zxcvbob wrote:
> beebe wrote:
> > thanks, sheldon. If I use sour salt, does that replace the salt
> > ingredient entirely, or is it an addition to the recipe?
> >
>
>
> Sheldon doesn't know what he's talking about with regards to sour
salt.
> You will notice that the Food Lover's Companion excerpt he posted
said
> nothing about using citric acid in pickles.
>
> Pickles are made with vinegar, or lactic acid (from fermentation), or

> both. HTH :-)

I don't use any vinegar. Citric acid/sour salt is a part of many
kosher recipes, it's used to *boost* the sour flavor.... it's rarely
listed as an ingredient in any recipe... very few cooks have any in
their larder let alone have even heard of it, not readily available at
the typical stupidmarket either. either. I have a small jar, been in
my cupboard maybe 40 years, I rarely use any as I much prefer to add
sourness to dishes (say stuffed cabbage) with fresh lemon.

This is the pickle recipe I use as a guide, it doesn't call for sour
salt but if someone wants a more sour flavor (as requested by the OP)
than add 1/2 tsp to this recipe. Btw, there are as many pickle recipes
as there are people who make them... actually there are many more
recipes as most pickle makers make many different versions

KOSHER GARLIC DILL PICKLES
Source: My Mother's Kitchen: Recipes & Reminiscences by Mimi Sheraton
(Harper Collins)

Yield: 24 to 30 pickles

24 to 30 small, very firm Kirby cucumbers, free of bruises or brown
spots
7 or 8 cloves garlic, unpeeled but lightly crushed
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
4 or 5 small, dried hot red peppers, or 1/2 teaspoon crushed, dried hot
red Italian peppers
3 bay leaves
12 to 14 sprigs dill, preferably with seed heads, well washed
1 teaspoon dried dill seeds, if the dill has no seed heads
Heel of sour rye bread with caraway seeds
3 quarts of water, or as needed
3/4 cup kosher (coarse) salt, or as needed
INTRO: "The following is a basic recipe that may be altered to suit
varying tastes, and which should be adjusted slightly to the number of
pickles being done in a particular size and shape of crock or jar. (I
use a crock with a 5-quart capacity, which takes from 2 1/2 to 3 1/2
pounds of cucumbers, depending on size.) It is essential that the
pickles be covered by the brine.

To accomplish this, the cucumbers to be pickled should be stood on end
close together on the bottom of the crock, so they hold each other
firmly in place. Even so, they may loosen and float to the top. To
avoid that, place a plate or disk of wood directly in the brine, over
the pickles, and weight them down, either with a clean stone or a
10-ounce glass two-thirds full of water. If it is necessary to skim the
gray film off the brine's surface, replace the weight each time it is
removed. The pickling receptacle should have a wide mouth so a salad or
bread-and-butter plate, or similar sized disk of wood, can fit inside
it. It should be made of ceramic, glass, or wood, not plastic or metal.
Unwaxed Kirby cucumbers are the only type that will work for pickling.

Because of the yeast it contains, the crust of rye bread will result in
a mildly fermented brine, similar to the Russian and Polish Kvass, and
will give a subtle, mildly fermented flavor to the pickles.

In making these pickles, it is important that you do not used mixed
pickling spices, because the cinnamon, cloves, and other sweetly
aromatic spices in them will detract from the pickles' flavor. Also, it
is important that you do not use iodized salt in the process, as that
will leave a bitter aftertaste; if you cannot get kosher (coarse) salt,
use uniodized table salt, substituting about two-thirds of the amount
called for. These are fresh brine pickles, and no vinegar should be
used.

DIRECTIONS: Thoroughly wash a wide-mouthed bean pot, crock or glass
jar. Carefully wash the cucumbers, rubbing gently with a sponge, a soft
brush, or your hands to reomoves all traces of sand. Discard any with
bruises. Stand the cucumbers on end around the sides and across the
bottom of the crock or jar, so that they hold each other in place but
not so tightly that they will crush each other. A second upright layer
can be added if the jar is tall enough. To the crock add the garlic,
all herbs and spices, and bread.

Mix 3 quarts of water with 3/4 cup coarse salt and stir until the salt
dissolves. Pour the salt water into the crock to completely cover the
pickles. The brine should overflow so you can be sure no air pockets
remain. If it does not, place the crock under the faucet and let water
run in slowly until it does overflow. You may wash out a few spices in
the process, but that will not be critical.

Place the jar on a stain-proof surface in a cool place, but not in the
refrigerator. A temperature between 65 and 70 degrees is just right.
Place a dish or wooden disk directly over the pickles, in the brine,
and top with a weight as described [above]. Cover the crock loosely
with a dish towl or a double thickness of cheesecloth.

Check the pickles every 24 hours and remove any white or gray foam that
has risen to the surface; this will prevent rotting. Shake the crock
slightly to distribute spices and be sure to re-weight. Add salt or
other seasonings if the brine seems bland. The pickles will be half
sour in about 4 to 5 days, and very sour in about 10 days. When they
have reached the degree of sourness you like, they can be stored in the
refrigerator in tightly closed jars. Pour some strained brine into the
jars to cover the pickles. They will keep for about 5 weeks, assuming
they have not been eaten long before.

PICKLED GREEN TOMATOES:

Small, hard, unripe green tomatoes can be prepared exactly as the
cucumbers above. Place them in the crock, bottoms down. If the tomatoes
are thick-skinned, it may be necessary to prick their surface in
several places with a fine needle, so the solution will penetrate. It
is very important that the tomatoes be small (about the size of Italian
plum tomatoes), very hard and dark bright green."

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