I am such a lazy canner, though I'm pretty sure it’s just my AuDHD at work. I love learning new things, but I have a lifelong habit of skipping instructions, taking shortcuts, and completely missing important details. 😣
A few years back, I repeatedly tried canning pickles using cucumbers I’d grown. Every single time I opened a jar for that first bite, I was met with total disappointment. Mush. ALWAYS MUSH!
A homesteading friend suggested Ball Pickle Crisp granules to firm things up, and I also learned that the cucumber variety makes or breaks your batch. So, on a recent trip to the farmer’s market, I went straight to the experts: the farmers. They recommended Excelsior cucumbers, so I grabbed a bunch.
Then, I learned another lesson the hard way: don’t wait two days to process fresh cucumbers! By the time I got around to them, some had already started softening. Because I refuse to eat soft pickles, I tossed the squishy ones aside, leaving me with just enough crisp cucumbers for a VERY small batch. (As you can see in the photo, they have way too much room to float around!)
Following Ball's Kosher Dill recipe, the water bath canning is officially done. Now, I just have to wait patiently to see if I finally cracked the code on crunch. Fingers crossed!
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