dark bottles all the way to the top. This juice contains all minerals, vitamins and nutrients that lactic acid producing bacteria need to start a successful fermentation.

Fermentation Temperature

Cucumbers ferment similarly to sauerkraut and for best results Leuconostoc mesenteroides bacteria should initiate fermentation. This calls for 64-72° F (18-22° C) temperature. Then Lactobacillus plantarum will take over the fermentation process. At those temperatures fermentation is accomplished in about 10 days. Then the container may be moved to a cooler place. If you like the taste of partly fermented pickles give them a try them after a few days of fermentation. Their taste will be somewhere in the middle between a fresh cucumber and fermented one. Pickles will continue to ferment but if you are satisfied with the taste, stop the fermentation by placing the container in a refrigerator.

Homemade Fermented Pickles

The best quality fermented pickles are made a low salt brine without vinegar. Such fermented cucumbers are usually made at home and this is how they were always made in Europe and by early settlers who came from Germany and Eastern European countries. Sometimes pickles spoiled and had to be discarded which was not something that commercial producers liked. To cut down on those losses and to extend the life of the product vinegar was added to brine. This made production easier and safer but it adversely affected the taste of the product.

What follows is the traditional method of making fermented pickles

Wash cucumbers of visible dirt but don't brush them off. There are some lactic acid bacteria present on the surface and they are needed to start fermentation. In the past, commercial producers did not wash cucumbers at all, but threw them into huge fermenting tanks. Remove all remnants of cucumber blossoms as molds and tissue softening enzymes are known to reside in those areas. You can cut about 1/16" (1.5 mm) off the ends of cucumbers, but scraping them off with a tip of a fingernail works fine.

Place cucumbers in salt brine. Make sure all cucumbers are immersed in brine. Place sealed plastic Ziplock bag filled with brine (4-1/2 tablespoons salt and 3 quarts water) on top of cucumbers. If the bag spills its content this will not affect fermentation.

Check pickles on a daily basis and remove any visible slime. Wash the bag and reinsert it in a fermenting crock. Let it ferment. An absence of gas bubbles signifies the end of fermentation.

The bag (plate) can be removed and the slime wiped off. Then the clean bag is reinserted again. This takes care of the slime. What is harder to control are the tissue softening enzymes which were produced by the yeasts. Those enzymes will continue working and the pickle will be softer. Very salty brines decrease yeast production, adding vinegar is another effective measure. Pasteurization is the most effective preventive measure as it will kill most microorganisms.

Quick Pickles

Quick pickles are not fermented. Quick pickles are made from fresh fruits and vegetables. Vinegar, sugar and spices are added. Then the pickles are pasteurized. Pickled cucumbers don't require much introduction, glass jars filled with different cucumber types stand on shelves in each supermarket. Billions of hamburgers are sold every year by fast food franchises and they contain a slice of a pickle inside. Canned pickles are subsequently pasteurized which eliminates oxygen by creating a vacuum inside the jar. This prevents molds and yeasts from growing. It also destroys tissue softening enzymes which create soft pickles.

Quick pickling requires at least as much vinegar as other liquids. For pickling purpose brine, fruit or vegetable juice are all considered water and must be matched with an equal amount (or more) of vinegar. Acidity and the following pasteurizing step are the main safety precautions against pathogens so the amount of salt can now be decreased. According to standards, when the food is acidified to pH 4.6, the pathogenic bacteria spores cannot produce toxins.

Firming Additives

Firming additives are added to improve pickle firmness. Alum - aluminum compound forms a firmer pickle. Alum is no longer recommended as some people were having digestive problems. The calcium in lime improves pickle firmness. Turmeric is often added to improve colour. Adding chopped horseradish root helps to keep pickled cucumbers crisp. When fermenting at low temperature adding oak leaves to brine helps to prevent spoilage. Oak leaves contain tannin acid which keeps spoilage bacteria at bay until fermenting bacteria produce enough lactic acid for the sauerkraut to be stable.

Home made pickles develop soft texture due to the enzymes that are present. The best fix to the problem is soaking cucumbers for 12-24 hours in a solution of 1 cup of food grade lime to 1 gallon of water. Excess lime absorbed by the cucumbers is removed by draining cucumbers, rinsing and then re-soaking them in fresh water for 1 hour. This rinsing and soaking step should be performed two more times.

Storing Pickles

Pickles made with low salt brines must be stored in a refrigerator in order to deactivate tissue softening enzymes, that may alter flavor, texture and color of the product. The product is usually consumed before any spoilage occurs. To prevent these problems in long storage, pickles should be processed in a boiling-water canner. Standard canning jars with self sealing lids are recommended.

Tsukemono

Japanese Tsukemono, or pickled vegetables, covers a wide range of prepared dishes, from slightly fermented cabbage and radishes to garlic marinated in honey. The most common kinds of tsukemono are pickled in salt or brine and they are usually served with rice. Takuan (daikon), umeboshi (ume plum), turnip, cucumber, and Chinese cabbage are among the favorites to be eaten with rice as an accompaniment to a meal. Beni shoga (red ginger) is used as a garnish on okonomiyaki, takoyaki and yakisoba. Gari (ginger) is used between dishes of sushi to cleanse the palate. Rakkyozuke (a type of onion) is often served with Japanese curry. Kombu (seaweed, kelp) is often added. Soy sauce, miso, vinegar, rice bran (nuka), and sake lees (sake kasu), mirin (sweet rice wine) are commonly added for pickling.

Miso is a traditional Japanese seasoning produced by fermenting soybeans with salt and yeast mold known as "koji." It can also be produced from rice, barley or wheat. After fermentation time, ranging from weeks to years, the fermented ingredients are ground into a thick paste similar in texture to peanut butter. Miso is used for sauces and spreads, pickling vegetables or meats, and mixing with dashi soup stock to serve as miso soup called misoshiru, a Japanese culinary staple. Miso ranges in colour from white to brown. The lighter varieties are less salty and more mellow in flavor.

Chutney

Chutney is a type of savory jam. Chutney was introduced to England from India during the era of the British empire. From there its popularity spread to the rest of the Western world. Chutney is a spice and vegetable mix. There is no limit to the number of chutneys as it can be made from virtually any vegetable/fruit/herb/spices or a combination of them.

The main differences between chutney and jam are:

Jam is always made fruit and sugar. In chutney, both, vinegar and sugar are used. Jam preserves the original flavor of a particular fruit. In order not to distort this flavor no other flavorings are added. Chutney is a mixture of fruits and vegetables and is flavored with several spices. Ingredients such as onions, garlic and hot peppers are frequently added.

Chutneys come in two major groups, sweet and hot; both forms usually contain various spices, including chili, but differ by their main flavor. Chutney types and their preparations vary widely across Pakistan and India. American and European styled chutneys are usually fruit, vinegar and sugar, cooked down to a reduction. Flavorings are always added to the mix. These may include sugar, salt, garlic, tamarind, onion, or ginger. Spices most commonly include fenugreek, coriander, cumin and asafoetida (hing).