Knowledge Builders

can any cucumbers be used for pickles

by Jeffrey Hyatt PhD Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
image

Pretty much any type of cucumber can be used for pickling, but true “pickling” cucumbers are different than heirlooms, slicers, or Japanese cukes.Sep 13, 2021

Can you use burp less cucumbers to make pickles?

While slicing and burpless cucumbers are not the best cucumbers to make traditional jarred pickles with, they can be used in fresh pack pickles. Fresh pack pickles are minimally processed vegetables that are brined for a minimum of a day to produce the flavor desired. They could be compared to a slaw or a salad.

How to pickle cucumbers with vinegar simple recipe?

Instructions

  • Wash and drain cucumbers. ...
  • Fill up the jars with the cucumbers and add garlic cloves, black peppercorns, 1/4 teaspoon of dried dill and slices of horseradish in between.
  • In a big pot, bring vinegar to a boil together with salt and sugar. ...
  • Pour the liquid over the cucumbers to fill the jars. ...

More items...

Can I substitute relish for Pickles?

The use of celery as a substitute for sweet pickle relish is not conventional, but we can assure you it works just as fine. To create a “celery version” of sweet pickle relish, you need capers, wine vinegar or olive oil, minced onion and garlic , and seasoning to taste. Marinate all these ingredients, and your substitute is ready!

Are pickles really just cucumbers?

Yes, pickles are made from smaller cucumbers. They are "pickled" in salt brine. You can also pickle stuff like eggs, watermelon rind and many other veggies. It was a common way of preserving vegetables back before refrigeration or freezers were invented.

image

Can you use regular cucumbers for dill pickles?

Kirby, Persian and garden-variety cucumbers will also work great. For pickle spears, use two Kirby or small garden cucumbers (about 6 ounces each). Or, use one longer garden cucumber (about 12 ounces) as shown here—you'll just need to slice the spears in half through the middle so they're not too tall for your jar.

What kind of cucumbers can I use for pickles?

What kind of cucumbers to use? Kirby cucumbers, which are small with bumpy skin, are the more popular choice for pickling. I prefer Persian cucumbers, which are smaller and have thin skin. If those are not available, I use English cucumbers (again, thin skin that is not waxy).

Can you use store bought cucumbers to make pickles?

Yep, every jar of store-bought pickles is also basically a do-it-yourself pickle kit. And if you're like me and are never quite motivated enough to embark on a full-on pickle-all-the-produce effort, this super-simple method of making pickles from leftover pickle brine might be your tipping point.

What is the difference between pickling cucumbers and regular?

Pickling cucumbers are shorter and bigger around than slicing cucumbers. They are bred to have thinner skins and black spines so the pickled product will look better. Pickling varieties can be eaten fresh and slicing varieties can be pickled, but the differences can be discerned by the average consumer.

What kind of cucumbers are best for dill pickles?

Kirby cucumbers are the classic pickling cucumber — they hold up better than English cucumbers during pickling, remaining firm and crunchy instead of becoming overly soft. I've also found that Persian cucumbers make very nice pickles — they have thinner skin and are the perfect size for packing into pint jars.

Why did my pickles turn out soft?

If the pickles are soft, they are spoiled from the yeast fermentation. Don't use them. Using too weak a salt brine or vinegar solution may cause soft or slippery pickles, as can using moldy garlic or storing the pickles at too warm a temperature. These pickles are spoiled and should be discarded.

Should you refrigerate cucumbers before pickling?

Chill Your Cukes: Chill your cukes in the refrigerator to make them cold and crisp before processing. Remove Blossom Ends: Removing the blossom ends of the cucumber will help ensure its crispness. These ends contain an enzyme that can make for soft pickles if not removed.

How long does it take to turn cucumbers into pickles?

Cucumbers can be fermented in a crock to produce genuine dill pickles. Fermenting genuine dill pickles takes 3 to 4 weeks at 70°F. The fermentation process allows bacteria to produce lactic acid, which preserves the cucumbers and produces the characteristic color and texture of genuine dills.

How long do you leave cucumbers in pickle juice?

The longer the cocktail cucumbers sit in the pickle brine, the softer they will get. They may be soggy or mushy after 2 weeks. So depending on if you like a crisp or soft pickled cucumber, you may want to enjoy these immediatley or let them set for a week or two.

How do you tell if it's a pickling cucumber?

Pickling cucumbers are a short, blocky fruit with firm flesh. Most varieties make crispy, firm dill pickles when picked at approximately four inches in length (Figure 1).

Are pickles just cucumbers in vinegar?

Pickles are Cucumbers Kirby or Persian cucumbers are often used for pickling. After they are picked they are washed and then soaked in a pickling solution often made with water, salt, spices and vinegar.

Why are my pickling cucumbers bitter?

Answer: The bitterness in cucumbers is produced by the compound cucurbitacin. Cucurbitacins are normally found in the leaves, stems, and roots of cucumber plants. The cucurbitacins spread from the vegetative parts of the plant into the cucumber fruit when plants are under stress.

Will bitter cucumbers make good pickles?

Some fruits will be bitter all the way through and should be discarded. Bitter cucumbers will not taste any better when pickled!

Can English cucumbers be used for pickling?

Which cucumber should you use? Pickling cucumbers are best because they stay firm and crunchy in the brine. English cucumbers will also work, though they will become softer the longer they remain in the brine. Do not use iodized salt, which can cause your pickled products to turn dark.

How do you keep cucumbers crisp when pickling?

Try using a “pickle crisp” product instead. Keep the cucumbers cold before making pickles by storing them in the refrigerator. For maximum crunch, soak your sliced cucumbers in a large bowl of ice water for several hours or overnight before adding them to the jar.

How long does it take for cucumbers to turn into pickles?

Cucumbers can be fermented in a crock to produce genuine dill pickles. Fermenting genuine dill pickles takes 3 to 4 weeks at 70°F. The fermentation process allows bacteria to produce lactic acid, which preserves the cucumbers and produces the characteristic color and texture of genuine dills.

Making Pickles from Regular Cucumbers

When we say “regular cucumbers” these are referred to as “slicers”. Slicing cucumbers tend to contain more water than pickling cucumbers. Therefore, they are not as crisp as pickling cucumbers. Instead, they are fleshy and thin-skinned, this can somewhat affect their ability to absorb flavor from the brine and makes them naturally not as crunchy.

Making Burpless Cucumber Pickles

Burpless cucumbers are sweeter than other cucumbers and have thinner skins. This can produce a rich flavor. Despite the thin skin, burpless cucumber skins are tough. Therefore, brining may be difficult.

Pickling Cucumbers Make the Best Traditional Jarred Pickles

Pickling cucumbers tend to be dry and absorb more of the brine. Furthermore, pickling cucumbers have crisp skins and flesh that many people like in their pickles. These cucumbers are very flavorful even though their pickling can significantly change their flavor.

Fresh Pack Pickles Can Use Various Cucumbers

Normally, pickles take more than a week to brine in a jar. When you jar pickles, you should try to pickle pickling cucumbers for a longer time to establish a full flavor.

How To Make The Best Jarred Pickles

Many people have different ways to make pickles. If you want to produce crunchy pickles you should definitely use pickling cucumbers. There is no advice to make slicing cucumbers nor burpless cucumbers as crisp as a pickling cucumber. If you want crunchy pickles some of the general advice given includes:

How To Make Flavorful Pickles

Some rich flavors could be produced from a rich brine or vinegar when pickling. However, you can produce a variety of flavors using:

Safety Issues with Pickling

Pickling is a fairly simple process, and you can produce richly flavored pickles with ease. One of the reasons for the flavor is the fermentation and the formation of bacteria including lactic bacteria. However, depending on their pH, pickles and their brine also make a great media for deadly bacteria including Clostridium botulinum.

Can I use Straight 8 cucumbers for some kind of pickles?

This is my first year at gardening so I was unsure as to how much I would be able to harvest for cucumbers. So far it has not been too bad. I've used a few in salads and made 1 batch of fridge pickles. Over the next month, I believe I will be swamped with more cucumbers than I have ever seen at once. I don't want them to go to waste.

Comments (2)

Hi Paul - I think this discussion on using Straight 8 for pickles from further down the page here will answer your questions. If not, let us know.

Different Kinds of Pickles

There are all different kinds of pickles out there. While recipes are a great guide for making pickles, your pickle preference should be considered too. You can use an English cucumber in just about any of the traditional kinds of pickle recipes.

How an English Cucumber Becomes a Pickle

Flavors are absorbed in the pickled process when foods are soaked in a brine or vinegar. The acidity of the pickling liquid breaks down the skin and infiltrates the flesh. This is where the flavor sinks in and takes the cucumber to the pickle level.

English Cucumber Pickle Recipes

English cucumbers are often labeled seedless or burpless in the grocery store or as plants for your garden. These long and narrow cucumbers are not entirely seedless. The seeds are much smaller than other cucumbers, so there’s no need to remove them.

Ways to Pickle Cucumbers

Besides the standard canning method, cucumbers can be made by fermenting either on the shelf or in the refrigerator, made into relishes, or made into fruit pickles. Those options are just a start. There are literally hundreds of recipes for making pickles out of cucumbers.

Step by Step Process for Traditional Dill Pickles

Pickling cucumbers are usually thicker-skinned than other varieties, which helps them stay crisp. If you plan to slice them (do not skin dill pickles), then the sizes won’t matter. To pickle them whole, you’ll need to select pickles that will easily fit into a jar – the thinner varieties often work well for this.

Want to learn more about pickling cucumbers?

Pickling Cucumbers from Oregon State University Common Cucumber Questions and Answers from Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

image

1.The Best Cucumbers for Pickling | 6 Varieties to Know

Url:https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/best-cucumbers-for-pickling/

27 hours ago  · Technically, can’t any type of cucumber be pickled? The reason certain varieties are considered better for pickling is that, in the end, they make better-tasting pickles. According to Angela Gerace, who creates award-winning pickles at her company The Tipsy Pickle, the …

2.Can You Pickle Regular Cucumbers? – Pickle Wiki

Url:https://picklewiki.com/?p=113

9 hours ago  · Cucumbers for pickling refer to cucumbers that are used for processing or making pickles. This doesn’t mean they can’t be eaten fresh, but their thinner skins, crunchy texture, and smaller seeds make them ideal for pickling. That and their small size which means there is little prep work involved. Pickling cucumbers are short with graduating hues of dark …

3.Can I use Straight 8 cucumbers for some kind of pickles?

Url:https://www.houzz.com/discussions/1960539/can-i-use-straight-8-cucumbers-for-some-kind-of-pickles

26 hours ago Yes , you can pickle these cucumbers . I usually make dill pickles with small and medium and bread and butter with large..

4.Are English Cucumbers Good for Pickling? – Pickle Wiki

Url:https://picklewiki.com/?p=72

25 hours ago Can you use regular cucumbers? Pickling cucumbers are ideal because they are small and firm so they give that great pickle crunch. You can pickle any kind of cucumber, but because of the moisture content in slicing and English cucumbers, they will …

5.How to Pickle Cucumbers - Gardening Channel

Url:https://www.gardeningchannel.com/how-to-pickle-cucumbers/

29 hours ago Written by Josh pickling. Traditional pickles are made from cucumbers, but the kind of cucumber dictates the flavor and texture. English cucumbers are one of the options available, …

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9