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FOOD
PICKLED PERFECTION:
STRAIGHT FROM
YOUR BACKYARD
If you’ve found yourself wondering what you’re going to do with
your backyard fruit and vegetable bounty, consider turning them
into relishes and pickles that will last through the seasons. Peaches,
green tomatoes, okra, squash and beans can also be pickled for a
delicious addition to any meal or as a snack. Spiced apples, muscadines,
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JUNE 2017
ATLANTASENIORLIFE.COM
Kristen Sumpter
is the Family and Con
sumer Sciences Agent for
the University of Georgia
Cooperative Extension in
Fulton County. She provides
programming on food safety,
health and nutrition, finan
cial literacy and the home.
crabapples and corn, pepper and pears can all be
used to make relishes.
According to Dr. Elizabeth Andress, University
of Georgia Professor and Extension Food Safety
Specialist, one just needs to follow several simple
rules for tasty pickled products.
Ingredients are very important to the process of
pickling. First, make sure to use only good quality,
fresh fruits and vegetables. This is especially
important because if you do not start with good
ingredients, your product will not be as successful.
Fresh whole spices are important in some
recipes to give good flavor and prevent
darkening of the pickled product.
Salt is an integral part of many pickling
processes and flavor twists. Canning or pickling salt that does not
contain iodine or non-caking material is ideal.
Read every recipe carefully. There is a reason for each step, and
cutting corners may compromise the quality of the product or make
it unsafe to eat. Make sure that each recipe used is modern, up-to-
date and kitchen-tested, and that all pickled products to be stored
out of the refrigerator are processed in a boiling water canner for the
recommended length of time.
Stainless steel, glass or unchipped metal pans should be used when
heating pickling liquids. Aluminum can be used if the brine will only
be in it a short time. Some metals such as copper and brass can react
with acids or salts to create discoloration or undesirable compounds.
If you’ve never preserved or pickled products at home, you should
first read the “Principles of Home Canning” by the United States
Department of Agriculture, or call UGA Extension Fulton County at
404-332-2400.
Many tested, safe pickle recipes can be found in “So Easy to
Preserve”, a book available from UGA Extension. To find other UGA
tested recipes, visit nchfp.uga.edu/ or contact your local Extension
Office. Happy pickling!
PICKLED GREEN BEANS (makes about 4 pints)
• 2 pounds green beans
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 4 heads dill
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2Vi cups water
• 2Vi cups vinegar (3%)
• !4 cup canning or pickling salt
Sterilize canning jars. Rinse, trim ends and cut beans into
4-inch pieces. Pack beans, lengthwise, into hot jars, leaving
Vi-inch headspace. To each pint, add !4 teaspoon cayenne
pepper, 1 clove garlic and 1 dill head. Combine remaining
ingredients and bring to a boil. Pour boiling hot liquid over
beans, leaving Vi-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and
adjust headspace if needed. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids. Process 3
minutes in a boiling water canner. Let beans stand for at least
two weeks before tasting to allow the flavor to develop.
Note: If you’re preserving at an altitude higher than 1,000
feet above sea level, adjust the process time for pickled green
beans as follows: 1,001-6,000 feet = 10 minutes; 6,001-8,000 feet
= 15 minutes.
This recipe is from “So Easy to Preserve, 6th Edition”.
COURTESY OF UGA EXTENSION
FULTON COUNTY
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