[JULY 28, 2000]  Immature cucumbers make the best pickles. Use them as soon as possible after picking. If you cannot begin the pickles within an hour or two, store them in the refrigerator without washing them first. Do not use cucumbers that have been picked more than 24 hours. Cucumbers that wait too long may make pickles that are hollow, shriveled or tough.

• Use vinegar that is five to six percent acidity (50 to 60 grain). White distilled vinegar gives pickles the best color and should always be used with light-colored vegetables and fruits. Cider vinegar may darken pickles, but has good flavor and aroma.
• Under no circumstances should the amount of vinegar be decreased or diluted to compensate for using less sugar. Do not use homemade vinegar. Vinegar provides a certain level of acidity that is essential for safe pickling.
• After washing cucumber, trim 1/16-inch from blossom end. The blossom sometimes contains enzymes which cause excess softening in the pickles.
• Either white or brown granulated sugar can be used. Use fresh, whole spices in a cheesecloth bag. Powdered spices cause darkening and clouding.
• Reduced-sodium salts may be used in some quick pickle recipes developed by the United States Department of Agriculture. The pickles, however, have a slightly different taste than expected. Caution: Use of reduced-sodium salt in fermented pickle recipes is not recommended.

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• Canning or pickling salt should be used. These salts contain no iodine or anti-caking ingredients that cause brine cloudiness. Don’t use "sour salt," as it doesn’t have the same inhibitory effect on microbes.
• Salt is required to prevent growth of spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms in brined, fermented pickle products. Do not try to make sauerkraut or fermented pickles by cutting down the salt. Salt also draws water out of the cells, making the pickled product more firm. Too much salt will cause shriveling.
• If good quality ingredients are used in pickle making and up-to-date methods are followed, ingredients for coloring or crispness are unnecessary. Neither alum nor grape leaves are needed to make pickles crisp. These products are not recommended, as they may result in a product with a pH which is unsafe. Lime improves pickle firmness. Food-grade lime may be used as a lime-water solution for soaking fresh cucumbers 12 to 24 hours before pickling them. Excess lime absorbed by the cucumbers must be removed to make safe pickles.

[Logan County Extension Service]

Yield: about four to five pints from four pounds of three- to four-inch pickling cucumbers

1 quart distilled white vinegar (five percent)

1 tablespoon canning or pickling salt

1 tablespoon mustard seed

1/2 cup sugar

1 2/3 cups distilled white vinegar (five percent)

3 cups sugar

1 tablespoon whole allspice

2 1/4 teaspoons celery seed

Wash cucumbers. Cut off and discard 1/8-inch of the blossom end. Cut cucumbers into ¼-inch slices.

Combine all ingredients for canning syrup in a saucepan and bring to boiling. Keep syrup hot until used.

In a large kettle, mix the ingredients for the bring solution. Add the cut cucumbers, cover and simmer until the cucumbers change from a bright to a dull green color (about five to seven minutes).

Drain the cucumber slices, fill jars and cover with hot canning syrup, leaving half an inch of head space. Adjust lids and process for 10 minutes in boiling water bath. Begin counting processing time when the water returns to a full rolling boil.

After processing, allow to cool; then remove ring bands, check seals, wash outsides of jars, label and store in cool, dry area.

[Logan County Extension Service]

[Source: USDA Agriculture Information Bulletin No. 519, "Complete Guide to Home Canning"]

Freezing sweet corn

[JULY 27, 2000]  Sweet corn should be frozen within two to six hours after harvest for best quality. One bushel of ears weighs 35 pounds. An average of 2½ pounds makes one pint of frozen whole kernel corn.

• Harvest and prepare corn rapidly for freezing to avoid changes.

• Husk, remove silk, and pare or trim away any damaged portions. Trim off fibrous or undeveloped ends.

• Blanch. Most vegetables to be frozen should be blanched, because the enzyme activity is high (high pH and low sugar content) and sugar syrups (which inhibit enzymes) are not used. 

1. Cleans off surface dirt and organisms.

2. Brightens the color.

3. Reduces enzyme activity which causes color and flavor changes.

4. Removes air and softens texture so vegetables are easier to pack into containers.

Blanching procedure:

1. Bring one gallon of water to a boil.

2. Blanch in water or in live steam. Immerse ears in a basket for –

1. Three minutes for whole kernel corn. Cook and cut kernels from cob at three-fourths of their depth (do not scrape cob).

2. Corn-on-the-cob
   Small ears (4-6-inches long) – seven minutes
   Medium ears (6-8-inches long) – nine minutes
   Large ears (8-12-inches long) – 11 minutes

3. Core the cob: Drill a pencil-wide hole lengthwise through the ear of corn. This will reduce the blanching time by destroying the enzymes in the center of the cob very rapidly. Blanch drilled cobs for four to five minutes.

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• Pack (dry packed with no liquid). Pack loosely to facilitate rapid freezing in containers no more than ½ gallon or not deeper than three inches. Pack corn into rigid plastic freezer containers, leaving one inch of head space; or pack into flexible containers, squeeze out air, seal and freeze. Package corn in amounts which you can use in one meal.

• Individually quick-freezing

1. Blanch, chill and drain cobs.

2. Cut kernels from cobs.

3. Spread on tray with no piece touching another.

4. Place tray in "rapid freeze" section of freezer and freeze for one to two hours.

5. Package and label.

• Freeze no more than two pounds per cubic foot of freezer capacity in a 24-hour period. This enables the freezer to freeze the food rapidly enough that food-borne illness microorganisms will not have time to grow and food spoilage will not occur.

• Thaw in the refrigerator or cook from the frozen state.

[Logan County Extension Service]

(Click here for corn recipes.)

Have more of 'em than you can eat right now?

Directions for canning beans

[JULY 26, 2000]  To prepare green beans – snap, wax or Italian – select tender, crisp pods. Remove and discard diseased and rusty pods. Wash beans and trim ends. Break or cut into one-inch pieces or leave whole.

Hot pack

Cover beans with boiling water; boil five minutes. Pack hot beans into hot jars, leaving one inch headspace. Add ½ teaspoon salt to pints, 1 teaspoon to quarts, if desired. Fill jar to one inch from top with boiling hot cooking liquid. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids and process as directed below.

Raw pack

Pack beans tightly into hot jars, leaving one inch headspace. Add ½ teaspoon salt to pints, 1 teaspoon to quarts, if desired. Fill jar to one inch from top with boiling water. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids and process.

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Processing 

Process in a dial gauge pressure canner at 11 pounds pressure or in a weighted gauge pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure. Process pints for 20 minutes, quarts for 25 minutes.

Other beans

To prepare other kinds of beans – lima, butter, pintos or soy – select young, tender, well-filled pods with green seeds (beans). Discard insect- and disease-damaged beans. Shell and wash beans thoroughly.

[Logan County Extension Service]

Corn recipes

1 medium onion

2 tablespoons butter

2 potatoes (chopped)

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 package frozen corn

1 cup chopped ham

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 cup water

1 cup milk

Sauté onion in butter till tender. Add potatoes and water; bring to a boil, simmer 15 minutes. Stir milk and flour in a separate bowl. Add corn, milk mixture, ham, salt and pepper to potatoes. Bring to a full boil. Simmer 15 minutes.

1 can whole kernel corn

1 can cream style corn

1 box corn muffin mix (dry)

3/4 cup oil

4 eggs

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Mix all and bake one hour in a greased 9-by-13 pan at 350 degrees.

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1 2/3 cups dried bow tie pasta

12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut in strips

1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with garlic and onion

1 can (15.25 ounces) whole kernel gold and white corn, drained

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel and 1 teaspoon lemon juice

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain.
2. Meanwhile, lightly coat large skillet with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Cook chicken over medium-high heat 3 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.
4. Add undrained tomatoes, corn, lemon peel, lemon juice and 1/4 tsp. coarsely ground pepper; heat through. Add pasta and toss.
5. Enjoy.

3 packages (16 ounces each) frozen corn

11 ounces cream cheese (cubed)

1/4 cup butter or margarine (cubed)

3 tablespoons water

3 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons sugar

6 slices process American cheese (cut into small pieces)

Combine all ingredients in a crockpot. Mix well. Cover and cook on low for four hours or until heated through and the cheese is melted. Stir well before serving. Yield: 12 servings

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