220903 zucchini pickles - a good, easy, first canning project

 Garlic Dill Zucchini Pickles

Delicious, easy - small batch - from a recipe from Cindy D. about 35 years ago. This recipe is very detailed, because I forget the details when I don't make pickles for a few years! When you are making it, have a friend on speed-dial (is that even a thing any more?) who knows pickling. I put complete ingredients and materials lists at the end of the recipe. Once you are used to canning, all the minor details stay with you, just like any cooking. 

I washed the zuchs, jars and lids, dried them, refrigerated the zuchs, and put jars ready in oven, the day before. The rest took about three hours. It can feel like a big job, but I buy the vegetables on faith, and wash the jars and lids. When that has been accomplished, the rest of the job falls into place. You have a few days while the zucchini is still fresh, to find your time slot and energy. I forgot to get salt and had to make a town run the morning of! 

You are welcome to copy the recipe - that's why I posted it! Enjoy! 

Mumma Yaga

Brine:

6 C white vinegar

1 1/4 C white sugar

1/3 C Coarse (pickling) salt

2 T dill seed

Boil for five minutes (in a big pot) - remove from heat.

Add:

4 lb zucchini sliced 1/2 inch

3 to 4 onions sliced thin - I used red onions (because I always use red onions for everything!)

Stir and let stand for 1 hour.

Wash and dry jars and put in oven on 2 layers newspaper, not touching each other, at 275 degrees. They will need 20 minutes in closed oven to be sterilized, for the product. These can be put ready in oven the day before. Start oven, while product standing in brine.

Wash lids and seals and put in a pot of water with a lid. They will need to simmer for 10 minutes to be ready (sterilized) for pickles. Do not remove pot lid until fetching lids. I put a metal tongs in a pot of boiling water as well, for fetching out lids.

Bring ingredients to boil again. 

Add:

2 tomatoes, peeled and sliced.

Boil 3 minutes, turn off heat, but begin bottling right away.

Remove jars 2 at a time from oven and spoon veg in, add brine to fill. 

Add: Clove of garlic to each jar. Or more, to taste.

Jars should be kept dry except for product, so dry workspace between jars. Cool water/spillage will shatter jars. Newspaper on the counter or on a wooden board, can be swapped out for dry. Product and jars will both be quite hot - this is good, but use good, dry, oven mitts, or tea towels to handle.

Seal:

Tap jars with wooden spoon to remove bubbles and fill to 1/8 inch from top. Fetch lids from pot with tongs and place on jars, tighten but not very much, until cool. Lids should pop concave as they cool.

Makes 3 to 4 quarts. Ready to eat at one month.

All ingredients:

6 C white vinegar

1 1/4 C white sugar

1/3 C Coarse (pickling) salt

2 T dill seed

4 lb zucchini sliced 1/2 inch

2 to 3 large onions sliced thin - I used 2 large red onions (I use red (purple) onions for everything onion!)

2 tomatoes, peeled and sliced

At least 8 cloves of garlic (one or two bulbs)

Needs:

6  4 C (1  quart) jars or equivalent (if there is leftover just put in any container in fridge for a couple of weeks)

6  lids, with new seals, to fit your jars.

Pot to hold 6 or 8 quarts.

Small pot with lid, for lids.

Small pot for tongs.

Newspaper, wooden spoon for tapping. Oven mitts/tea towels.

*****