Canning Discussion: was Fresh Dill

[Curmudgeon]

Found it, $1.29 a bunch, fresh, how much do you want and do you want it tonight?

A bunch is like the bunch of fresh spring onions you often see this time of year.

[streaker69]

Found it, $1.29 a bunch, fresh, how much do you want and do you want it tonight?

A bunch is like the bunch of fresh spring onions you often see this time of year.

I can't get it tonight, but two bunches would be good. What store has it, and I'll get over there tomorrow morning and pick it up.

[Curmudgeon]

Giant on east Market street, same shopping center as the Lowes store, maybe 2500 e. Market or so. To the far right of the store, in produce, against the wall.

The produce guy said it comes in fresh almost every day.

[acosenza2]

Sorry I can't help you out, but that super secret Chili Sauce sounds good. How super secret is the recipe?

[streaker69]

Giant on east Market street, smart shopping center as the Lowes store, maybe 2500 e. Market or so. To the far right of the store, in produce, against the wall.

The produce guy said it comes in fresh almost every day.

That's what's been so frustrating about my searching for it today. I only got the call that my cucumbers were in after I got home from errands this morning. But I had checked Darrenkamps, Weis, Giant, and Stauffers. Darrenkamps had the saddest looking little tiny organic packages you'd ever see, Weis had a spot for them, but none on the shelf. Asked the guy there if they had any in the back, he checked, they didn't. Giant didn't even have a section for either fresh or pre-packaged, neither did the Stauffer's I stopped at.

Tomorrow morning, I'm gonna try a different Stauffer's location and see if they have it, if not then I'll use that store as my last resort, as gas driving over there is gonna put a hurtin' on my cheap pickles.

[Curmudgeon]

That's what's been so frustrating about my searching for it today. I only got the call that my cucumbers were in after I got home from errands this morning. But I had checked Darrenkamps, Weis, Giant, and Stauffers. Darrenkamps had the saddest looking little tiny organic packages you'd ever see, Weis had a spot for them, but none on the shelf. Asked the guy there if they had any in the back, he checked, they didn't. Giant didn't even have a section for either fresh or pre-packaged, neither did the Stauffer's I stopped at.

Tomorrow morning, I'm gonna try a different Stauffer's location and see if they have it, if not then I'll use that store as my last resort, as gas driving over there is gonna put a hurtin' on my cheap pickles.

I hate that Civic I'm driving. Compared to the utility of even a small pickup like the Tacoma I used to have, it is about as useless as useless gets.

However, I could probably be in your neck of the woods for about $2.00 in gas, so although I say I don't like the thing, I am glad I bought it when I did.

Go to your closest Giant, Stauffer's, whatever, tell them to have fresh dill on the next truck. We have had several stores do that for us over the years.

[streaker69]

I hate that Civic I'm driving. Compared to the utility of even a small pickup like the Tacoma I used to have, it is about as useless as useless gets.

However, I could probably be in your neck of the woods for about $2.00 in gas, so although I say I don't like the thing, I am glad I bought it when I did.

Ok, PM me your cell phone number, I'll give you a call if I don't find it locally, maybe we could meet up for lunch in the area, and I'll give ya some of my other things I've canned.

I just made a fantastic meatloaf with a jar of chili sauce that I canned last year.

[streaker69]

Quest for Dill completed: We stopped by Roots (Rewts) Market today and picked up some really nice bundles pretty cheap.

[streaker69]

I had a couple of people PM me and ask for the recipe that I'll be using for making pickles. It isn't anything secret, it's taken directly out of the Ball Blue Book of Canning, except it isn't in the most recent version that I saw. The one I'm following is from 1998, I haven't been able to find my 1934 copy of the book.

8 lbs of 4 - 6" cucumbers
3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup canning salt (make sure it's canning salt, not table salt)
1 quart apple cider vinegar
1 quart water
3 tablespoons mixed pickling spices
Fresh or dry dill (1 head per jar)
1 clove fresh garlic per jar.

Wash and drain cucumbers. Combine sugar, salt, vinegar and water into a large NON-REACTIVE* pan. Tie spices into a spice bag: add spice bag to vinegar mixture. Simmer 15 minutes. Drop in 1 clover of garlic in bottom of the jar, pack in cucumbers and drop in 1 dill head. Ladle hot liquid over cucumbers leaving 1/4" headspace. Remove air bubbles. Adjust two piece cap and process 15 minutes in a boiling water canner.

*NON-REACTIVE - I added this in because it's not in the book but it's important when pickling. Do no use aluminum or copper pans, make sure you're using good quality Stainless Steel pans, or you'll end up etching your pans because of the acid content of the pickling juice.

I also added the clove of garlic to this recipe, because I like the garlic taste, but it's not necessary if you don't want to do that.

Make sure you're using canning salt, not table salt. Table Salt contains iodine and other things that will make your pickles taste funny.

You'll also have to increase or decrease the recipe measurements based upon the number of pickles you're making. Be sure to always keep equal parts water and vinegar in whatever you're changing though. Do not ever decrease the amount of vinegar without equally decreasing the amount of water. Keeping the acid correct is important to the preservation of the pickles.

Also, if you can't find spice bags, like I couldn't, use Stainless Steel Tea balls and put your pickling spice in them. I got two because I wasn't sure how much pickling spice I'd need when I bought them.

Enjoy.

[kadar]

Also, if you can't find spice bags, like I couldn't, use Stainless Steel Tea balls and put your pickling spice in them. I got two because I wasn't sure how much pickling spice I'd need when I bought them.

Enjoy.

A coffee filter will also work in a pinch.
Put spices in, fold, and staple shut.