We Have Picklers!
The Picklers are in! We have picklers ready to pick up for bread and butter, sweet, dill, fermented, sour, and half sours! Now is the time as the season is short for the pickling cucumbers.
Pickling Cucumbers
Pickling cucumbers are grown specifically for making pickles and for fresh eating. They have smaller seed cavities, thin skins, and extra crunch. The Eureka pickling cucumber is a customer favorite for both pickling and for fresh eating. Even the overgrown size is delicious in salads and chopped up for relish. Don’t let the size of a pickler stop progress in the kitchen!
Picking Picklers
At the height of the season, we pick our picklers every day to every other day. Many people like smaller sized picklers. If you are looking for picklers the size of your pinky, you will need to shop for a gherkin variety of pickler. Eureka picklers are harvested at about 3 inches or longer. Working the pickles up as soon as possible to the picking date also helps keep the crunch in your pickle. Remember, salt makes a difference. You must use either sea salt or pickling salt. Do not use regular table salt as the iodine in table salt will make the pickles soft.
Fermenting vs Canning Pickles
Our customers and farm workers do both! Fermenting a cucumber requires the use of a salty brine and seasoning that includes dill and/or garlic and allowed to ferment. The fermentation process produces lactic acid that preserves the pickles and creates probiotics. It is a very healthy choice for food preservation. Canned pickles require high quality salt, vinegar, and spices. Premixed pickling spice, dill, garlic, and turmeric are some of the spices used for canned pickles. Placing a grape leaf or oak leaf or horseradish leaf in the jar helps the pickles to retain the crunch. Always follow safe canning practices for water bath canning and for home fermentation and storage of your preserved fruits and vegetables.
