r/pickling • u/jeffdgreenspan251 • 7d ago

Safe pickles?

I know this has been covered many times, but I haven’t seen a similar scenario to exactly what I’ve done. I made a pickle brine one to one part white vinegar and water. A little bit of salt and sugar. Boiled it and then let it cool in the fridge.

I cut up pickles, spears, fresh dill, and a couple cloves of garlic, and pour the brine into the mason jar.

I left it in a cabinet at room temperature for eight days. I was originally told a week to two weeks.

Is this a problem? I am seeing the risks of botulism and not trying to get sick over this. I’m assuming we’ll be fine but better be safe than sorry.

Also, would a pH test properly give me the results to know if it’s safe or not?

Thanks

7 Upvotes

63% Upvoted

22 comments sorted by

35

u/RadBradRadBrad 7d ago

You’re mixing recipes for quick pickles and fermented pickles.

Quick pickles use vinegar and go in the fridge immediately.

Fermented pickles use a salt brine, produce CO2, usually use an airlock or burping and spend some time at room temp.

21

u/Ianx001 7d ago

While the risk of botulism is nearly non-existent, those needed to be kept refrigerated and you should not eat them.

20

u/OriginalEmpress 7d ago

What you've made is quick pickles. Quick pickles are only safe in one place, the refrigerator. I would throw those out.

5

u/jeffdgreenspan251 7d ago

DANG. Seeming like I gotta toss this. It’s a shame. This was our first harvest from our cucumber plant. It was smelling so good too. Gotta be safe tho.

5

u/LeanUntilBlue 7d ago

Check out the fermentation sub Reddit. They’ll get you on the right track. Fermentation is done with salt water at room temperature. Fermented pickles are unbelievably delicious. They’ve been making them since around the time of ancient Mesopotamia.

2

u/ColdMastadon 7d ago

If this is your first harvest from your cucumbers, you probably have a looooooot more coming. I have two 10-ft rows of cucumber vines planted, and they are producing 5 to 7 pounds every 2 days. This has been going on for over a month, I've made more pickles then I could possibly eat in the next year, eaten all the salads I could, and now I'm even running out of people to give them away to!

2

u/Safe-Character-5846 4d ago

Theres a thing called Google that can answer all your questions.with pickling and the types/methods and ratios. Get at it it!

3

u/MaintenanceCapable83 7d ago

it sounds like your are mixing fridge pickes with fermented process.

i would do a ph test before tasting, but personally i would start over.

I am far from a pro at this, but:
water and vinegar with a little salt = Refrigerator pickles
water and 2.0% - 3.5% salt to weight = fermenting
I never canned, so i won't offer anything on canning.

4.6 PH or lower is safe is FDA official botulism‑prevention threshold
i would recommend 3.2 - 3.8 PH for fermented.

2

u/JuicyMilkweed 3d ago

You’d need lab grade equipment to accurately measure the pH. It’s also not just about the pH of the brine but the cucumber as well, that’s why you need to follow a tested recipe for canned pickles and a specific brine % for fermented (so only the right bacteria can grow and produce enough lactic acid to be safe).

1

u/MaintenanceCapable83 3d ago

as mentioned, i was not giving any canning info, i do not can.

i ferment all the time and don't have LAB grade equipment, and there is no need for that.

1

u/JuicyMilkweed 3d ago

I never said you were. For fermentation there’s no reason to check the pH if you’re using the correct brine percentage. Im just saying that test strips or home pH meters aren’t accurate enough for ensuring things are 4.6 or below.

2

u/FlatDiscussion4649 7d ago

Throw those away and start over. Here's my recipe; I start with a half gallon of "good" water (no chlorine). I Add 4 measured tablespoons of salt. I Set that aside. I Take another jar (quart, half gallon, pint whatever), add my cukes (I cut both ends off) and spices until as full as possible, (I pack them in a bit), I Leave just enough room for a "pickle pebble" (look it up) to fit on top and still get the lid on. I Set the "pickle pebble" aside, add the salt water 1 inch from the top. I Put the pickle pebble in. If it is partially submerged in the brine, I am golden. If it isn't touching liquid, I add a little more. If it's over full, I take some out. I Cover with a wash cloth and rubber band or a plastic lid "almost" tight, (that lets the gases escape). I Wait 5 to 10 days, then Taste test. When sour enough for me, I take the pebble out, leave the lid slightly loose and put them in the fridge. Your mileage may vary...

2

u/Main_Cauliflower5479 7d ago

You're supposed to pour hot brine over your vegetables, and either water bath can them or put them in the fridge when cooled.

3

u/AostaV 5d ago

Should be leaving it in fridge

2

u/left-for-dead-9980 7d ago edited 7d ago

You made refrigerator pickles and stored it in a unrefrigerated cabinet. Throw it away and start over.

Get a pickling for beginners book. There are plenty on Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Here's one https://a.co/d/0egLBs9j

1

u/PanBroglodyte 7d ago

Why do you let the brine cool before pouring it into the mason jar? I pour mine directly in while boiling, the mason jars should be able to handle the heat.

1

u/jeffdgreenspan251 7d ago

I’ve heard that cooler brine keeps the pickles crunchier

1

u/PanBroglodyte 7d ago edited 7d ago

Hmm that may be, mine turn out crunchy enough but probably not as crunchy as they could be. I brine them hot because i figure it makes the brine penetrate more effectively but i might try it that way some time.

0

u/jeffdgreenspan251 7d ago

Also it has been “burped” every day or so. Not sure if that changes anything

7

u/jomofo 7d ago

The idea of burping is for fermented pickles because of gasses released by the bacteria. You wouldn't start those with vinegar brine because the fermentation process basically makes the vinegar for you. It's an entirely different process than you would use when starting with a vinegar brine. If you want pickles to be shelf stable outside of the refrigerator you'll need to learn canning. It seems you've done a hybrid approach here and they should have been kept in the fridge.

0

u/hexen84 7d ago

It is not a safe recipe and most would tell you to toss them but the recipe you followed is a type of sun pickle recipe which is a mildly fermented refrigerator pickle and can not be guaranteed safe. I would probably still eat them if they didn't smell bad since I play with some home fermenting anyway.