How to Can Fermented Pickles? Preserving Your Probiotic Harvest
Canning fermented pickles is a safe and effective way to extend their shelf life while maintaining flavor. Properly canned, these pickles can last for over a year, allowing you to enjoy your probiotic-rich harvest long after fermentation is complete.
Understanding Fermented Pickles and Canning
Fermented pickles are a delicious and healthful food created through a process called lacto-fermentation. This process relies on beneficial bacteria, naturally present on the surface of vegetables, to convert sugars into lactic acid. This lactic acid acts as a natural preservative, inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria and creating the tangy, characteristic flavor of fermented pickles. However, un-canned fermented pickles have a limited shelf life, typically lasting only a few months in the refrigerator. Canning provides a solution for long-term storage.
The Benefits of Canning Fermented Pickles
Canning offers several advantages for preserving your fermented pickles:
- Extended Shelf Life: Properly canned pickles can last for a year or more, allowing you to enjoy your hard work throughout the off-season.
- Convenience: Canned pickles are shelf-stable, freeing up valuable refrigerator space.
- Reduced Waste: Canning prevents spoilage and reduces food waste, ensuring that you can utilize your entire batch of fermented pickles.
- Flavor Preservation: While the texture might soften slightly, the flavor of your fermented pickles is largely preserved through the canning process.
The Canning Process: A Step-by-Step Guide
Canning fermented pickles requires careful attention to detail to ensure safety and prevent spoilage. It is crucial to follow established canning procedures. This guide outlines the steps involved:
Prepare Your Jars and Lids: Wash canning jars, lids, and bands in hot, soapy water. Rinse thoroughly. Sterilize the jars by boiling them in a large pot of water for 10 minutes. Keep the jars hot until ready to use. Sterilize the lids by simmering in hot (not boiling) water.
Prepare Your Pickles: Remove the fermented pickles from their fermentation brine. Rinse lightly if desired. Cut into desired sizes (slices, spears, or whole).
Prepare a Brine (Optional): While some people can the original fermentation brine, many prefer to make a fresh brine for canning. This helps ensure consistent acidity levels, which are critical for safety. A basic brine recipe is:
- 4 cups vinegar (5% acidity – white or cider vinegar)
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons pickling salt
- Optional spices (dill seed, garlic, peppercorns, mustard seed, etc.)
Bring the brine to a boil.
Pack the Jars: Pack the hot, sterilized jars with the pickles, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace (the space between the top of the pickles and the top of the jar).
Add the Brine: Pour the hot brine over the pickles, maintaining 1/2 inch of headspace. Remove any air bubbles by running a non-metallic utensil along the inside of the jar.
Wipe the Jar Rims: Clean the jar rims with a clean, damp cloth to remove any food residue.
Apply Lids and Bands: Place the lids on the jars and screw on the bands until fingertip tight. Do not overtighten.
Process in a Boiling Water Bath Canner: Place the jars in a boiling water bath canner. The water should cover the jars by at least 1 inch. Bring the water to a rolling boil and process for the recommended time, which varies based on jar size and altitude (see table below).
Processing Times (Boiling Water Bath):
Jar Size Processing Time (0-1,000 ft Altitude) Processing Time (1,001-3,000 ft Altitude) Processing Time (3,001-6,000 ft Altitude) Pint 10 minutes 15 minutes 20 minutes Quart 15 minutes 20 minutes 25 minutes - Important: Increase processing time by 5 minutes for every 1,000 feet above sea level.
Cooling and Sealing: After processing, turn off the heat and let the jars sit in the canner for 5 minutes before removing them. This prevents siphoning. Carefully remove the jars and place them on a towel-lined surface to cool completely. Do not disturb the jars for 12-24 hours.
Check the Seals: After the jars have cooled completely, check the seals. The lids should be concave (curved inward). Press down on the center of the lid. If it doesn’t flex, it’s sealed. If it pops up and down, the jar did not seal properly.
Store Properly: Remove the bands from the sealed jars and store them in a cool, dark, and dry place.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Insufficient Acidity: Low acidity is the most common cause of botulism in home-canned foods. Always use a tested recipe that includes the correct ratio of vinegar to water and vegetables. Do not dilute the vinegar.
Inadequate Headspace: Insufficient headspace can prevent the jars from sealing properly. Ensure you leave the recommended amount of headspace.
Overtightening Bands: Overtightening the bands can prevent air from escaping during processing, which can also result in seal failure.
Insufficient Processing Time: Underprocessing can allow harmful bacteria to survive. Always follow the recommended processing times for your altitude and jar size.
Spices & Flavorings: Getting Creative with Pickles
Beyond basic brine, experiment with spices to create unique pickle flavors. Here are some common additions:
- Dill: Fresh or dried dill weed, dill seeds.
- Garlic: Whole cloves or chopped garlic.
- Peppercorns: Black, white, or mixed peppercorns.
- Mustard Seed: Yellow or brown mustard seed.
- Red Pepper Flakes: For a touch of heat.
- Bay Leaves: Add depth of flavor.
- Coriander Seeds: Adds a citrusy note.
- Other Vegetables: Garlic scapes, hot peppers, onion wedges
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I use my own fermentation brine for canning?
While some people do, it’s generally recommended to use a fresh brine made with vinegar and water for canning. This ensures consistent acidity levels, which are crucial for safety. The acidity of fermentation brine can vary, increasing the risk of spoilage and botulism.
What type of vinegar should I use?
Use white vinegar or cider vinegar with a 5% acidity level. The acidity level is usually printed on the bottle. Do not use homemade vinegar unless you can accurately measure its acidity.
Can I use a pressure canner instead of a boiling water bath canner?
While it might seem like pressure canning is “safer,” it can overcook the pickles and result in a mushy texture. Boiling water bath canning is generally preferred for pickles.
How do I know if a jar is sealed properly?
A properly sealed jar will have a concave lid (curved inward). When you press down on the center of the lid, it should not flex. If the lid pops up and down, the jar is not sealed and needs to be reprocessed with a new lid or stored in the refrigerator.
What happens if a jar doesn’t seal?
If a jar doesn’t seal, you have a few options. You can reprocess it with a new lid within 24 hours, or you can store the pickles in the refrigerator and consume them within a few weeks.
How long do canned fermented pickles last?
Properly canned fermented pickles can last for at least one year in a cool, dark, and dry place. While they may still be safe to eat after a year, the quality and flavor may start to decline.
Can I can other fermented vegetables using this method?
Yes, the principles are the same, but you should always consult tested recipes from reputable sources like the National Center for Home Food Preservation to ensure proper acidity and processing times for different vegetables.
My pickles are softer after canning. Why?
The heat from the canning process can soften the texture of the pickles. This is normal. To help maintain some crispness, you can add a calcium chloride product like Pickle Crisp to the jars before canning.
Can I add sugar to the brine?
Yes, you can add sugar to the brine to balance the tartness of the vinegar. However, be sure to use a tested recipe that specifies the amount of sugar to add, as too much sugar can affect the acidity of the brine. Don’t add sugar indiscriminately.
Do I need to use pickling salt?
Pickling salt (also known as canning salt) is pure sodium chloride, without any additives like iodine or anti-caking agents. Table salt can cause the brine to become cloudy and may affect the color of the pickles. It’s recommended to use pickling salt.
What if my pickles float in the jar after canning?
Some shrinkage of the pickles is normal during canning, and they might appear to “float” a bit. As long as the jars are sealed properly, the pickles are safe to eat.
Can I reuse canning lids?
No, you should not reuse canning lids. The sealing compound on the lids is only designed for one use. The bands, however, can be reused as long as they are not rusty or damaged. Always use new lids when canning.