I have lousy luck with brine pickles. I just can't seem to follow along.

Anyway, this last time I stuffed a half gallon mason jar, layered dill, garlic and peppercorns in there, poured the brine over the top. Then I had to find a way to hold down the stuff being pickled. hmmmmm. Tried a bunch of stuff and finally opted for one of those teeny tiny jam mason jars. What are those? Like a quarter pint? lol anyway, I put that in, bottom down but it wouldn't stay down. So, I screwed a lid on to hold the little jar down, which was holding the other stuff down. I think I basically sealed it because the liquid came to the very top of the half gallon jar, where the lid sits. I think I sealed all the air out. :eyes:

So I have no scum and I'm on like day 10. Have I screwed up yet another jar of pickled veggies?

Maybe I should find a mother and use Joy's dh's method of letting the mother seal the jar.

I find pickles frustrating.

I dunno...

This is my first year with "crock dills"...on some batches, I end up with scum every day that needs to be skimmed out. On others...nothing or really close to it.

I was really worried with my very first batch, because there was so little scum (that batch was in a gallon jar)...I don't think that batch would have been tasted if it wasn't for my SIL...she said that if the pickle tastes acidic, then it's good. If not...throw out the batch.

They were really acidic. It only took a couple of days before that batch was gone (even the 5 year old learned how to open the jar and get pickles for herself and her little brother). My second batch was in this kick-butt German crock that DH bought for me...10 days...no scum. Also good.

So now I'm crockin' like a mad woman...the gallon jar is full of cauliflower/carrots/garlic, one little crock is devoted solely to garlic this time around, and I have two crocks full of cukes.

I really hope they turn out good, 'cause I can't stay ahead of the demand otherwise!!!!

Maybe there's hope! I'm trying to imagine what acidic, and not, would taste like in a pickle. I do know my first batch just tasted like salt. They were horrible. Makes me salivate just thinking about how salty they were!

I'm trying to resist the urge to open them and taste.

Interesting...our batch last year was good but salty; I thought I just messed up multiplying the recipe or something.

I did mine in a 5 gal bucket, and it's not really stuffed - they had plenty of room to float around. Maybe that's your problem?

Why? You've made it past day 10...open 'em up and give 'em a try!

I use this recipe (http://www.goodbyecitylife.com/home/crock-pickles.htm) with 1/4 the vinegar (but then even cut that amount in half if I have brine from the last batch to add to the new batch. It's not enough to pickle them, but it does inhibit the scummies until the fermentation process kicks in full-gear); and I let them go for 10 days before chucking them in the fridge.