Canning Pickles and Sauerkraut

Provides recipes and methods for three kinds of dill pickles, including a reduced-sodium pickle, and a recipe for sauerkraut.

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Safety is the Top Priority

Safely canning foods at home requires using processing methods that not only preserve the food but also destroy bacteria and molds that cause foodborne illness, such as botulism. Botulism, caused by a toxin of the bacteria Clostridium Botulinum, can be fatal. This bacteria can grow and reproduce in improperly processed home-canned foods. Protect yourself and others when sharing home-canned foods by learning safe preservation techniques. The safest recipes and resources are those that have been researched and rigorously tested by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Extension Services associated with land-grant universities. Many home-preserved recipes are not tested for safety, so it is critical to use the resources below.

Recommended Research-based Food Preservation Resources

National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP), USDA sponsored website is the most current source for publications, video clips, tutorials for the beginning home food preserver, frequently asked questions, and seasonal tips: http://nchfp.uga.edu

USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning, 2015. Available on NCHFP website, click on 'publications.'

So Easy to Preserve, 6th edition only, 2014. MSU Extension does not recommend earlier editions. http://www.soeasytopreserve.com

Free Canning Timer & Checklist app https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/pnw689

The following publications are available at local stores or order online: The All New Ball Blue Book of Canning and Preserving, 1st ed., 2016; The Best Ball Home Canning and Preserving Recipes: Fresh Flavors All Year Long, 1st ed. 2016; Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving, 37th ed., 2014. Earlier editions not recommended.

A Question of Safety

Determine the correct home-canning processing times for your altitude when using a boiling water canner. While water boils at 212°F at sea level, it boils at a much lower temperature at higher altitudes, necessitating processing for longer times or at higher pressures (see Table 1, page 3). To ensure safe levels of acidity, use only recipes following USDA recommendations as found in the Recommended Resources. Do not alter vinegar, ingredients, or water proportions in these recipes to ensure a safe level of acid in the product.

Fresh Pack vs. Fermented?

In fresh-pack pickles, acetic acid is added to vegetables or fruits in the form of vinegar. Examples of fresh-pack pickle products are bread and butter pickles and corn relish. Fermented pickles, also known as brined pickles, contain lactic acid produced by bacte- rial fermentation. Brined dill pickles and sauerkraut are fermented pickle products.

Equipment

Use only a boiling water canner and not a pressure canner. A pressure canner will yield an unacceptable product. A boiling water canner is equipped with a lid and bottom rack. Pot must be deep enough to hold the size jar being processed with one inch of water covering the top of lid and an additional 2 inches of air space to prevent boil over.

Recommended jars for canning fermented and pickled vegetables are Mason-type, threaded, home-canning jars with lids. Commercial mayonnaise-type jars are not recommended because they are not tempered for high heat and pressure and may result in seal failures and jar breakage.

The fermentation container and other equipment must be thoroughly washed in hot sudsy water and rinsed well with very hot water before use. For fermenting pickles and cabbage, a 1 gallon container is needed for each five pounds of fresh cucumbers or cabbage, i.e., use a 5-gallon stone crock for 25 pounds of produce. Food-grade plastic and glass containers are excellent substitutes for stone crocks. Other 1 to 3 gallon, non food-grade plastic contain- ers may be used if lined inside with a clean food-grade plastic bag. Do not use aluminum, copper, brass, galvanized or iron containers for fermenting pickles or sauerkraut. Be certain that foods contact only food-grade plastics. Do not use garbage bags or trash liners.

Cabbage and cucumbers must be kept 1 to 2 inches under brine while fermenting. After adding prepared vegetables and brine, insert a suitably-sized dinner plate or glass pie plate inside the fermentation container.

To keep the plate under the brine, weigh it down with 2 to 3 sealed quart jars filled with water or with a large, clean, plastic bag filled with 3 quarts of water containing 4½ tablespoons of salt (salt is necessary in case bags break). Cover the container opening with a clean, heavy bath towel to prevent contamination from insects and molds while vegetables are fermenting.

Ingredients for Making Pickles

The combination of acid, spices and sugar with cucumbers creates the acidic food product known as pickles. A popular food, pickles are relatively easy to preserve. However, important steps must be followed to ensure safety and desired quality of the final product.

Cucumbers

Quantity: An average of 14 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quart jars; an average of nine pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pint jars.

Quality: Select firm, young cucumbers about 4 inches in size.

Types: Use pickling cucumbers. Bumpless and burpless cucumbers may not make an acceptable product. If you buy cucumbers, select unwaxed ones for pickling whole because the brine or pickling solutions cannot penetrate the wax.

For highest quality, plan to pickle within 24 hours after the cucumbers are picked. Wash well, especially around stems. Soil trapped here can be a source of bacteria responsible for softening pickles. Cut a thin slice off bottom/blossom end and discard to prevent softening by enzymes. Leave ¼ inch of stem attached.

Vinegars

Use commercial white or cider vinegar at the recommended 5 percent acidity (50 grain). This is the level of acidity in most commercially-bottled vinegars. Cider vinegar has a good flavor and aroma, but may darken white or light-colored fruits and vegetables. Avoid vinegars of unknown acidity or homemade vinegars. Never reduce the amount of vinegar in the recipe.

Spices

Use fresh, whole spices for the best quality and flavor in pickles. Powdered spices may cause the product to darken and become cloudy. Pickles will darken less if you tie whole spices loosely in a clean white cloth or cheesecloth bag during the boiling process and then remove the bag before packing in jars.

Salts (used in pickles and sauerkraut)

Use of canning or pickling salt is recommended. Do not alter the amount of salt called for in a recipe. Use of reduced sodium salt in pickle recipes is not recommended. Iodized or non- iodized table salt may safely be used, but the product quality may be unsatisfactory.

Water

When brining pickles, use soft water because hard water interferes with the pickling process by reducing the formation of acid. If soft water is unavailable, hard water can be softened. Simply boil for 15 minutes and let set for 24 hours, covered. Remove any scum that appears. Slowly pour the water from the container so the sediment will not be disturbed. Discard sediment. Distilled water can also be used in making pickles although it can be relatively expensive.

Firming Agents

Firming agents (alum, food-grade lime, calcium chloride) for crisp pickles are not needed if high quality ingredients and the most current preservation methods are used. The safest way for making crisper pickles is soaking cucumbers in ice water for 4 to 5 hours prior to pickling.

Low-temperature pasteurization treatment

Use low-temperature pasteurization treatment only when the recipe indicates. The Quick Fresh-Pack Dill Pickles and Fermented Dill Pickles recipes in this publication are suitable for low-temperature pasteurization treatment. The following treatment results in a more desirable texture but must be carefully managed to avoid spoilage.

FERMENTED DILL PICKLES

Use the following quantities for each gallon capacity of your container:

Procedure: Wash cucumbers. Be sure to cut 1/16 inch slice off blossom end. Leave ¼ inch of stem attached. Place half of dill and spices in bottom of a clean, suitable container (see page 1). Add cucumbers, remaining dill and spices. Dissolve salt in vinegar and water and pour over cucumbers. Add suit- able cover and weight. Store where temperature is between 70° and 75° F for three to four weeks while fermenting. Temperatures of 55° to 65° F are acceptable, but the fermentation will take five to six weeks. Avoid temperatures above 80 F or pickles will become too soft during fermentation. Check the container several times a week and promptly remove surface scum or mold.

Canning fully fermented pickles is the best way to store them. To can them, pour the brine into a pan, heat slowly to a boil, and simmer five minutes. Filter brine through paper coffee filters to reduce cloudiness, if desired. Fill jar with pickles and hot brine, leaving ½ inch headspace. Adjust lids and process according to the times listed for your altitude, or use the low-temperature pasteurization treatment described above. Turn off heat and remove boiling water canner lid after required processing time. Wait 5 minutes before removing jars. Caution: If the pickles become soft, slimy or develop a disagreeable odor, discard them. If you do not choose to process in a boiling water canner, you may store fully fermented pickles in the original container for four to six months, provided they are refrigerated and surface scum and molds are removed regularly.

QUICK FRESH-PACK DILL PICKLES

Yield: 7 to 9 pints

Procedure: Wash cucumbers. Be sure to cut 1/16 inch slice off blossom end. You can leave ¼ inch stems attached. Dissolve ¾ cup salt in two gallons water. Place cucumbers in a suitable container (see page 1). Pour brine over cucumbers and let stand 12 hours. Drain. Combine vinegar, ½ cup salt, sugar and 2 quarts water. Add mixed pickling spices tied in a clean white cloth. Heat to boiling. Fill jars with cucumbers. Add one teaspoon mustard seed and 1½ heads fresh dill per pint. Cover with boiling pickling solution, leaving ½ inch headspace. Adjust lids and process according to times listed for your altitude or use the low-temperature pasteurization treatment described on page 2. Turn off heat and remove boiling water canner lid after required processing time. Wait 5 minutes before removing jars.

REDUCED-SODIUM SLICED DILL PICKLES

Yield: About 8 pints

Procedure: Wash cucumbers. Be sure to cut 1/16 inch slice off blossom end. Cut cucumbers in ¼ inch slices. Combine vinegar, sugar, salt, celery and mustard seeds in large saucepan. Heat to boiling. Place two slices of onion and ½ dill head in bottom of each pint jar. Fill jars with cucumber slices, leaving ½ inch headspace. Add one slice of onion and ½ dill head on top. Pour hot pickling solution over cucumbers, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Adjust lids and process according to times listed for your altitude. Turn off heat and remove boiling water canner lid after required processing time. Wait 5 minutes before removing jars.

TABLE 1. Altitudes* of County Seats in Montana

*accessed March, 2017, http://geoinfo.msl.mt.gov/geography/geography_facts/elevation_of_montana_cities.aspx

SAUERKRAUT

Quality: Use firm heads of fresh cabbage harvested within 24 to 48 hours.

Yield: About 9 quarts

Procedure: Work with about 5 pounds of cabbage at a time. Discard outer leaves. Rinse heads under cold running water and drain. Cut heads in quarters and remove cores. Shred or slice to a thickness of a quarter.

Put cabbage in a suitable fermentation container (see page 1), and add 3 tablespoons of salt. Mix thoroughly, using clean hands. Pack firmly until salt draws juices from cabbage. Repeat shredding, salting and packing until all cabbage is in the container. Be sure it is deep enough so that its rim is at least four or five inches above the cabbage. If juice does not cover cabbage, add boiled and cooled brine (1½ tablespoons of salt per quart of water).

Add plate and weights; cover container with a clean bath towel. Sauerkraut fermentation can take place under variable temperature and time combinations. For obtaining a good quality sauerkraut at home, the USDA recommendation is to store at 70° to 75° F while fermenting. At those temperatures, kraut will be fully fermented in about 3 to 4 weeks; at 60° to 65° F, fermentation may take 5 to 6 weeks. At temperatures lower than 60°, kraut may not ferment; above 75°, kraut may become soft.

If you weight the cabbage down with a brine- or water- filled double-bag, do not disturb the crock until normal fermentation is completed (when bubbling ceases). If you use jars as weight, you will have to check the kraut two to three times each week and remove scum if it forms. Fully fermented kraut may be kept tightly covered in the refrigerator for several months or it may be canned as follows:

Hot pack – Bring kraut and liquid slowly to a boil in a large kettle, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and fill jars rather firmly with kraut and juices, leaving ½ inch headspace.

Raw pack – Fill jars firmly with kraut and cover with juices, leaving ½ inch headspace.

For either pack, adjust lids and process according to times listed for your altitude. Turn off heat and remove boiling water canner lid after required processing time. Wait 5 minutes before removing jars.

Place jars in a canner filled halfway with warm (120° to 140°) water. Then add hot water to a level 1 inch above jars. Heat the water enough to maintain 180° to 185° water temperature for 30 minutes. Check with a candy or jelly thermometer to be certain that the water temperature is at least 180° during the entire 30 minutes. Temperatures higher than 185° may cause unnecessary softening of pickles.

Storage

After jars are sealed and cool, remove rings. Wash and label jars. Store in cool, dry, dark place. Best quality if used within one year. If seals fail while in storage, food should be discarded. Do not taste.

Ingredients for Making Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut has a distinctive sour flavor which results from the acid that forms when sugars in the cabbage are fermented. Use firm heads of cabbage within 24 to 48 hours of harvesting. Use only canning or pickling salts. (See Salts under Ingredients for Making Pickles.)

Acknowledgements

This revised MontGuide has been reviewed by Dr. Elizabeth Andress, Director, National Center for Home Food Preservation, University of Georgia Extension Food Safety Specialist; Laurie Lautt, Big Horn County Extension agent, retired; and Kelly Moore, Missoula County Extension agent.