I Can Can!  Now What?

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Despite my recent success in canning, I realize that I am not content.  I know how to can, but I don’t know how it’s going to taste.  I’ve grasped the specific techniques of canning, so the food will not (or, at least, should not) spoil, but how will it taste months from now?  Will I open a jar of pickled onions in December and smile – or grimace?

At this point, I’ve come to the conclusion that there isn’t much to be done.  First, I suspect that I am overreacting, and that everything I’ve canned will be “good” if not “fantastic.”  Second, this is the first time I’ve attempted to comprehensively preserve food for the winter, so I should allow some room for improvement.  Thus, with the intention of noting (on this blog, no less), the results and with an eye to improving things next year,  I look at this as “Canning: Phase One,” mastering technique.  Next year, it will be “Canning: Phase Two,” enhancing flavor. 

Having said that, I am not entirely content to simply “preserve.” As we’ve canned, we’ve tried to appropriately flavor the fruits and vegetables, but that wasn’t the main focus.  With the following recipe, however, we were much more conscious of that.  I suppose this makes sense: as you grasp the basics of technique, you turn your attention to the more subtle – and difficult – task of taste.
 
For these pickles, we made some changes to the original, and the results are as follows.

Canned Pickles

6 pint jars, rings, and lids
6 medium cucumbers
1 bunch of dill, separated into individual fronds
4 cloves garlic, sliced into slivers
5 cups water
2 1/2 cups white vinegar
2 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
dried chilies (optional)

1.  Cut the cucumbers into spears.  Be sure to cut them short enough to fit into the jars.  (Once I trimmed the ends, I found that cutting the cucumbers in half, crosswise, created the appropriate length.)
Fill a large bowl with cold water and 2 teaspoons salt, stir to dissolve the salt, and add the cucumbers.  Allow to sit for at least one hour.
2.  In large stock pot or canning pot (We used a stockpot with the pasta insert), cover the jars, lids, and rings in cold water and slowly bring to a boil.  Remove from the heat. 
3.  Meanwhile, bring the water, 2 tablespoons of salt, peppercorns, cumin seeds, and mustard seeds in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil and remove from the heat.
4.  First, drain the cucumbers. Then, set up your workspace: have the pot of sterilized jars, brine, tongs, funnel, dill fronds, cucumbers easily accessible.  (We tend to clear the kitchen table and have everything set up right there, laying out newspaper on which we pack the hot, sterilized jars.) 
5.  Layer in the cucumbers, dill, garlic, and chilies (if desired) in each of the pint jars.  Using the funnel, add the brine until within one half-inch of the top.  Cover each jar with a sterilized lid, place the ring over the lid, tighten it, and then loosen it one quarter-turn.  Place the jars back into the stock pot or canning pot and slowly bring the pot to a simmer for ten minutes. 
6.  Remove the jars from the water bath and allow to cool.  Within an hour, you should hear the jars “pop” as they cool and seal.  Once cooled, check the seal by removing the ring and lifting the jar a few inches by the lid.  If the lid remains in place, the jar is sealed.