My big switch from pickle crisp to just salt and time

I used to toss a tablespoon of pickle crisp into every batch of fermented dills without thinking about it. Then about 2 years ago I forgot to buy more and just used straight canning salt and filtered water for a 3-gallon crock. Those cucumbers came out way crunchier than any batch I made with the calcium chloride stuff. Now I never bother with additives, I just keep my salt at 3.5% and let them sit for a full 4 weeks in the basement. Anyone else ditch the extra chemicals or am I the only one who noticed a difference?

2 comments

2 Comments

gray_smith671d ago

...and the temp in your basement stay consistent through those 4 weeks? My setup fluctuates a bit with the seasons and I figure that's gotta affect how the crunch develops, not just the salt level.

nancy9291d ago

Yeah, the temp thing is real... I don't have a basement so I'm working with a corner of my garage and it swings like crazy when the seasons change. Last summer my batches were just not getting that good snap, took me a while to figure out it was the heat. Four weeks is such a long wait too when you're not sure if the temp is messing it up. I feel your pain on that for sure.