Thread: Pickles

After seeing the price of imported pickles and tasting the locally made ones here I decided to make my own. Did it back in the states, with real Mason jars, pickling spices and salt but as none of that shit his here, I figure this was the best way..to make simple refrigerator pickles.

The beauty of these is they are ready to eat in a day or two. Wash the cucu's, get the brine boiling and stuff the cuc's in the jar, pour the brine and you're finished. I let the jars cool a bit and them pop them in the frig and in a day or two can enjoy them. The down side is they really only last about a month or so as the little devils start getting too much brine and thus ain't as crunchy.

Not only great for sandwiches and snacks, they're a really nice addition to tuna and potato salad.

I start with fresh marjaram and powder, sage, coriander powder, fresh pepper corns and table salt. Would give you the measureements, but since it depends on taste, they wouldn't really matter.



Now, if you have never made pickles before...get apple cider vinegar. Yep, I know its expensive but always give a more fuller taste in my opinion.

Some recipes call for a 50/50 mixture of water and vinegar. Personally, I do mine at about 80% vinegar. I pour the vinegar into the big jar about 3/4 of the way up and then fill the rest up with water. This is usually enough for both the big and little jar.

Here's a pick of the brine....if it stinks up the entire house, you're on the right track. If you can smell it the next day, you know you're going to have some nice pickles.



The finished product.



Give it a try, you can't hardly mess them up.

I get the occasional hankering for a pickled onion, so I do those myself.

Originally Posted by Gerbil

I get the occasional hankering for a pickled onion, so I do those myself.

I do okra and string beans as well...haven't done any onions.

Originally Posted by El Gibbon

I use Thai vinegar, works great, has a higher acidity 5.5% vs 5% for western vinegars. This gives you a little extra bite. I also use the small cukes that you find here in Thailand as they seem to have less seeds and are generally better suited to the jars that are available.

You can get 6% also. Personally I prefer apple cider. I use the little cukes also as they pickle quicker because they have a thinner skin on them. Also they are the perfect "snack" size.

Thanks, will try the Thai salt next time.

Here is a dandy recipe for "refrigerator" pickles, my mom used to keep these on hand at all times.

7 or 8 of the small local type cukes, sliced thin - around an 8th of an inch or so
1 C of green peppers (your choice actually) chopped coarse
1 C of onion, chopped coarse
1 TBlspn salt, sea salt preferred
1 C of vinegar
2 C of sugar
1 TBlspn of celery seed

Put the first four ingredients in a bowl full of ice, cover and let stand for one hour and drain.

Heat vinegar, sugar and celery seed to boiling, cool completely add cukes and other stuff. Store in refrigerator, best if allowed to stand for several days.

These are great for sandwiches, snacks, or any other place you would use pickles.

E. G.

Can't Seppos spell cucumber?

^^ I would have thought if you sliced the cukes they would get soggy. They stay nice and crisp cut?

Crisp but not crunchy. If you know "Bread and Butter Pickles" they are very similar.

E. G.

I brine mine first, soak in a mix of non iodized salt and water for 24 hrs, rinse with ice water. then heat up to near boiling the vinegar and picking spice mix, cool to room temp and put in yer pickles and fresh herbs, dill, garlic etc.

How are you today Peter?

PP,
Good to see you posting! Hope you're well today!

And where do you get pickling spice?

^ Never saw it in Thailand. Got mine in Singapore. But you can get the basics at the wet market:
black peppercorns
mustard seeds
dill seeds
Sorry, don't know the names in Thai. I'll check the contents of the spice pack when I go shopping today.

erm sad to bring you bad news but those jars absolutely SUCK. They are in no way air or liquid tight... bought a bunch and ended up throwing them away. You can get Mason jars here, but gotta look around. Bought two cases in Makham so am ok.

Did see them somewhere in bangers but forget where.

E. G.

Originally Posted by jaiyenyen

They also sell the storage jars with the rubber seal and wire clamp known as a "Kilner Jar" back in the UK.

I bought a couple in HomePro, of all places. Its what I've been currently using with, decent results, but the metal ring that the rubber seals against is showing serious signs of being subjected to brine. Will have to replace them very soon for pickle usage.

I also use Prego jars and such, but only use the tops once, as the rubber seal in the tops pretty much disintergrates after the second use.

If anyone can find Mason jars, tops and rings, I'd dearly like to know where!

I've just turned the jars upside down,and they seem to hold liquid, but one of the rubbers is showing some signs of perrishing. I suppose I should have known better. Mind you, it's not the first time I've bought cheap copies in Thailand, only to be disappointed shortly after, and it won't be the last

thanks for this thread.

pickled eggs ready to be eaten.

^ Meant to do some pickled onions this evening, but went out on the piss instead. Expect incoherence for the rest of the night.

2 cinnamon sticks, broken
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 teaspoon whole allspice
1 teaspoon juniper berries
1 teaspoon crumbled whole mace
1 teaspoon dill seeds
4 dried bay leaves
1 small piece dried ginger

Mix together all the ingredients.

Store in a small, airtight jar up to 2 months.

Makes about 1/4 cup.

this is the mix I use except for the juniper berries, all obtainable here at Villa.

The pickled eggs are good, not too spicey. I will add some ginger and mustard seed to the next batch.
Having said that, I still need to warn people not to stand downwind of me the day after
Anyone else tried pickled egg in a bag of plain crisps? (egg in a sack)
Or is it just me.

Originally Posted by CSFFan

PP,
Good to see you posting! Hope you're well today!

And where do you get pickling spice?

You see pickling spices at the market usually tacked onto a white piece of cardboard. They are in small packs and sell for about 5 Baht. They have different spices in them and I'm not sure what their intended use is but they work great for pickling.