Can you can pickles without salt and sugar?

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AwesomeGuy37
AwesomeGuy37 Posts: 436 Member
in Recipes
I love dill pickles and want to know if anyone has experience making pickles without salt or sugar.
Is it safe? Any way to make them w/o canning?
I've never canned anything before and would like help. I prefer sour or classic dill, not kosher.

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  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    i think they're called cucumbers.
  • emartin17
    emartin17 Posts: 123 Member
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    You'll definitely want some salt. Try Ball's kosher mix. If you never canned before, I suggest trying something else before you try pickles. They are one of the hardest because they can become soggy or unflavorful. Sometimes you have to leave the jars for months before you can open them. Start with the Ball mix and go from there.
  • EverythingNicki
    EverythingNicki Posts: 36
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    http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09302.html

    A few low-sodium, high-vinegar, fresh-pack pickle recipes have been developed. Any fresh-pack pickle recipe that calls for as much or more vinegar than water and provides a finished product with at least 1/4 cup of 5 percent acid vinegar per pint jar of pickled products can be safely made without salt. If salt is omitted from fresh-pack dill pickles, try adding hot peppers, herbs and garlic instead. Dill pickles taste better if as little as 0.5 percent salt by weight of entire contents is added. This is the equivalent of 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon of salt per pint jar of pickles.
  • UpEarly
    UpEarly Posts: 2,555 Member
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    I've never tried them, but this says you can:
    http://www.delightedmomma.com/2011/09/how-to-make-homemade-no-salt-pickles.html
  • Jaulen
    Jaulen Posts: 468 Member
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    You can pickle without sugar.....like kosher and dill pickles. (bread and butter pickles are a type of pickles that have sugar)

    You cannot pickle without salt. (I make my own pickles and 'kraut in crocks/buckets then can in quart jars)

    You could make a 'mock' pickle.....soaking in vinegar (made with kholorabi or jicima is really good).....but there's still salt as part of the recipe. And this would have to be eaten in a couple of days and kept refridgerated. but if you want a kosher or dill...they aren't going to taste the same.
  • bcf7683
    bcf7683 Posts: 1,653 Member
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    i think they're called cucumbers.

    :laugh: Get out of my head.

    But seriously, my mom used to make cucumbers soaked in vinegar & dill seasoning.... Doesn't taste the same as a typical pickle, but they're still pretty good. You could also experiment with other spices- she made some with red pepper flakes before too- spicy but AWESOME. You could also add some chopped garlic for some extra flavor
  • April_KT
    April_KT Posts: 332 Member
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    i think they're called cucumbers.

    LOL!!:laugh:

    Any way you do it your going to have added salt/ sugar. But im sure there are ways to make lower sodium versions
  • April_KT
    April_KT Posts: 332 Member
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    I've never tried them, but this says you can:
    http://www.delightedmomma.com/2011/09/how-to-make-homemade-no-salt-pickles.html

    This tastes nothing like pickles although i do like cucumbers in vinegar
  • a_stronger_me13
    a_stronger_me13 Posts: 812 Member
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    Look up recipes for quick pickles or refrigerator pickles. I prefer these because I can make them up in small batches and not actually have to can them. They will store in a container in the fridge for a month or so. The main part of the pickling process is the vinegar, not the salt or sugar. You can do a lot of different seasonings, although salt will help achieve the dill pickle taste and sugar is going to achieve the sweet pickle taste.
  • Mygsds
    Mygsds Posts: 1,564 Member
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    My mom made these all the time

    3-4 cucumbers peeled and sliced thin
    1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
    1/2 cup water
    1/2 cup sugar
    1 tsp dill weed
    1 medium onion sliced thin
    Salt and pepper

    Peel cucumbers and soak in salt water for 1 hour. Drain and rinse well
    Mix other ingredients together and pour over drained cucumbers

    You can add garlic or hot pepper flakes or whatever you like..
    Keep in refrigerator for weeks
  • AwesomeGuy37
    AwesomeGuy37 Posts: 436 Member
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    I took the advice to do the refrigerator pickles. I got some pickle spice, dill seeds, apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, and some minced garlic. I added some crisp to the batch also. I heated half/half mix vinegar with a little water and poured it over some slices. I hope it turns out good. I will find out in a few days.

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