Part 2

Chapter 23,795 wordsPublic domain

Place in the bottom of the jar a layer of dill and one-half ounce of mixed spice. Then fill the jar, to within 2 or 3 inches of the top, with washed cucumbers of as nearly the same size as practicable. Add another half ounce of spice and layer of dill. It is a good plan to place over the top a layer of grape leaves. In fact, it would be well to place these at both the bottom and top. They make a very suitable covering and have a greening effect on the pickles.

Pour over the pickles a brine made as follows: Salt, 1 pound; vinegar, 1 pint ; water, 2 gallons. Never use a hot brine at the beginning of a fermentation. The chances are that it would kill the organisms present, thus preventing fermentation.

Cover with a board cover or plate with sufficient weight on top to hold the cucumbers well below the brine.

If the cucumbers are packed at a temperature around 86° F., an active fermentation will at once set in. This should be completed in 10 days to 2 weeks, if a temperature of about 86° F. is maintained. The scum which soon forms on the surface and which consists usually of wild yeasts, but often contains molds and bacteria, should be skimmed off.

After active fermentation has stopped, it is necessary to protect the pickles against spoilage. This may be done in one of two ways:

(1) Cover with a layer of paraffin. This should be poured while hot over the surface of the brine or as much of it as is exposed around the edges of the board cover. When cooled this forms a solid coating which effectually seals the pickles.

(2) Seal the pickles in glass jars or cans. As soon as they are sufficiently cured, which may be determined by their agreeable flavor and dark-green color, transfer them to glass jars, and fill either with their own brine or with a fresh brine made as directed. Add a small quantity of dill and spice. Bring the brine to a boil, and, after cooling to about 160° F., pour it over the pickles, filling the jars full. Seal the jars tight.

The plan of preserving dill pickles by sealing in jars has the merit of permitting the use of a small quantity without the necessity of opening and resealing a large bulk, as is the case when pickles are packed in large containers and sealed with paraffin.

LARGE QUANTITIES

Fill a barrel with cucumbers. Add 6 to 8 pounds of green or brined dill, or half that quantity of dry dill, and 1 quart of mixed spices. If brined dill is used, it is well to add about 2 quarts of the dill brine. The dill and spices should be evenly distributed at the bottom, middle, and top of the barrel. Also add 1 gallon of good vinegar.[2]

[2] This addition of vinegar is not essential, and many prefer not to use it. In the proportion indicated, however, it is favorable to the growth of the lactic bacteria and helps to prevent the growth of spoilage organisms. Its use, therefore, is to be regarded with favor. Some prefer to omit the mixed spices for the reason that they interfere with the distinctive flavor of the dill herb.

Head up tight and, through a hole bored in the head, fill the barrel with a brine made in the proportion of one-half pound of salt to a gallon of water. Add brine until it flows over the head and is level with the top of the chime. Maintain this level by adding brine from time to time. Remove the scum which soon forms on the surface.

During the period of active fermentation, keep the barrel in a warm place and leave the hole in the head open to allow gas to escape. When active fermentation is over, as indicated by the cessation of bubbling and frothing on the surface, the barrel may be plugged tight and placed in storage, preferably in a cool place. Leakage and other conditions may cause the brine in a barrel of pickles to recede at any time. The barrels should be inspected occasionally, and more brine added if necessary. Pickles put up in this way should be ready for use within about six weeks.

When pickles are to be held in storage a long time, a 28° brine, made by adding 10 ounces of salt to a gallon of water, should be used. Pickles packed in a brine of this strength will keep a year, if the barrels are kept filled and in a cool place. The important factor in preserving pickles put up in a weak brine, such as is ordinarily used for dill pickles, is the exclusion of air. When put up in tight barrels this is accomplished by keeping the barrels entirely filled with brine.

MIXED PICKLES

Onions, cauliflower, green peppers, tomatoes, and beans, as well as cucumbers, are used for making mixed pickles. All vegetables should first be cured in brine.

For making mixed pickles, very small vegetables are much to be preferred. If larger ones must be used, first cut them into pieces of a desirable and uniform shape and size. Place in the bottom of each wide-mouth bottle or jar a little mixed spice. In filling the bottle arrange the various kinds of pickles in as neat and orderly a manner as possible. The appearance of the finished product depends largely upon the manner in which they are packed in the bottle. Do not completely fill the bottles.

If sour pickles are desired, fill the bottles completely with a 45-grain vinegar. If sweet ones are wanted, fill with a liquor made by dissolving 4 to 6 pounds of sugar in a gallon of vinegar.

Seal tight, and label properly.

SAUERKRAUT

For making sauerkraut in the home, 4 or 6 gallon stone jars are considered the best containers, unless large quantities are desired, in which case kegs or barrels may be used.

Select only mature, sound heads of cabbage. After removing all decayed or dirty leaves, quarter the heads and slice off the core portion. For shredding, one of the hand-shredding machines which can be obtained on the market is much the best, although an ordinary slaw cutter or a large knife will do.

In making sauerkraut the fermentation is carried out in a brine made from the juice of the cabbage which is drawn out by the salt. One pound of salt for every 40 pounds of cabbage makes the proper strength of brine to produce the best results. The salt may be distributed as the cabbage is packed in the jar or it may be mixed with the shredded cabbage before being packed. The distribution of 2 ounces of salt with every 5 pounds of cabbage probably is the best way to get an even distribution.

Pack the cabbage firmly, but not too tightly, in the jar or keg. When full, cover with a clean cloth and a board or plate. On the cover place a weight heavy enough to cause the brine to come up to the cover.

If the jar is kept at a temperature of about 86° F., fermentation will start promptly. A scum soon forms on the surface of the brine. As this scum tends to destroy the acidity and may affect the cabbage, it should be skimmed off from time to time.

If kept at 86° F., the fermentation should be completed in six to eight days.

A well-fermented sauerkraut should show a normal acidity of approximately +20, or a lactic acid percentage of 1.8 (p. 16).

After fermentation is complete, set the sauerkraut in a cool place. If the cabbage is fermented late in the fall, or if it can be stored in a very cool place, it may not be necessary to do more than keep the surface skimmed and protected from insects, etc.; otherwise it will be necessary to resort to one of the following measures to prevent spoilage:

(1) Pour a layer of hot paraffin over the surface, or as much of it as is exposed around the cover. Properly applied to a clean surface, this effectually seals the jar and protects the contents from contamination.

(2) After the fermentation is complete, pack the sauerkraut in glass jars, adding enough of the "kraut" brine, or a weak brine made by adding an ounce of salt to a quart of water, to completely fill the jars. Seal the jars tight, and set them away in a cool place.

The second method is much to be p referred to the first. Sauerkraut properly fermented and stored in this way has kept throughout a season in good condition. Placing the jars before sealing in a water bath and heating until the center of the jar shows a temperature of about 160° F. gives an additional assurance of good-keeping quality of the "kraut."

In the commercial canning of sauerkraut, where conditions and length of storage can not be controlled, heat must always be used.

FERMENTATION AND SALTING OF VEGETABLES OTHER THAN CUCUMBERS AND CABBAGE

There are three methods of preserving vegetables by the use of salt:

FERMENTATION IN AN ADDED BRINE

Experiments have shown that string beans, green tomatoes, beets, chayotes, mango melons, burr gherkins, cauliflower, and corn (on cob) may be well preserved in a 10 per cent brine (40° on the salinometer scale) for several months. Peppers and onions are better preserved in an 80° brine. The brine must be maintained at its original strength by the addition of salt, and the surface of the brine must be kept free from scum. Some of the vegetables listed, notably string beans and green tomatoes, are well adapted to fermentation in a weak brine (5 per cent salt), in which case dill and other spices may be added. The general directions given for dill pickles (p. 8) should be followed.

FERMENTATION IN BRINE PRODUCED BY DRY SALTING

This method, of course, can be used only for vegetables which contain enough water to make their own brine. String beans, if young and tender, may be preserved in this way. Remove tips and strings, and, if the pods are large, break them in two. Older beans, and doubtless other vegetables, could be preserved by this method if first shredded in the same manner as cabbage (p. 10). Use salt equal to 3 per cent of the weight of the vegetables (1 ounce salt to about 2 pounds vegetables).

SALTING WITHOUT FERMENTATION

Enough salt to prevent all bacterial action must be added. Wash and weigh the vegetables. Mix with them thoroughly one-fourth their weight of salt. If after the addition of pressure there is not enough brine to cover the product, add brine made by dissolving 1 pound of salt in 2 quarts of water. As soon as bubbling ceases, protect the surface by covering with paraffin. This method is especially well adapted to vegetables in which the sugar content is too low to produce a successful fermentation, such as chard, spinach, and dandelions. Corn can also be well preserved in this way. Husk it and remove the silk. Cook it in boiling water for 10 minutes, to set the milk. Then cut the corn from the cob with a sharp knife, weigh it, and pack it in layers, with one-fourth its weight of fine salt.

The methods of preservation outlined are not limited to vegetables. Solid fruits, like clingstone peaches and Kieffer pears, can be preserved in an 80° brine for as long as six months. After the salt has been soaked out, they may be worked up into desirable products by the use of spices, vinegar, sugar, etc. Soft fruits, like Elberta peaches and Bartlett pears, are best preserved in weak vinegar (2 per cent acetic acid).[3]

[3] Report of an investigation in the Bureau of Chemistry on the utilization of brined products, by Rhea C. Scott, 1919.

CAUSES OF FAILURE

SOFT OR SLIPPERY PICKLES

A soft or slippery condition, one of the most common forms of spoilage in making pickles, is the result of bacterial action. It always occurs when pickles are exposed above the brine and very often when the brine is too weak to prevent the growth of spoilage organisms. To prevent it keep the pickles well below the brine and the brine at the proper strength. To keep pickles for more than a very few weeks a brine should contain 10 per cent of salt. Once pickles have become soft or slippery as a result of bacterial action no treatment will restore them to a normal condition.

HOLLOW PICKLES

Hollow pickles may occur during the process of curing. This condition, however, does not mean a total loss, for hollow pickles may be utilized in making mixed pickles or certain forms of relish. While there are good reasons to believe that hollow pickles are the result of a faulty development or nutrition of the cucumber, there is also a strong probability that incorrect methods may contribute to their formation. One of these is allowing too long a time to intervene between gathering and brining. This period should not exceed 21 hours.

Hollow pickles frequently become floaters. Sound cucumbers properly cured do not float, but any condition which operates to lower their relative weight, such as gaseous distention, may cause them to rise to the surface.

EFFECT OF HARD WATER

So-called hard waters should not be used in making a brine. The presence of large quantities of calcium salts and possibly other salts found in many natural waters may prevent the proper acid formation, thus interfering with normal curing. The addition of a small quantity of vinegar serves to overcome alkalinity when hard water must be used. If present in any appreciable quantity, iron is objectionable, causing a blackening of the pickles under some conditions.

SHRIVELING

Shriveling of pickles often occurs when they have been placed at once in very strong salt or sugar solutions, or even in very strong vinegars. For this reason avoid such solutions so far as possible. When a strong solution is desirable the pickles should first be given a preliminary treatment in a weaker solution. This difficulty is most often encountered in making sweet pickles. The presence of sugar in high concentrations is certain to cause shriveling unless

EFFECT OF TOO MUCH SALT ON SAUERKRAUT

Perhaps the most common cause of failure in making sauerkraut is the use of too much salt. The proper quantity is 2| per cent by weight of the cabbage packed. When cabbage is to be fermented in very warm weather it may be well to use a little more salt. As a rule, however, this should not exceed 3 per cent. In applying the salt see that it is evenly distributed. The red streaks which are sometimes seen in sauerkraut are believed to be due to uneven distribution of salt.

EFFECT OF SCUM

Spoilage of the top layers of vegetables fermented in brine is sure to occur unless the scum which forms on the surface is frequently removed. This scum is made up of wild yeasts, molds, and bacteria, which, if allowed to remain, attack and break down the vegetables beneath. They may also weaken the acidity of the brine, in which way they may cause spoilage. The fact that the top layers have spoiled, does not necessarily mean, however, that all in the container are spoiled. The molds and other organisms which cause the spoilage do not quickly get down to the lower layers. The part found in good condition often may be saved by carefully removing the spoiled part from the top, adding a little fresh brine, and pouring hot paraffin over the surface.

EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE

Temperature has an important bearing on the success of a lactic fermentation. The bacteria which are essential in the fermentation of vegetable foods are most active at a temperature of approximately 86° F., and as the temperature falls below this point their activity correspondingly diminishes. It is essential, therefore, that the foods be kept as close as possible to 86° F. at the start and during the active stages of a fermentation. This is especially important in the production of sauerkraut, which is often made in the late fall or winter. The fermentation may be greatly retarded or even stopped by too low a temperature.

After the active stages of a fermentation have passed, store the food in a cool place. Low temperatures are always an aid in the preservation of food products.

COLORING AND HARDENING AGENTS

To make what is thought to be a better looking product, it is the practice in some households to "green" pickles by heating them with vinegar in a copper vessel. Experiments have shown that in this treatment copper acetate is formed, and that the pickles take up very appreciable quantities of it. _Copper acetate is poisonous._

By a ruling of the Secretary of Agriculture, made July 12, 1912, foods greened with copper salts, all of which are poisonous, will be regarded as adulterated.

Alum is often used for the purpose presumably of making pickles firm. The use of alum in connection with food products is of doubtful expediency, to say the least. If the right methods are followed in pickling, the salt and acids in the brine will give the desired firmness. The use of alum, or any other hardening agent, is unnecessary.

TABLES AND TESTS

Table 1.--_Salt percentages, corresponding salinometer readings, and quantity of salt required to make 6 quarts of brine_

+------------+-------------- | | Salt in Salt in |Salinometer | 6 quarts of solution | reading |finished brine -----------+------------+-------------- _Per cent_| _Degrees_ | _Ounces_ 1.06 | 4 | 2 2.12 | 8 | 4¼ 3.18 | 12 | 6½ 4.24 | 16 | 8½ 5.3 | 20 | 11 7.42 | 28 | 14½ 8.48 | 32 | 18 9.54 | 36 | 20 10.6 | 40 | 22½ 15.9 | 60 | 35 21.2 | 80 | 48 26.5 | 100 | 64 -----------+------------+--------------

The figures given in the first two columns of Table 1 are correct. Those in the last column are correct within the possibilities of ordinary household methods. To make up a brine from this table, the required quantity of salt is dissolved in a smaller volume of water and water is added to make up as nearly as possible to the required 6 quarts.

One pound of salt dissolved in 9 pints of water makes a solution with a salinometer reading of 40°, or approximately a 10 per cent brine. In a brine of this strength, fermentation proceeds somewhat slowly. Pickles kept in a brine maintained at this strength will not spoil. One-half pound of salt dissolved in 9 pints of water makes approximately a 5 per cent brine, with a salinometer reading of 20°. A brine of this strength permits a rapid fermentation, but vegetables kept in such a brine will spoil within a few weeks if air is not excluded.

A brine in which a fresh egg just floats is approximately a 10 per cent solution.

Fermentation takes place fairly well in brines of 40° strength, and will, to some extent at least, up to 60°. At 80° all fermentation stops.

The volume of brine necessary to cover vegetables is about half the volume of the material to be fermented. For example, if a 5-gallon keg is to be packed, 2½ gallons of brine is required.

Table 2.--_Freezing point of brine at different salt concentrations_

+-------------+------------ Salt | Salinometer | Freezing | reading | temperature ----------+-------------+------------ _Per cent_| _Degrees_ | °_F_ 5 | 20 | 25.2 10 | 40 | 18.7 15 | 60 | 12.2 20 | 80 | 6.1 25 | 100 | 0.5 ----------+-------------+------------

Table 3.--_Density of sugar sirup_

+--------------- | Quantity of | sugar for Density | each gallon | of water[4] ---------+--------------- _Degrees | Brix or | Balling_ | _Lbs._ _Ozs._ 5 | 7 10 | 14.8 15 | 1 7.5 20 | 1 14.75 25 | 2 12.5 30 | 3 9 40 | 5 8.75 45 | 6 13 50 | 8 5.25 55 | 10 4 60 | 12 8 ---------+---------------

[4] When vinegar is used, the equivalent sugar hydrometer reading would be about 2 degrees higher than that indicated in the table.

Table 4.--_Number of cucumbers of various sizes required to make a gallon of pickles_

[5] Small pickles are usually designated as gherkins. Those of very small size are sometimes called midgets.

The maximum acidity formed by a lactic fermentation of vegetables in brine varies from 0.25 to 2 per cent. The maximum is reached at or soon after the close of the active stage of fermentation. After this the acidity usually decreases slowly. The stage of active fermentation continues for from one to three weeks, depending upon the temperature, strength of brine, etc. During this period gas is formed and froth appears on the surface, owing to the rising of gas bubbles. At the close of this period the brine becomes "still."

The quantity of acid formed depends primarily upon the sugar content of the vegetables fermented, but it may be influenced by other factors.

Dipping a piece of blue litmus paper (obtainable at drug stores) in the brine will show whether the brine is acid. If the paper turns pinkish or red, the brine is acid, but the litmus paper does not give a definite indication of the degree of acidity.

For those who want to know accurately what the degree of acidity is the following method is outlined:

With a pipette transfer exactly 5 cubic centimeters of the brine to a small evaporating dish. To this add 45 cubic centimeters of distilled water and 1 cubic centimeter of a 0.5 per cent solution of phenolphthalein in 50 per cent alcohol. Then run in slowly a one-twentieth normal sodium hydrate solution. This is best done by using a 25 cubic centimeter burette, graduated in tenths. As the sodium hydrate is being added stir constantly, and note carefully when the entire liquid shows a faint pink tint. This indicates that the neutral point has been reached. Read off carefully the exact quantity of sodium hydrate required to neutralize the mixture in the dish. This number multiplied by 0.09 gives the number of grams of acid per 100 cubic centimeters, calculated as lactic, present in the brine.

This method can be used to determine the acid strength of vinegars. Multiply by 0.06 to ascertain the number of grams of acetic acid per 100 cubic centimeters present in the vinegar.

The apparatus and chemicals needed for this test can be obtained from any firm dealing in chemical apparatus and supplies.

ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE