Near Pickle Catastrophe Neatly Averted
So, apart from the near asphyxiation from the boiling brine on the stove, today's adventure in pickling was going pretty well...up to the point where we loaded up the antique pressure cooker with our jars and realized there were no directions in the ancient instructional booklet for pickles. Easy head cheese recipe? Check. Instructions for use on wood and coal stoves? Check. Tips for canning meat? Oh, for sure. (Apparently, freshly slaughtered is best) Pickles, not so much. I went into a panic. Are you not supposed to pressure cook high acid foods? Dear God, will there be exploding jars and a merry hell? I call Mom in a panic, but there's no answer. There's no answer at my sister's. By this time, we realize it's a moot point, because the 40 year old beast is now leaking steam everywhere and dripping out the sides. I call my sister Lois, in a mad effort to track Mom down.
Me: I'm having a canning emergency. Where's Mom?
Lois: Oh, she's up at the Muhich's cabin. I might have the number around here. Hey- what do you want me to bring you from Atlanta?
Me: Okay, there's no chatting right now. There is number finding. My kitchen is full of hot jars that may explode, and there IS NO CHATTING.
Lois: Yeah, okay, bitch.
And of course, Mom saved the day. You can process pickles, they won't turn into mini grenades. And the rubber seal on the inside of the lid of the cooker just had to be pushed back into place. I was glad Old Dobbin didn't die on my watch.
And now we have 10 sealed jars of dilled brussel sprouts, one of green beans, and 4 of banana peppers. Woo! And whew. At least I wasn't trying to use it on a wood stove!
Me: I'm having a canning emergency. Where's Mom?
Lois: Oh, she's up at the Muhich's cabin. I might have the number around here. Hey- what do you want me to bring you from Atlanta?
Me: Okay, there's no chatting right now. There is number finding. My kitchen is full of hot jars that may explode, and there IS NO CHATTING.
Lois: Yeah, okay, bitch.
And of course, Mom saved the day. You can process pickles, they won't turn into mini grenades. And the rubber seal on the inside of the lid of the cooker just had to be pushed back into place. I was glad Old Dobbin didn't die on my watch.
And now we have 10 sealed jars of dilled brussel sprouts, one of green beans, and 4 of banana peppers. Woo! And whew. At least I wasn't trying to use it on a wood stove!