SHLOMO'S KOSHER SOUR PICKLES/TOMATOES BY SY

Shlomo's Kosher Sour Pickles/Tomatoes by Sy image

There is nothing quite like a "Mouth Watering" Kosher New York City Sour Pickle or Sour Tomato from a wooden barrel. I remember as a teenager in "The Bronx" biking over to the local indoor but "open" food market, with many vendors providing produce. I would then go over to the "Pickle Man" and watch him put his hand into the wooden barrel and pull out a "Big One", for only 5 Cents!

Provided by SkipperSy

Time P14DT30m

Yield 13-20 Pickles

Number Of Ingredients 8

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 (optional)
3 tablespoons pickling spices, Remove cloves, allspice (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)

Steps:

KOSHER SOUR PICKLES RECIPE-.
Cut 1/16 inch off the blossom end. Discard any cucumbers that are bruised or damaged.
In a 3 1/2 quart glass jar add the Kirby Cucumbers standing them upright (Turning the jar on its side will help).
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.
Place a small item (A piece of plastic, wood, etc.) on top to keep the Kirby Cucumbers down and under the water/brine.
Close jar and turn upside down to mix all the ingredients --.
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.
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!
Note: For half sour pickles, let it pickle for about 1 week -- and then place in the refrigerator!
KOSHER SOUR TOMATOES RECIPE-.
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.
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).
Let stand 2-3 weeks depending on how fast the tomatoes cure in the brine. Then place in the refrigerator!
KOSHER SOUR TOMATOES RECIPE-.
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.
Take off the tomato stems and cut away the brown area and leave a small hole which will allow the brine to penetrate into the tomatoes. Or cut the tomatoes in half.
Let stand 2-3 weeks depending on how fast the tomatoes cure in the brine. Then place in the refrigerator!
NOTES, Sour Kosher Pickles:
These are brining sour pickles, so no vinegar is needed (optional). In making these pickles, it is important that you do not used mixed pickling spices, because the cinnamon, cloves, all spice and other sweetly aromatic spices in them will detract from the pickles' flavor. Also, it is important that you do not use iodized salt in the process, as that will leave a bitter aftertaste.
NOTES, Sour Tomatoes:.
If you can find green "Plum Tomatoes" you might want to try them as well! And using Vinegar is all right.