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Pickling is an important
branch of home preparedness food the winter months. Pickles have little food
value, but they give a flavor to a meal which is liked by many. They should
not be given to children.
In pickling, vegetables are usually soaked overnight in a brine
made of 1 cup of salt and 1 quart of water. This brine removes the water of
the vegetable and so prevents weakening of the vinegar. In the morning the
brine is drained off.
Alum should not be used to make the vegetables crisp, as it is
harmful to the human body. A firm product is obtained is the vegetables are
not cooked too long or at too high a temperature.
Spices, unless confined in a bag, give a dark color to the pickles.
Enameled, agate or porcelain-lined kettles should be used when
cooking mixtures containing vinegar.
Pickles in crocks should be well covered with vinegar to prevent
molding.
Instructions for some of the most commonly used methods are given
herewith. Tomato Catsup
4 quarts ripe tomatoes, boil and strain.
Add 4 tablespoonfuls of salt.
2 cups of vinegar.
1 level teaspoonful each of cayenne pepper, cinnamon, cloves, allspice,
mustard and black pepper. Boil rapidly
until thick. Pour into hot sterilized bottles. Put the corks in tightly and
apply hot paraffin to the tops with a brush to make an airtight seal. All
spices, except cayenne pepper, should be enclosed in a cloth bag and removed
when catsup is done. Chili Sauce
2 dozen ripe tomatoes (dip in boiling water to
peel).
6 peppers (3 to be hot).
3 onions/
2/5 cup of corn syrup.
2 tablespoonfuls of salt.
1 teaspoonful each of cloves, nutmeg and allspice.
1 quart of vinegar. Simmer 1 hour. Pour
into sterilized jars or bottles and seal while hot. Chow
Chow 2 pints cucumbers. (1
pint to be small ones).
1 cauliflower soaked in salted water for one hour.
2 green peppers.
1 quart onions. Chop the above in small
pieces. Sprinkle 1 cup of salt over them and let stand all night. Drain well
in the morning.
The sauce for Chow Chow is made as follows:
2 quarts vinegar.
1/4 pound of mustard.
1 tablespoonful of turmeric.
4/5 cup of corn syrup.
1/2 cup of flour. Make a paste of the
mustard, turmeric, sugar, flour and a little vinegar. Stir this into the
warm vinegar and boil until thick. Then add the vegetables and simmer for
1/2 hour. Stir to prevent burning. Put in cans while hot. |
Cold Tomato Relish
8 quarts firm, ripe tomatoes; scald, cold-dip
and then chop in small pieces.
To the chopped tomato add:
2 cups chopped onion.
2 cups chopped celery.
2 cups corn syrup.
1 cup white mustard seed.
1/2 cup salt.
4 chopped peppers.
1 teaspoonful ground mace.
1 teaspoonful black pepper.
4 teaspoonfuls cinnamon.
3 pints vinegar.
Mix all together and pack in sterilized jars.
Corn Relish
1 small cabbage.
1 large onion.
6 ears of corn.
2 tablespoonfuls of salt.
2 tablespoonfuls of flour.
1-1/2 cups of corn syrup.
2 hot peppers.
1 pint of vinegar.
1-1/2 tablespoonfuls of mustard.
Steam corn 30 minutes. Cut from the cob and add to the
chopped cabbage, onion and peppers. Mix the flour, sugar, mustard and
salt—add the vinegar. Add mixture to the vegetables and simmer 30 minutes.
Pour into sterilized jars or bottles and seal while hot.
Cucumber Pickles
Soak in brine made of 1 cup of salt to 2 quarts of water for
a day and night. Remove from brine, rinse in cold water and drain. Cover
with vinegar, add 1 tablespoonful brown sugar, some stick cinnamon and
cloves to every quart of vinegar used; bring to a boil and pack in jars. For
sweet pickles use 1 cup of sugar to 1 quart of vinegar.
Dill Pickles
To make dill pickles follow the directions for fermenting
cucumbers, page 30, using alternate layers
of dill leaves, whole mixed spices and cucumbers. The top layer should be of
beet or grape leaves an inch thick.
Green Tomato Pickle
Take 4 quarts of green tomatoes, 4 small onions and 4 green
peppers. Slice the tomatoes and onions thin. Sprinkle over them 1/2 cup of
salt and leave overnight n crock or enameled vessel. The next morning drain
off the brine. Into a separate vessel put 1 quart of vinegar, 1 level
tablespoonful each of black pepper, mustard seed, celery seed,
cloves, allspice and cinnamon and 1 cup of corn syrup. Bring to a boil and
then add the prepared tomatoes, onions and peppers. Let simmer for 20
minutes. Fill jars and seal while hot.
Green Tomato Pickle
Wash and slice tomatoes. Soak in a brine of 1/4 cup of salt
to 1 quart of water overnight. Drain well. Put in a crock and cover with
vinegar to which have been added stick cinnamon and 1 cup of corn syrup for
every quart of vinegar used. Once a day for a week pour off vinegar, heat to
boiling and pour over tomatoes again. Cover top of crock with a cloth and
put on cover. This cloth should be frequently washed. |
