I tried 3 different recipes:
Front Left: (#1)
Front Right: (#2)
Front (#1), Back Lf (#3), Back Rt (#2)
What I used in the experiment: lemon cukes and odd ball green cukes from my garden and some nice little kirby picklers I received in my CSA. I don't have a pic of the kirbys unfortunately, but that's what I'm going to try to grow next summer, now that I know those are good for pickles.
So the verdict. They are all delicious, but to me there is a clear winner.
They were all super easy recipes.
The #1 and #2 recipes called for blanching the cucumbers after cutting for about 30 seconds. I think the idea is that this keeps the pickles crispy. Also, both of these recipes used a hot pickling brine. But even in doing this added task, they were super easy. Also, these two use apple cider vinegar, the other uses regular. They have the darker color that some pickles have. I wondered if this is from the heat, ACV, or maybe both. The ACV does give them a different flavor, but I liked it.
The #3 recipe was cold packed and required a bit of shaking every couple hours the first day.
I tasted them all on the 2nd day. All were so tastey. All were crisp. For flavor and ease, the #3 batch was the winner. I've already made a second batch. I add them to everything. I may experiment with the SmittenKitchen Recipe and try it with ACV for kicks, or a blend.....but I have to admit, I really like the white vinegar flavor.
If you make these or have a recipe you love, I'd love to hear about it.
PS: In the second batch I made, I added some thin cut carrot sticks because I was a little short on cucumbers. They turned out AMAZING.
Up Next:
Vegan Lasagne
eeeep!
