Shlomo's Kosher Sour Pickles/tomatoes By Sy

Total Time: 336 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 336 hrs

Ingredients

• 13 -20 kirby cucumbers, wash and scrub to remove dirt (no waxed cucumbers, about 3 lbs)
• 1/2 cup kosher salt or 1/2 cup coarse salt
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 3 tablespoons pickling spices, remove cloves (use spice bouquet 'pickling spices' if available)
• 6 -8 garlic cloves, skin removed and crushed
• 2 teaspoons dill seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
• 1/8 teaspoon alum (optional)

Recipe

• 1 kosher sour pickles recipe-.
• 2 cut 1/16 inch off the blossom end. discard any cucumbers that are bruised or damaged.
• 3 in a 3 1/2 quart glass jar add the kirby cucumbers standing them upright (turning the jar on its side will help).
• 4 put all the spices into a large bowl (alum optional), add some water and mix. then pour this mixture into the jar, top off with water. adding a piece of rye bread is also optional.
• 5 place a small item (a piece of plastic, wood, etc.) on top to keep the kirby cucumbers down and under the water/brine.
• 6 close jar and turn upside down to mix all the ingredients --.
• 7 next open jar, put "plastic wrap" on the top (use a rubber band to keep in place); then using a kitchen knife punch many holes in the "plastic wrap" in order to let some of the brine gases out.
• 8 let the kirby cucumbers stand 2-3 weeks (in a "cool" location) depending on how fast they cure in the brine; from time-to-time you can remove any scum on the top, add a little salted water to top off -- and shake the mixture. then place in the refrigerator!
• 9 note: for half sour pickles, let it pickle for about 1 week -- and then place in the refrigerator!
• 10 kosher sour tomatoes recipe-.
• 11 use the same recipe as outlined above for "kosher sour pickles". however, use about 10-12 green tomatoes (about 3 lbs) in place of the kirby cucumbers. also, sour tomatoes need a little more salt then kirby pickles -- so add to taste.
• 12 take off the tomato stems. as an option cut away the brown area and leave a small hole which will allow the brine to penetrate into the tomatoes (you can also cut the tomatoes in half).
• 13 let stand 2-3 weeks depending on how fast the tomatoes cure in the brine. then place in the refrigerator!
• 14 note: if you can find green "plum tomatoes" you might want to try them as well!