Need Pickling/Canning Help

[Redcatcher]

I grew up on a farm and we did a lot of pickling and canning but we never had to deal with 13" long cucumbers. This is exactly what a neighbor gave to another neighbor who passed them on to me because he didn't know what to do with them. Well, they aren't exactly pickling cucumbers but I can't possibly eat them all before they go bad so I intend to pickle them anyway. The good part is they definitely aren't overripe or have gone to seed...They are just enormous cucumbers. The bad part is that some of them are about 3" thick. It's not going to be easy cutting them into spears. Would chips work? The chips would be huge. I suppose that I can cut them in half so that they would fit into the jars better. There's easily 12 lbs worth of cucumbers here. I'd greatly appreciate any suggestions.

 

[herfrds]

Refrigerator pickles or bread and butter pickles.

My favorite refrigerator pickles recipe.
4c vinegar
4c sugar
1/2c salt
1 1/3t tumeric
1 1/3t celery seed
1 1/3t mustard seed

Slice thin the cucumbers along with 3 onions. Mix all the ingredients and pour over the cucumbers and onions. Put in fridge and let sit for 3-5 days stirring once a day.

Took these to a potluck in a half gallon jar and came home with just 1 quart.

 

[Carols Clucks]

You are in luck

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/78434/what-are-you-canning-now

710 pages on canning!

 

[Mtn Laurel]

I had one really huge cuke to deal with when I was doing Kosher Dills. I cut it in half lengthwise and then just kept on cutting the halves in half until it became the size of a normal spear. It did just fine and you couldn't tell it from the other cukes after the pickling/canning process.

OR - chop that bad boy up and make Sweet Pickle Relish! Doesn't matter what size cukes you use because you're going to chop them anyway. Might want to remove some seeds if they're really big, though.

 

[cassie]

We just put up some pickles, and they are delicious. It was easy, too. My SO brought home a pickling packet from the store. It was made for making sweet or bread and butter pickles. You just need to add vinegar and sugar. I can't remember the name, but he found it where all the canning supplies are. It is a little green packet. Neither of us can remember the exact name, but it says something like Aunt Martha's Pickling Spice. Something like that. All you do is slice the cucumbers, mix up the solution like it says, pack the cucumber slices in jars, and pour the hot pickling solution over them. You then process the jars in a water bath for a few minutes. One word of warning. Sample each cucumber and make sure it isn't bitter. The bitter ones need to be peeled. Google "bitter cucumbers" for more detailed instructions.

 

[Redcatcher]

Thanks everyone, for the suggestions. I was given a dill pickling packet and I'll use that for some of them. I hadn't even thought of making sweet pickles or even sweet relish but now I have ideas and a recipe. I'll have to remember to sample the cucumbers for bitterness. I've been thinking about pickling eggs while I'm at it and I'm sure I'll find a recipe here somewhere if I go digging around.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

Here's a "cut and paste" of the Sweet Pickle Relish recipe I made a few weeks ago. Good enough to eat with a spoon!

Sweet Pickle Relish

MAKES 3 PINTS

4 cups cucumbers, deseeded and chopped
2 cups onions, chopped
1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
NOTE: I use all green pepper. No difference in flavor between the two colors.
1/4 cup kosher salt or canning salt. NOT table salt!!
3 1/2 cups sugar **Note: Some think this is too sweet. Start with 3 cups and taste. Increase to 3 1/2 if you want it sweeter.
2 cups apple cider vinegar - not white vinegar
1 tablespoon celery seed
1 tablespoon mustard seeds

Wash cucumbers. Do NOT peel. Slice in half lengthwise and remove seeds. I use the tip of a spoon to rake the seeds out.

Chop all vegetables with either food processor or chopper.

• Put all chopped vegetables in a large bowl. Sprinkle the salt over the chopped vegetables.
• Cover with cold water and let stand in refrigerator for 2 hours.
• Drain vegetables well, rinse slightly, then press out as much liquid as possible. I just let mine stand in a colander for a while and keep pressing out liquid.
• In a large pot, combine sugar, vinegar and seeds. Bring to a boil.
• Add vegetables. Bring back to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Using a slotted spoon, put into pint jars. Leave ½ inch head room at the top of the jar. A canning funnel is perfect for this job. (Note: Although some of the brine needs to go in the jars, I use a slotted spoon to keep it from being too soupy.).
• Remove air bubbles by running plastic knife between relish and inside of jar. Add more liquid if needed.
• Using clean cloth or paper towel, clean rim of jar.
• Using tongs, get lids from hot water, shake off excess, place on filled jars. Do not over-tighten, use normal hand pressure.
• Place filled jars back into hot water using canning tongs. Must be enough water to cover jars by 1 inch. Bring water to a boil and let it boil for 10 minutes
• Turn off heat after 10 minute boil and let sit in hot water for 5 minutes.

 

[Redcatcher]

OK, now I'm ready to do the sweet pickles. It's been awhile but the cucumbers have been tucked away in the fridge and are no worse off. I even sampled them for bitterness. I know they won't last forever in there so it's time I finished canning. The compelling question is what will happen if I use regular table salt, not kosher or canning salt? I neglected to pick some up the last time I was shopping and don't plan to go out for awhile. I noticed the above recipe, which I plan to use (thank you mtnlaurl), states "NOT table salt". Are the consequences something that I can live with?