The August 9th introduction to pickling was a ton of fun! Preserving Traditions and Sustainable Michigan met together and presenter Blair Nosan explained the difference between lactofermented and brined vinegar pickles and showed us how to make old-fashioned fermented dill pickles.
Lactofermented pickles…
- get their name from the lactobaccili that turn the cucumbers tangy and sour, not from anything having to do with milk
- are full of live probiotics (much like yogurt), which makes them very healthy
- can be kept for weeks or months in a cool place, and the flavor and texture continue to develop during that time
- take very little time, energy, and equipment to prepare
- need at least a week to develop full flavor
Vinegar pickles…
- get their tangy flavor from the vinegar
- are processed in a hot water bath canner
- have no live cultures
- are completely shelf-stable and will keep for years with little or no change to flavor (they may get softer, though)
- are rarely as crunchy as fermented pickles
- are ready to eat right away
The choice is yours – you might want to make some of each!
How to make old-fashioned lactofermented pickles (after the break…) (more…)
When you think of pickles, do you only think of cucumbers soaked in vinegar? While no one denies the joy of a good garlicky dill pickle, there are so many more kinds of pickles to be savored! This class will teach you about the two basic methods of creating pickles: vinegar-brining (for making pickles that will keep all winter) and old-style lactofermentation (which produces outstanding nutrition, but no alcohol). Then we’ll make a quart of lactofermented pickles to take home.
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