Pickles, Round Two

So the first batch of half sour pickles I posted about last week turned out waaaaaay too salty to be consumable.  The spice mixture was perfect, but the ratio of salt to water was just not right.  I consulted this website which contains excerpts from this book and my second attempt turned out perfectly.  

I ended up leaving them in the brine for a total of about 63 hours before sampling them and decided to take them out because the flavor was just as I like it: mild, garlicky, and still containing hints of cucumber.  I think the new pickling crock my husband bought me for my anniversary present may have also helped as it is better than using a plastic bucket.  Here is the final recipe I will now be using to make half sours:

Half Sour Pickles

Thoroughly wash cucumbers and slice 1/8 inch from the blossom end.  While preparing the rest of the ingredients, soak cucumbers in icy water for ~20 minutes to crisp up.

Combine salt and water in a saucepan in bring to a boil to make brine.  Use 2 Tablespoons salt to every 4 cups water, depending on how much brine is needed to completely cover the amount of cucumbers being used.

Grind the following spice mixture until fragrant in a mortar and pestle:

1/3 teaspoons whole coriander seeds

1/3 teaspoons brown mustard seeds
2 whole allspice
1/3 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1/3 teaspoons black pepper corns
1/2 teaspoons dill seeds
2 or 3 pieces broken dried bay leaf

Add to the pickling crock/container being used:

4 – 6 cloves garlic

spice mixture above

cucumbers (This recipe is suitable for 6-8 pickling cucumbers.  Using more may require adding more spices or garlic.)

Pour brine over cucumbers and spice mixture and allow to settle.  Use a freshly washed dinner plate or food grade plastic lid and 1-2 sanitized jars filled with water placed on top of cucumbers to hold them under the brine.  Cover the crock/container with cheesecloth. Check the brine daily and remove any scum that has formed on the surface with a spoon. The time required for pickles to attain the desired flavor will vary and can be determined by sampling after 48 hours.

Once desired flavor has been reached, remove pickles from brine using tongs.  Pickles can be placed in a sanitized jar if you plan on canning them, or a container suitable for refrigerator storage if you plan on eating them in the near future.  

Heating and straining the brine through paper coffee filters is said to reduce cloudiness (though I didn't find this to be successful).  This step can be skipped if this is not a concern. Pour brine over the pickles and immediately place in refrigerator or process to seal.