{"id":39296,"date":"2015-08-19T13:30:37","date_gmt":"2015-08-19T17:30:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.uncommongoods.pro\/?p=39296"},"modified":"2016-03-10T10:53:36","modified_gmt":"2016-03-10T15:53:36","slug":"gift-lab-how-to-produce-a-peppery-pickle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/2015\/gift-lab-how-to-produce-a-peppery-pickle\/","title":{"rendered":"Gift Lab: How To Produce a Peppery Pickle"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"simon_giftlab_forblog\"<\/p>\n

Product:<\/strong> Global Peppercorn Sampler<\/a> and Pickling Jar Set<\/a><\/p>\n

Research: <\/strong>
\nI\u2019d like to speak about something really important to me and millions of other Americans like me: my personal relationship with the dill pickle. Consider this a Pickle Monologue.<\/p>\n

\"7308126710_54b219c4f7_o\"<\/p>\n

The first batch of pickles I ever made was bittersweet \u2013and I\u2019m not talking bread & butter: those are nasty. No, I\u2019m talking about a metaphorical kind of flavor, one that you can\u2019t actually taste over the vinegary brine, fresh dill, or zesty peppercorns, but is nonetheless real. It was the summer before I would be moving to Brooklyn\u00a0for my last year of high school, and I made pickles late into the night for a pickle-party where I would be parting with several friends. The secret ingredient that made the brine so good? Tears.<\/p>\n

No – I really decided to make pickles as\u00a0a selfish and misinformed act of appropriation. I had this idea that Brooklyn was full of bearded men making sun tea (see below), and I wanted to make sure I would fit into place.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Processed<\/p>\n

Needless to say, pickles didn\u2019t actually contribute to me finding any affinity with new people after the move \u2013 but it wasn\u2019t a total loss. Now I know how to make pickles! And they\u2019re excellent.<\/p>\n

Pickles can be quick and easy to make, and they\u2019re one of the few foods that I believe truly tastes better when I\u00a0make it myself. Plus, pickles you buy at the supermarket are left to ferment in large, outdoor vats with no roofs, leaving them open to insects and bird droppings \u2013 so you don\u2019t want to go down that road when you\u2019re pining for a pickle.<\/p>\n

Hypothesis: <\/strong>
\nTwo years after that first batch, I\u2019m a full-time student and a lazy person and I\u2019ve fallen off my pickle game a bit \u2013 not enough to lose my title, but I need a bit of a refresher. Browsing pickle-related products, I found the Pickling Jar Set<\/a>, which includes an easy-to-follow recipe and an awesome-smelling supply of dill pickle seasoning \u2013 a perfect way to reignite my pickling career.<\/p>\n

\"25340_zoom1\"<\/p>\n

But what\u2019s the point of DIYing if you don\u2019t add an element of customization? I like my pickles spicy, so I\u2019m hoping for some added heat. One way to achieve this is to put hot peppers in with the cucumbers, but that\u2019s a little too spicy for now. I want more of a fresh, crisp summer taste, so I decided to go with the Global Peppercorn Sampler<\/a> and try out a few different kinds of peppery heat. I predict an easy pickle with the perfect amount of spice.<\/p>\n

\"26382_zoom1\"<\/a><\/p>\n

It should be noted that there are two ways to make pickles \u2013 a \u2018hot brine\u2019 method and a \u2018cold brine\u2019 or refrigerator method. The hot method involves fermentation (most pickles you buy in the store are probably prepared this way) and is a lot more involved. Plus, it takes a few months, and nobody has time for that.<\/p>\n

The cold method is quicker and easier, and \u2013 in my opinion \u2013 makes the pickle crispier and better-tasting. The jars aren\u2019t boiled, so they don\u2019t seal the same way and don\u2019t have time to ferment \u2013 but they taste fresher. For reference, those extra good Claussen deli pickles are made this way. The recipe in the Pickle Jar Set<\/a> is a cold brine, refrigerator recipe, so we\u2019re good to go!<\/p>\n

\"IMG_1674\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Materials:<\/strong>
\nTime to gather up the cucumbers and pickling paraphernalia. The measurements below will make enough to fill the large quart jar included in the Pickling Jar Set<\/a> \u2013 but I made a larger batch with some extra jars. Using them for extra pickles ensures that my dad isn\u2019t being pretentious and using them as tumblers.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the recipe included in the set:<\/strong><\/p>\n

12 4\u201d long Cucumbers –\u00a0the type doesn’t matter so much as the size<\/em><\/p>\n

1 sliced White Onion \u2013 but you won\u2019t use this much onion, more like half<\/em><\/p>\n

2-3 tbsp Pickling Salt \u2013 you can use kosher salt instead \u2013 see note below<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u00be cup Vinegar \u2013 white vinegar<\/em><\/p>\n

2-3 tbsp Pickling Spices \u2013 a mix is included in the set<\/em><\/p>\n

2 \u00bd cups Water<\/p>\n

2 Cloves of Garlic (crushed)<\/em><\/p>\n

I also used the peppercorns from the Global Peppercorn Sampler<\/a>, of course!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A note on pickling salt: <\/strong>Pickling salt is a finely ground salt that isn\u2019t treated with anti-caking chemical. IT\u2019S IMPORTANT THAT YOU DON\u2019T USE TREATED SALT! The pure, fine grind ensures that the brine doesn\u2019t get gross, cloudy, or clumpy \u2013 or grow botulism. That said, it\u2019s hard to find pickling salt \u2013 I couldn\u2019t this time. <\/em><\/p>\n

You can use kosher salt as a substitute, since it isn\u2019t treated with anything. However, since the grain size will be different than finer pickling salt, you\u2019ll want to measure differently.\u00a0The University of Wisconsin – Cooperative Extension<\/a>\u00a0recommends\u00a0that 1 1\/2 cups of flaked kosher salt equals about 1 cup of canning and pickling salt – so\u00a050% more kosher salt, which still puts you in a good place with 3 tbsp.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

You\u2019ll also need:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The jar and towel from the set<\/p>\n

A knife<\/p>\n

A cutting board<\/p>\n

A large saucepan<\/p>\n

Optional: more mason jars<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The recipe takes about a week to pickle, so don\u2019t try to make it the night before your pickle party \u2013 because you can\u2019t!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

First, I gathered all of my ingredients and arranged them in a photogenic way. This arrangement is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. The more scenic the arrangement, the more flavors you will \u201cunlock\u201d for a better pickle.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_1669\"<\/p>\n

I\u2019m a firm believer in doing one thing at a time, especially when I\u2019m \u201ccooking.\u201d You could probably get away with setting the brine to boil while you prep the vegetables, but not me. Cut off the stems and slice the cucumbers into quarters vertically \u2013 and be careful of the pointy end.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_1670\"<\/p>\n

Slice some onion into thin, short pieces, and crush the garlic cloves with the side of your knife.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_1681\"<\/p>\n

\"PicMonkey<\/p>\n

Next, stuff the jars with the cucumbers, onions, and garlic. It\u2019s helpful to put the jar on its side and stack layers of cucumbers, filling extra space with onions and spacing out the garlic. It\u2019s OK if it\u2019s pretty tight in there, but you\u2019ll want to leave a little bit of wiggle room \u2013 pack it until it\u2019s tight, but make sure you can easily fit one finger in the center.<\/p>\n

\"PicMonkey<\/p>\n

With the jars packed, pick a few kinds of peppercorn and sprinkle generously into the prepped jars.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_1688\"<\/p>\n

Now it\u2019s time to move over to the stove. Combine the vinegar, water, pickling (or kosher) salt, and pickling spices in the saucepan, and give it a stir.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_1690\"<\/p>\n

I like to think of recipes as guidelines and add portions of things off of how I feel at the time. I added a little extra salt and vinegar \u2013 I like the savory, salty taste.<\/p>\n

I started adding a ton of extra stuff at this point. You can pickle anything. The cat is optional, but I find that the lean muscle balances the peppercorn well.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_1695\"<\/p>\n

“I am not amused.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Once everything is in the pan, set it to a boil. I know I promised a \u201ccold\u201d method, but you\u2019ll still want to boil the brine \u2013 the hot method involves boiling the actual pickles.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

While it\u2019s getting to a boil, set the jars in a line \u2013 preferably in the sink. Once the brine comes to a boil, immediately take it from the stove and pour the hot brine over the cucumbers into each of the jars, filling them to the brim.<\/p>\n

\"PicMonkey<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not an issue if there\u2019s some space when you seal the jars \u2013 you\u2019re not fermenting them. Just make sure that they\u2019re as full as they can be, or else the ends will stick out of the brine, and you\u2019ll only have 7\/8ths of a pickle.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_1703\"<\/p>\n

\"IMG_1704\"<\/p>\n

Make sure the jars are closed tightly and stick them in the fridge. Pickle magic now ensues and your ordinary cucumbers become something special. BUT, you have to stand in front of the refrigerator every night at midnight and chant \u201cI\u2019m a gherkin yes I am!\u201d<\/strong> thrice or else the ritual won\u2019t work.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_1705\"<\/p>\n

After at least a week, crack open the jar and enjoy!<\/p>\n

\"IMG_1778\"<\/p>\n

Conclusion: <\/strong><\/p>\n

The final product was pretty great! The pickling seasoning included in the kit tasted great \u2013 supplemented by the added zest of the peppercorns \u2013 and the pickles were very crisp. In the past I\u2019ve only used fresh dill, but the dill in the seasoning tasted really good.<\/p>\n

But most of all, the recipe was extremely easy and quick to make! The kit is a great way to start pickling, and the peppercorn set<\/a> adds a nice element of customization. I can’t wait to try some of the other varieties!<\/p>\n

Now that I\u2019m \u201cin the pickles\u201d so to speak, I can live easy. No cats were harmed in the making of these pickles.<\/p>\n

\"blogcta-giftlabpeppercorn\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summer Content Intern Simon loves a crisp, homemade pickle. Will the Global Peppercorn Sampler help spice up this savory summer treat? The pickle, not the intern. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":170,"featured_media":39317,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[741],"tags":[148,3,127],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39296"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/170"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39296"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39296\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":44914,"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39296\/revisions\/44914"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39317"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39296"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39296"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39296"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}