Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Eating and Drinking => Cooking, Storing and Preserving => Topic started by: Bonniebean on July 05, 2010, 17:12

Title: Small cucumbers for pickling
Post by: Bonniebean on July 05, 2010, 17:12

Help needed please! I am growing a mini cucumber plant to make gherkins but obviously they wont all be ready at the same time - does anyone have any advice/recipes which can be added to and dont need lots of salt?

Title: Re: Small cucumbers for pickling
Post by: Yorkie on July 05, 2010, 18:28

Not sure about gherkins specifically, but if you look on the recipes section of the site (linky at the top of the page), you'll find a number of recipes for cucumbers - one or more of those may fit the bill?

Title: Re: Small cucumbers for pickling
Post by: Springlands on July 05, 2010, 22:57

This is based on an American recipe - Bread and Butter Pickles

Thickly slice about 6 cucumbers, finely slice one onion - lightly salt and leave for about half an hour.

Add one teaspoon of turmeric, two tablespoons of sugar and two tablespoons of mustard seeds to a litre of white vinegar and heat until the sugar melts - do not boil.

Rinse the cucumber and onions and place in sterilised jars, and then cover with the spiced vinegar.

This is ready to eat within two weeks and should be kept for no more than four months.

Title: Re: Small cucumbers for pickling
Post by: Bonniebean on July 06, 2010, 21:22

Thanks Yorkie and Springlands! I like the sound of your recipe - not too much salt!!! Does this make a sweet pickle? Also found a recipe using dill which I have in the garden.

Title: Re: Small cucumbers for pickling
Post by: Springlands on July 07, 2010, 09:45

Hi Bonniebean - the pickle tastes slightly sweet but that is balanced by the vinegar.