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  1. #1
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    Getting into a pickle.........

    I made pickled beetroot the other day, which was both easy and tasty. That's prompted an interest in other kinds of pickles. The large coffee jars with plastic lids that I used aren't really suitable, as pickle containers need to be sterilized, normally in an oven, and plastic lids just don't like that.

    That's prompted a purchase of half a dozen 1 litre compression type glass containers, which have just arrived. Not sure what's going to be first on the bill, though I suspect it's going to be a Mango Chutney, possibly this weekend.

    Feel free to add to this thread with any suggestions (be they useful or adverse), and your own recipes and results.



    The lid sealing ring is silicone and will be oven proof.


  2. #2
    Thailand Expat Saint Willy's Avatar
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    Here's one I made before.

    Green Tomato Pickles

  3. #3
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    ^

    Just read it, sounds interesting. Problem for me though is M'Sahib isn't keen on tomatoes.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by PAG View Post
    compression type glass containers
    Oh, Mason jars

    My favourite pickles... in no particular order.

    Pickled onions
    Pickled gherkins
    Pickled eggs
    Piccalilli
    Pickled red cabbage

    Pissed up Pag picked a peck of Pickled peppers and got terrible heartburn off all that sodium.

  5. #5
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    You don't need an oven and I'd doubt the rubber seals on those jars would hold up in one, use a water bath in stead. You just put the jars in a pot that covers the bottles about 1/2 way up with boiling water.

    Water bath...Getting into a pickle.........-water-bath-jpg

    Personally, I prefer Ball canning jars. Getting into a pickle.........-ball-jar-jpg

    I've found the stainless on the lids of the jars to be less than able to handle the combination of salt and vinegar without rusting out after a few uses.
    "I was a good student. I comprehend very well, OK, better than I think almost anybody," - President Trump comparing his legal knowledge to a Federal judge.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Topper View Post
    You don't need an oven and I'd doubt the rubber seals on those jars would hold up in one, use a water bath in stead. You just put the jars in a pot that covers the bottles about 1/2 way up with boiling water.

    Water bath...

    Personally, I prefer Ball canning jars.

    I've found the stainless on the lids of the jars to be less than able to handle the combination of salt and vinegar without rusting out after a few uses.
    The problem with screw type lids, regardless of how well they fit, they never completely seal the contents against what is airborne contamination that results in fungus. You've also got to thoroughly wash the insides and lids before sterilizing, which is more difficult when you have a threaded top. Not sure about your water bath method, as the idea is to sterilize the inside of the container, not only the outside. I've found with some other silicone based utensile, they are fine in a hot oven, indeed many hot handling products (mats, gloves etc) are made of silicone because of their heat insulating propertiese. Anyway, a start to proceedings.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by PAG View Post
    The problem with screw type lids, regardless of how well they fit, they never completely seal the contents against what is airborne contamination that results in fungus.
    I canned for years and never had that problem. If you use a water bath, they pretty much always seal and there's no contamination. You'll take them out of the water bath, set them upside down on the counter and you'll hear the top go pop as they seal as they cool.

    Quote Originally Posted by PAG View Post
    You've also got to thoroughly wash the insides and lids before sterilizing, which is more difficult when you have a threaded top.
    I'd suggest you do the same with your jars. Make sure you take the silicon seal off, wash the jar so the top of the bottle is clean, wash the seal and you're off to the races.

    Quote Originally Posted by PAG View Post
    Not sure about your water bath method, as the idea is to sterilize the inside of the container, not only the outside.
    It's not for the outside, it to raise the heat in the jar so the jar seals after as it cools.

    I can't wait to see your results, I have used those jars with a water bath to make pickled cucumbers, but as I said, the hinges didn't really hold up well.

  8. #8
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    The water bath picture Topper posted is how we do it in Canada, every house had one of those speckled canners when I was young. I don't can much anymore in the traditional sense, more fridge pickles -beets, cukes, and freezer jams. Don't have to worry as much about sealing and bacteria.
    I put my jars in the wave filled 1/3 with water and blast them for 10 minutes, they're sterile, lids I throw in a pot of boiling water.

  9. #9
    Thailand Expat OhOh's Avatar
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    MAKRO sell smallish jars of Anchovie Fillets in Oil, with metal clamped/resealable lids. Similar to those in post #1.

    Usually found tucked at the end of the cheese/butter section on the top shelf.

  10. #10
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    OK, having sterilized a jar via the water bath method, set about my first actual pickle. This is an Indian Sweet Green Mango Chutney variety. Simple ingredients of green mango, salt, sugar, brown mustard seeds, dried red chillies, and a drop of olive oil. Note there is no vinegar.



    Started off by peeling and roughly dicing the mango. This was then brought to the boil in water then simmered for about 10 minutes until soft. Then is was drained and put to one side.



    The same pot was then washed and dried, a small drop of olive oil added and when hot, the mustard seeds and chillies added.



    Once the chillies turned dark and the seeds started popping, the drained mango was added.



    Immediately the sugar and salt was put in, and I started to mash everything down whilst still cooking for about 5 minutes.



    and there you have it. Served at room temperature.



    The recipe actually came from Madhur Jaffrey's "Curry Easy Vegetarian" book.


  11. #11
    Thailand Expat Saint Willy's Avatar
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    Nice, how does it taste?

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by TheRealKW View Post
    Nice, how does it taste?
    Like a sweet mango paste with a chilli kick. Not a traditional chutney by any means. M'Sahib is expecting a delivery either today or tomorrow of 10kg of yellow mango, so I'm going to be doing a different chutney with that.

  13. #13
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    The ripe mangoes that M'Sahib arrived yesterday afternoon, so all set for my next foray into chutneys this morning. 10kg arrived, from Lopburi I believe, and apparently cost 200 baht.

    Anyway, got all the ingredients sorted out. This one includes vinegar and quite a lot of spices (coriander, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, cardamon, turmeric, all ground), as well as brown mustard seeds and grated garlic and ginger. A sliced red chilli was added for heat.



    After peeling and dicing the mangoes, sorting out the chilli, garlic and ginger, plus measuring everything else, ready to go.



    Started by frying the garlic, ginger and chilli for a minute in a drop of vegetable oil.



    Then added the spices and continued frying for another minute.



    The mango, sugar and vinegar was then added and brought to the boil.



    This was then simmered for an hour.



    I mashed it down slightly before putting into a sterilized jar.



    Into the fridge and ready to use.


  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by PAG View Post
    The problem with screw type lids, regardless of how well they fit, they never completely seal the contents against what is airborne contamination that results in fungus.
    If done correctly, that is not possible with the ball lids, they are two pieces. There is an outer piece and an inner lid that looks like this...

    Getting into a pickle.........-71lqjupq2yl-_ac_sx522_-jpg

    Getting into a pickle.........-canningtoolslids_wmx-jpg

    Once the inner lid has been sealed in the water bath, it is airtight and vacuum sealed. The outer ring is not even needed any longer until you open the jar to consume what is inside, you would need a knife to pop the seal. This is the standard way of canning in the US and Canada, and generations have grown up using Ball canning jars and seals/lids. It is foolproof.

  15. #15
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    ^

    Yes, I have some of those, though I only use them for storing dried items such as cloves, cinnamon sticks, dried whole chillies etc.


  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by PAG View Post
    Yes, I have some of those, though I only use them for storing dried items such as cloves, cinnamon sticks, dried whole chillies etc.
    Not their intended use, however.

  17. #17
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    However in humid countries like Thailand...

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by cyrille View Post
    However in humid countries like Thailand...
    They're perfect for storing spices. Those PAG have though I don't think were meant for canning, but are more decorative while being able to keep out moisture.

    PAG, did you get those spice jars at Verasu by the way?

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