response 87 of 91:

Oct 18 03:11 UTC 1999

I have never found a recipe for salt-brined (without vinegar) pickles in any
cookbook, but my grandfather made them by putting small cukes in boiled salty
water and refrigerating after three days for half-sour pickles.  How did you
make yours?  Sauerkraut took about a week to ferment and you have to keep the
stuff under water or it gets moldy.  Vinegar is faster and easier, if less
tasty.

response 89 of 91:

Oct 30 10:57 UTC 1999

Here's one recipe, for a small quantity of Kosher Dills:

2 dill flowers
2 garlic cloves, peeled and halved lengthwise
1 small, dried hot chili pepper
1 1/4 lbs (8-10) pickling cucumbers
6 long sprigs fresh dill
1 TBS coarse kosher salt

Put a dill flower, 2 half cloves of garlic,, and the dried chili
pepper on the bottom of a sterilized 1-quart Mason jar.  Add the
cucumbers upright, leaving a small hole in the center.  Fill the
hole with the sprigs of dill.  If using shorter cucumbers (3-4
inches long) add a few more on top to fill the jar to the shoulder.
Add the remaining dill flower and half cloves of garlic.  Top
with the salt.

Fill the jar with cold water to within 1/8 inch of the top.  Place
a sterilized seal firmly on top, and screw on the ring.  Shake the
jar a few times to dissolve the salt.  

Place the jar upside down on a counter, out of direct sunlight
and away from heat.  Leave the jar for 4 to 5 days, alternately
flipping it right side up one day and upside down the next,
until the liquid inside becomes murky.  Let sit right side up
for 2 more days, then refrigerate.

The pickles should be ready to eat as soon as chilled, with
a refrigerator shelf life of about 6 months.  However, if you
don't like hot pickles, remove the chili pepper after 1 month.

Yield = 1 quart

NOTE:  for half sours, refrigerate after the first 4 or 5 days;
do not let them sit for the additional 2 days.  

Additional NOTE:  If you can't get dill flowers (hard to find
out of season), I would use some dill seed instead.

---------------------------

I have made this recipe, and it works just fine.  I have also made
a salt-brined dill crock in a 3-gallon pickling crock, and that
was fabulous.  I cobbled together that recipe from a couple of
different sources (I have about 10 books on preserving and pickling
at this point -- I find it a fascinating topic).  I will try to 
find my notes about this...

The recipe above comes from a cool book called "Home Made in the
Kitchen," authors Bluestein and Morrissey.  They also have recipes
for sausages, dairy products, candy, bread, etc...

response 91 of 91:

Oct 31 07:50 UTC 1999

I wouldn't sterilize the water.  You want the good bacteria to
show up and ferment your veggies.  Kind of like making a 
sourdough.

there are loads of different recipes for fermented pickles.  
Many of them will be successful.