I wish I had a big bowl of Polish Salad

[The Polack MSgt]

Hell, I wish I had some of the fermented cucumber (NO VINEGAR) polish pickles needed to make this.

http://www.polskafoods.com/polish-recipes/potato-salad-recipe

[dhol82]

1. Interesting

Never really thought about how pickles becomes pickled.
Will now look at jars and do tastings.

[The Polack MSgt]

2. Pickling with vinegar is quick and consistant

So most commercial pickles and sauerkraut do it that way.

But you could also make a brine with just salt water and spice and just wet the cucumbers or cabbage then leave alone in the dark - they will ferment and sour naturally.


Same concept as Kimchee - except cabbage kimchee doesn't need added water - I like it when it ferments to the point that it's translucent. SO SOUR and peppery

[dhol82]

4. In terms of kimchee:

I am not prepared to bury my eathenware pot in the backyard for six months.



Other than that, I might try to make my own pickles or sauerkraut.
It’s sad that I live in NYC and there are people ready and willing to make all this stuff.
They just make it too easy.

[dhol82]

5. And, just as a point of reference, my mother made her own sauerkraut on occasion.

It was always surprising since she was the worlds worst cook.

[The Polack MSgt]

6. I'm jealous

I can get home made kimchee all day everyday but natural pickles or sauerkraut aren't easy to find in St Louis

[dhol82]

8. There is a place in NY that sells fresh sauerkraut.

I can also find it at the Amish farm stand.
I still wash it down to get rid of most of the salt and then sauté it down with onions and garlic.
Soooooooo good!
On occasion, i have made holiday goose with that sauerkraut stuffing. Heaven! Sauerkraut with goose fat.

[The Polack MSgt]

10. My wife makes a fantastic appetizer with Kraut

In an almost oil less iron frypan, fry lightly salted chicken skin strips until crisp crisp crisp, remove and let stand on paper towels

Drain the majority (but not all) chicken fat

Rinse some sauerkraut and pat dry, fry in rendered fat until cabbage is slightly translucent

Season cabbage with Togarashi (Japanese red pepper powder this available in most big supermarket's Asian section. There are 2 types Ichimii Togarashi - which is just the red pepper and Shichimii Togarashi which translates as 7 spice seasoning. Either works fine. Japanese red chilis are not very hot and have a very specific flavor - I would not substitute other pepper powder here.)

remove from heat and allow to cool

Mix chicken skin and cabbage and serve at room temp


SO DAMN DELICIOUS

[geardaddy]

14. I make my own fermented pickles.

They're easy to do. Just put them in brine (make sure they're super clean) with all the fixings you like (garlic, peppercorns, dill, mustard seed). Add a handful of some fresh grape leaves (this keeps the cukes crunchier) and put the top on the jar with a brewing valve and let it sit for a week.

After a week the brine should be a little cloudy and the cukes will lose their very green color. Put them in the fridge and they'll keep for a couple of months.

[The Polack MSgt]

16. Thank you Geardaddy

how is the smell?

My wife sometimes does Japanese pickles - which is a dry process oddly enough - and that bowl needs to stay in the garage...

[geardaddy]

18. It doesn't smell at all

at least not to my nose. If you keep them between 60 and 70 degrees, they'll ferment in a week.

[dem in texas]

20. Grape Leaves

I have read recipes in old cookbooks calling for grape leaves when making pickles., didn't know why. You have solved the mystery!

[geardaddy]

22. Glad to help!

I've also seen horseradish leaves, cherry tree leaves, and oak leaves. Those were all new to me!

[dem in texas]

13. My mother-in-Law used to make sauerkraut

She made it from cabbages she grew in her garden. I don't remember all the steps, I know she'd put the shredded cabbage layered with salt in a big stoneware crock and weighted down. Once it was done, she'd put it in quart size glass jars. I know there other steps involved. I wish I had asked her many more questions about her gardening and food preparation.

[Hortensis]

21. I like to pickle a jar of Chinese mustard greens, or whatever

might catch my eye, in plain salt brine. Love the flavor, and the ease.

Dissolve salt until a raw egg floats -- at least that's what a neighbor taught me. I use about 1/4 cup per quart jar. Then add prepped veggies, set aside several days to do its work until the water turns a yellowish color, and then into the fridge. It'll last several months, nothing here in my part of Georgia can live in salt brine, so more well cleaned veggies can just be added if desired.

[procon]

3. Looks yummy!

Tell me about those pickles, is it something you make yourself or is there a brand name?

[The Polack MSgt]

7. I wish I had a national brand to recommend

In the Pittsburgh area there were several Delis that made pickles and plenty of east European grandmas that canned their own.


Out here in the prairie I'm at a loss

[procon]

9. It would probably be even harder to find out on the west coast.

I don't want to make pickles so what would be a good substitute? A sour pickle, dills?

[The Polack MSgt]

11. I would try a good quality "Polish" dill

They would at least have the right spices and the right amount of garlic

[procon]

12. That makes sense, I'm going to give it a try, thanks! nt

[Grasswire2]

23. The "Bubies" brand is a fermented pickle. You'll find it in the refrigerated section.

You might even be able to find the fermented dilled green tomatoes. Delicious.

Incidentally, Trader Joe's makes a fermented sauerkraut with sliced persian cucumbers. It's delicious. In the fresh chilled case.

[geardaddy]

15. Here's a good recipe for fermented pickles.

https://www.culturesforhealth.com/learn/recipe/lacto-fermentation-recipes/lacto-fermented-kosher-dill-pickles/

[The Polack MSgt]

17. This seems easy, I shied away from trying

to make pickles - I figured it would be a pain in the neck.

now I just have to find an old Polish, Ukrainian or Latvian grandma to tell me what spices go into the brine...

Or just google it I guess:
https://polishhousewife.com/ogorki-kiszone-polish-pickles/

[geardaddy]

19. Yum. That looks like a good recipe.

Our garden is producing massive amounts of cukes, but I haven't had time to ferment any pickles yet this season. I think I'll try your recipe. I love the idea of horseradish in the pickles.