Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I thought i would start a new thread on Preserves and Pickling. I haven't made my first pickle yet but I am hoping to soon.

What I am totally stumped on...apart from looking for the greatest receipies, is do I need to buy a Fowler Vacola set to preserve chutneys and sauces??

If anyone would like to share some great pickles/jam/sauce/chutney receipies that would be great...

I am yet to make this Bread and Butter Pickle but it has been given to me by a good friend, and ment to be a real winner.

3 Large cucumbers sliced
3 level tablespoons of salt
4 onions skinned and sliced
600 mls ( 1 pint ) white vinegar
175g ( 6 oz ) sugar
5ml ( 1 tsp) celery seed
5ml ( 1 tsp ) mustard seed

This is a relish that goes well with bread and butter- hense the name.
Place the cucumbers, salt and onions in a large bowl, let them stand for 1 hour, pour off brine, rinse well then drain. Heat the vinegar, sugar, celery and mustard seeds and boil of 3 minutes after the sugar is dissolved. Pack the vegitables into sterlized warm jars, add enough hot vinegar mixture to cover top of vegies, leaving a clearing space to seal and place lids on staright away. Allow to cool, and vacume seal.

I've been making heaps of pickled cukes this year. change the amount of sugar and vinegar types each batch for slightly different pickles.

start with about a kg of fruit (thin sliced for bread and butter types, quartered for dill types), and 3 or 4 onions. brine o/n in 1/2 cup of salt with enough water to cover.

then pickle with

2 1/4 cups vinegar (normally about 1 1/2 white, 3/4 apple cider)
between 1 and 4 cups of sugar (white/brown or raw, depending on final flavour required)
mustard seeds, pepper corns, cloves, pimento, fennel seeds, celery seeds etc to flavour
tumeric if you want yellow for impact
fresh dill if you want more savoury dill pickles

boil the pickling mix. add the fruit and bring back to the boil
bottle immediately into hot, sterile bottles and cap immediately

easy as. done about 8 jars so far. not sure i'll need much more this year.