Dry Brined Pickles Sausai Sdyti Agurkai Lithuania Recipes

Steps:

• Wash the pickles well, cut off a thin slice from either end. You can leave them whole if the cukes are small or slice in half lengthwise. (I have also sliced them across or into spears, to make 4 pieces per cucumber, as I could not find the small ones I like). Place in a sealable plastic bag.
• Add the salt, garlic and chopped dill to the bag and refrigerate, shaking the bag a few times during the "cooking", if you can. (I've also made these with just 1 tsp of salt and no garlic, and I just may like those even better).
• They will be ready in 6 to 8 hours, although I snuck some at 3 hours.

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup water to a simmer over medium heat with the vinegar, sugar, salt, coriander, allspice, bay leaf, cinnamon and garlic. Take off the heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
• Pour the warm liquid over the vegetables or fruit and let it cool at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate. Store, covered, in the refrigerator, for 2 to 3 weeks.

Steps:

• Wash cucumbers in cold water then dry on rack or wipe dry.
• Place half the pickle spices, garlic and a layer of dill in a 5 gallon crock or jar.
• Fill the container with cucumbers to within 3-4 inches from top.
• Place a layer of dill and remaining spices and garlic on top of cucumbers.
• Thoroughly mix the vinegar, salt and water and pour over the cucumbers.
• Cover with a heavy plate (weigh it down with a jar of water) so that the cucumbers stay under the brine.
• Cover loosely with a towel.
• Keep pickles at room temperature and remove scum daily when it forms, (3-5 days).
• Do not stir pickles but make sure they are always covered with brine.
• If necessary make additional brine using original recipe.
• In about 3 weeks the cucumbers should be olive green and have a desirable flavor.
• Any white spots will disappear in processing.
• Strain the brine before using as it is preferred for the added flavor.
• Pack pickles firmly into clean, hot quart jars.
• Add several pieces of dill and a clove or two of garlic to each jar, then cover with boiling brine to 1/2 inch from top.
• Adjust lids and process 15 minutes in water bath, beginning the time as soon as the jars are in the actively boiling water.
• Cloudiness of brine is typical when the original brine is used as the covering liquid.

Steps:

• Place a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet or line it with a clean towel. (This is to prevent the jars from directly touching the surface.) Set aside.
• Meanwhile, sterilize the jars and lids. To sterilize jars using a boiling water canner or a large pot, place a rack (or often I will use a clean kitchen towel) on the bottom of the canner. Place the jars right-side-up on the rack and fill the jars and canner with enough water to cover the jars by at least 1 inch. Bring the water to a boil, then boil for 10 minutes (at altitudes less than 1,000 feet elevation). Using canning tongs, remove the jars from the canner one at a time, carefully pouring the water from the jars back into the canner. Let the jars air-dry upside-down on the prepared rack or towel and sit undisturbed until you're ready to fill them. The rings and rubber-lined lids must be sterilized, too. Place the new lids in a small saucepan, cover with water and bring to a gentle simmer. Very gently simmer for 10 minutes (taking care not to boil). Turn off the heat and keep the lids in the water until ready to use.
• Bring 2 1/2 cups water, the vinegar and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Meanwhile, place 1 dill sprig or 1 teaspoon dill seed, 1 clove garlic, 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds, 1/4 teaspoon peppercorns in the bottom of each of 4 sterilized glass jars with tight lids. Divide the red pepper flakes among the jars. Set aside.
• Wash and trim the stem end of the beans so that they fit in the jar. (I like to leave the pretty curled end intact.) Pack the beans into the prepared jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace at the top of each jar. Carefully pour the boiling pickling liquid over the green beans in the jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headroom between the top of the liquid and the top of the jar. Seal with the lids and rings. Refrigerate up to 2 weeks.