Pasteurising Pickles

gayle6, Jul 22, 10:43pm
Please can someone tell me how you pasteurise pickles when you bottle them so that they will keep without the need for refrigerating.
Wish my Mum was here to ask!
pickles7, Jul 23, 12:16am
If you have to ask, ... . you should not be making pickles. . It is that simple.
greerg, Jul 23, 12:41am
Follow the recipe re cooking time then seal with paraffin wax or in thetype of jar that has a pop lid (ie like bought chutneys etc. ) Over time they will shrink a bit but won't go off. I do keep mine in the fridge once they are open but my mother just use to keep them in a cupboard. Good luck.
fisher, Jul 23, 12:44am
Sorry Gayle6... I don't know, but take no notice of the "ole sour bat". .
You wouldn't be asking if you knew... Nothing good to say or proffer any help. . Some nice person will be along soon to offer their help and advice. .
gayle6, Jul 23, 1:00am
Thanks greerg, Mum used to keep hers in the cupboard and then in the fridge once opened.
fisher - your comment makes me feel a bit better than I did when I saw pickles7 comment.
First timer to pickling and preserving and I did find some good threads and links here when I did a search after I posted my question!
fisher, Jul 23, 3:03am
All good. . hope it works out as you wanted and you get the desired results... dont be frightened to ask questions here. . most folks are real nice and helpful. .
indy95, Jul 23, 4:06am
Gayle6, the one thing you need to remember when posting in the Recipes thread is that the motto in here is: " There is no such thing as a stupid question ". If you don't know how to do something there is only one way to find out and that is, of course, to ask.

OK, now I can only tell you what I do when making jams or pickles and it has always worked for me. I can remember only one batch of jam going off in over 40 years of preserving so I must be doing something right. I just wash the jars and lids in very hot soapy water, rinse them well, then put the jars in the oven at 100C for at least 30 mins. If I am using lids I always check them to make sure there is no rust, then cover them with boiling water until I need them. Then I take them out of the water and shake off the excess without touching the inside of the lid before screwing them tightly onto the jars. If the lids are the type that " pop " when they seal you should make sure that this happens.

If you want the pickles or whatever you are making to keep for some time but don't have lids for the jars, you will need to use preserving wax which is available at most supermarkets. Doing this takes a little longer but is worth the extra effort as your preserves should keep in perfect condition for several years without drying out or shrinking. The instructions for using it are on the pack.

Actually, as you haven't done any preserving before, if you can it might be a good idea to ask someone who is experienced to just be there and perhaps give you some tips.

I should say also that while the unopened jars should keep well in a cupboard if properly sealed, I always refrigerate them once they have been opened.
kabbo, Jul 23, 5:35am
sheesh... . . some people... . . i mean really pickles - do you need to make comments like that. how rude.
pickles7, Jul 23, 6:47am
That's not very productive is it ... . kabbo... . I was serious. someone lacking skills, preserving food, are a danger to them selves and worse therefamily.
greerg, Jul 23, 7:03am
Whoa Picklesm, everyone has to start somewhereand Gayle6 is asking not just blasting on which seems pretty sensible to me.
gayle6, Jul 23, 9:04am
Thanks everyone, much appreciate the advice. I have been spoilt in that my Mum used to provide me with pickles and preserves. Now that she has gone I would like to try doing some myself. I remember the two methods she used of bottle bath and overflow but was not sure which one to use. The preserve thread is esp useful.
elliehen, Jul 23, 9:14am
indy95 mentioned preserving wax. If you decide to use that, a good tip is to melt it in a little aluminium/chrome-on-steel teapot (cheap from an op shop) and that makes it easy to pour. You don't need to remove the excess from the pot - let it set again and it's ready for the next time.
elliehen, Jul 23, 9:18am
And, by the way, pickles7, you've always been so helpful in the past with your lengthy threads of recipes and instructions on how to make vinegar etc... why suddenly cranky? Everyone has to start somewhere.
fifie, Jul 24, 3:28am
Good for you Gayle6, hope your pickles turn out a success nothing beats standing back and admiringthose jars on the pantry shelf, and tasting your home made goodies. May i suggest anytime you need help for pickles, preserves, etc call for Juliewn on here she has a wealth of knowledge and we all had to start somewhere... .
buzzy110, Jul 24, 3:55am
pickles - you really got to stop chanelling me. There is only room for one of us on these boards and I'll choose my own time and place to make my mark. Quite frankly I've moved beyond baiting innocent and totally unsuspecting newbies with legitimate questions.

If you had wanted to be really helpful you might have suggested that #1 purchase one of these recently republished Aunt Daisy cookbooks. They are an excellent resource and full of really helpful information that you will never get from the posters on these boards because they don't know as much as Aunt Daisy, or if they do, they forget to write it up because there isn't enough room.
buzzy110, Jul 24, 5:19am
For instance, I learnt something from Aunt Daisy that should be a stock answer to questions about why jams, which have been properly made and very carefully sealed, actually go mouldy.

I haven't yet read a correct response from any of the 'more experienced and very helpful' posters in here. Maybe I am not telling the whole truth. I have read one correct response from juliewn but she hid it in among quite a lot of other suggestions so it was easy to miss.

A good reference book, not a recipe book, but a book full of wisdom and hints is an important thing for any newbie cook to posses. Aunt Daisy's book is excellent for the NZ conditions and the foods that most domestic cooks will make at some stage in their lifetime, before branching out to grander and more exotic fare.
elliehen, Jul 24, 6:11am
buzzy110, you're right, even one Harpy is too many for Recipes ;)
juliewn, Jul 24, 8:05am
Good for you Gayle. . you'll probably remember many things you learnt - just by being near her - from your Mum, as you make your pickles and other goodies. . those wonderful things that get learnt just by seeing Mum's, Dad's and Grandparents do the things they enjoy doing for their Families. .

Thanks for your lovely comment Fifie :-). . I sure agree with you about seeing those shelves and cupboards stocked with your own hand-made goodies. . and it doesn't matter how many years of making them pass, the feeling stays the same... every time. . :-)