What should fermented pickles taste like?

[CherryBomb]

I'm trying to figure out what my pickles should taste like. I find the flavor mildly unpleasant, but I've never had fermented pickles, and I'm used to eating home canned kosher dills. How would you describe the flavor?

[PingPong'sMom]

Wondering the same thing. Mine came out a bit fizzy tasting... is that fermented or is that decomposition? I like the description, "mildy unpleasant." lol, that's kinda how I described it too!

[springmum]

I would love to know too...I just threw out my first batch They were fizzy, didn't smell great and didn't taste great.

My recipe was the NT one with mustard seeds & dill, I think I'm going to leave out the mustard seeds next time and see if that helps. I'm also not sure if I got the salt ratio right (I used extra salt instead of whey)

What did you guys put it in to let it ferment?

I had mine in the jar as per instructed, but I had a hard time keeping the cuc's under so I got worried I didn't do it right......learning, learning...

[CherryBomb]

Okay, we need someone who knows what they're doing to chime in and help us newbies out

I put in garlic, peppercorns, dill seed, and grape leaves. I had mine in a large crock with a weighted plate on them, I'm pretty sure they stayed covered.

I wasn't sure what to do when transferring them to the fridge, either. I used fresh brine (just salt and water). Is it normal for it to get cloudy? I know they continue to ferment, should I skim out the stringy cloudy bits?

[bobandjess99]

i buy mine from a WAP guy in town, and his are okay..ya, the liquid is cloudy, and he uses tons of onions, which i don't like, but for the most part, they taste like regular pickles that are extra-sour and vinegary. Not too unpleasant, to be honest, and I'm EXTREMELY picky, not at all an adventurous palate.

[PingPong'sMom]

The first time I made mine, I made one with whey and one w/out. However, I used waaaay too much salt in both and they both came out Too Salty. That said, the one w/out whey still tasted better.

I have a huge cuke sitting on my counter. I think I'll try a jar or two of no-whey, the right amount of salt per the NT cookbook, plus dill, fresh garlic and garlic chives (we love garlic in our house!)...

I don't know if it's the whey or not...

Hope someone else chimes in!

[kallyn]

I dunno, but I'm hoping for an experienced pickle maker too! We were getting cucumbers out the ears from our CSA so I put together a batch of pickles two days ago using the Wild Fermentation recipe - I think it was salt, garlic, fresh dill, and peppercorns. He said to use grape or oak leaves for tannins but I didn't have any so I put in two tea bags. We're going on vacation this weekend, and I'm scared what I'm going to come back to!

[Lizafava]

Bubbies pickles are fermented - if you can buy a jar of those, you can kindof tell what they are supposed to taste like. I've made and tasted (and thrown out) several different batches of fermented pickles, and the most important thing seems to be to only use small, whole pickling cucumbers. Otherwise they get slimy, stringy and "fizzy". I think cucumbers are the trickiest things to ferment and only eat bubbies now, lol. Bubbies are SO GOOD.

[CherryBomb]

Lizafava;15755944 Otherwise they get slimy, stringy and "fizzy". I think cucumbers are the trickiest things to ferment and only eat bubbies now, lol. Bubbies are SO GOOD.

Darn, sounds like mine aren't right, then I did use pickling cucumbers that I grew out in the garden, but most of them were oversized. Bah! Where do you get Bubbies? I should try some so I know what mine should taste like!