No, this is not a summer time science experiment, it is a summer time tradition in my family.
Mustard pickles are quick and easy to make. They are intended to be made in a glass container or a pottery crock. AND, they are intended to be eaten quickly. With five minutes of preparation and three to four days before they are ready, who could ask for a more perfect pickle?
As kids growing up, summer was the season to preserve food to be eaten the rest of the year. Mom always made an array of pickles but these were the only ones that were eaten as soon as they were ready. The smell of apple cider vinegar and pungent spices like dill, mustard, garlic, and allspice filled her small kitchen and seemed to stay for days. In the basement, shelves were filled with jar after jar of preserved vegetables, fruit and pickles.
As soon as the cucumbers began to produce, mustard pickles were made. They were packed in a stoneware crock with a plate and a rock on top. That was to make certain every cucumber was submerged. I remember using a variety of excuses to go to the basement as soon as one of the brothers reported the mustard pickles were ready. Carefully,I would reach into the crock and fish out a pickle that would emerge covered with a gray green coating of mustard. Few things tasted better than a mustard pickle sneaked from a crock. As a kid, there was also this thrill of seeking food without asking. While Mom never really let on that she knew, it is now apparent with six kids all swiping pickles, I'm sure she noticed the reduced quantity.
Try these pickles! The longer they stay in the brine, the stronger they get. So, when they reach your desired flavor remove the pickles and store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. You can reuse the brine by simply boiling for three or four minutes.
Wash 12 to 18 small cucumbers
Mix:
1/4 cup salt (kosher is the best)
1/2 quart apple cider vinegar
1/2 quart water
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup dry mustard
Optional: Lots of garlic and/or 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
Stir until everything is dissolved.
Pour over the cucumbers. Cover and store in a dark at room temperature. Once a day for three or four days, stir the pickles. You can taste a little each day if you would like to monitor the flavor development. After three or four days,move the the refrigerator to slow the process. (Make certain the pickles are tightly covered in the refrigerator or everything from butter to cheese will begin to taste like vinegar.)
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