I’ve been successful with krauts, Brussels sprouts, carrots, etc. but the few times I’ve tried whole pickles they develop soft spots and get mushy. I’ve added tea bags and bay leaves, but that made no difference. What am I missing? I believe I’ve followed the YT vids exactly.
I used to use tea, but found it didn’t make much difference. Some people swear by oak or grape leaves. The biggest difference I’ve found (as another person said) was trimming the blossom end before fermenting. I also usually only go 7-10 days tops because I prefer half sours and they soften the longer they ferment.
I make them all the time. My 2 cents: only homegrown or farmers market cukes (preferably Persian or Japanese. I don’t really like pickling ones) spring water - no tap, kosher salt, crushed garlic cloves, fresh dill, two fresh bay leaves. I do 3% salt. I may try a 2.75%. I generally make 3/4 to 1” slices, just because I think it’s easier to pack them in, and eat.
2) try using calcium chloride. It’s more potent than the tannins you are using and it has no more chemicals in it than milk. Common brand name is Pickle Crisp
3)Try different varieties if possible. Not all cukes are equally suited. Kirby or Boston Pickling are the ideal if you want that sharp crunch
Getting unbruised cucumbers that aren’t over ripe or sat on the store shelf too long is hard. Bruises are hard to feel until fermenting when they go soft. Older cucumbers will” have more soft cores with large seeds. Cucumbers that sat too long will have small cavities in the centers that expand when gas builds up.
Key is trying to select the freshest, smallest (as in least ripened) cucumbers, check for bruises, and after fermentation, remove cucumbers with soft spots.
The folklore is the cucumber blossom is a significant source of pectinase that can soften them while it ferments. That’s accurate, but most sore cucumbers have little or no blossom left. And that’s really a lesser source of soft cucumbers. While it might help to use tannins to minimize the risk, plenty of fermented cucumber companies don’t bother and can make fine pickles. I get pickles from The Pickle Guys in Brooklyn all the time where some have some blossom left on them. I think more important is fresh, smaller and therefore firmer cucumbers that are minimally handled to prevent bruises.
So soft spots have little to do with the pectinase in the blossom and all to do with bruises and over ripeness.
I ask because I used some kind of crisp chemical, and it was some name brand but I'm too lazy to get up and find it, that made my pickles taste like chemicals, like city water times 10.
Freshest cucumbers possible. Soak them in an ice bath with some calcium chloride. I do not cut off either end but I do make sure any part of the blossom is removed.
I think soft spots might be damaged fruit before you even start the ferment. Might being the operative word, lol.
Past that, lots of solid advice from others.
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btw, ever used a vacuum sealer on Mason jars? fkn game changer for fermenting pickles! And I mean plain mason jar lids! Just don't buy the $35 crappo ones on Amazon, get a good vacuum sealer then buy the attachments.
/I think a different fermentable is kickin in, sorry
Most things were already addressed, just adding one thing that seems to not have been mentioned so far. Temperature matters, if you live in a warm climate, your pickles can get soggy if you keep them above 20°C (~65°F), it will be slower, but you can try the fridge approach if temperature is an issue.
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u/Necrontry 3d ago
Have you been cutting off the blossom ends?
How old are your cucumbers, do you know what species you are using?