Old-fashioned Pickling Recipe from the 1890s

Old-fashioned Pickling Recipe

We are sharing an old-school recipe from the 1890s for pickling vegetables. You know how much we love preserving traditions, so let’s get started.

First, we’ll make the brine with vinegar, sugar, salt, and a blend of spices like mustard seed, allspice, cloves, and black peppercorns. Then, we’ll chop up our favorite veggies, like cucumbers, onions, and green tomatoes, and pack them into sterilized jars. Pour the brine over the veggies, remove any air bubbles, and seal the jars tight.

Now, here’s the most important part: let these babies pickle for at least 3 weeks before opening and serving. Trust us, the longer they sit, the more flavor they’ll develop. And don’t be afraid to experiment with different veggies and spice blends – that’s what makes pickling so fun!

experiment with different veggies and spice blends - that's what makes pickling so fun

So go ahead and give this 1890s recipe a try, and let me know in the comments how it turned out. Cheers, and happy pickling!

Here’s a recipe from the 1890s for pickling vegetables:

Ingredients:

  • 1 quart of vinegar
  • 1 cup of water
  • 1 cup of sugar
  • 1 tablespoon of salt
  • 1 tablespoon of mustard seed
  • 1 tablespoon of celery seed
  • 1 tablespoon of whole allspice
  • 1 tablespoon of whole cloves
  • 1 tablespoon of whole black peppercorns
  • Vegetables of your choice (such as cucumbers, onions, and green tomatoes)

Instructions:

  1. In a large pot, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, salt, mustard seed, celery seed, allspice, cloves, and black peppercorns. Bring the mixture to a boil and then let it simmer for 10 minutes.
  2. While the brine is simmering, prepare your vegetables. Cut them into small pieces or slices, depending on your preference.
  3. Pack the vegetables into clean, sterilized jars. Make sure to leave enough space at the top of the jars for the brine to cover the vegetables completely.
  4. Once the brine has simmered for 10 minutes, remove it from the heat and carefully pour it over the vegetables in the jars.
  5. Use a knife or chopstick to remove any air bubbles from the jars. Then, seal the jars tightly with lids.
  6. Place the jars in a cool, dark place to pickle for at least 3 weeks before opening and serving. The longer the pickles sit, the more flavorful they will become.

Note: This recipe is from the 1890s and may contain outdated or unsafe canning practices. For safe and modern canning practices, please consult a reliable source such as the National Center for Home Food Preservation.

Pickled Vegetables
 

Save And Share This Infographic: What Is The Shelf Life Of Your Food?

Wasted food

According to a survey by the Food Marketing Institute, such confusion leads nine out of 10 Americans to needlessly throw away food. The survey found 90 percent of Americans “at least occasionally throw food away prematurely because they mistakenly interpret the date label to mean their food is unsafe” — and 25 percent say they always discard food on or before that date.

Related: Long Term Food Storage

The researchers blame “a lack of binding federal standards, and the resultant state and local variability in date labeling rules” for the inconsistency in date-labeling practices.”

In 2012, one national study estimated that 40 percent of the country’s food supply goes uneaten. The cost of that wasted food is about $165 billion, including $900 million in “expired” food.

A family of four, the study found, spends an average of $455 a year on food it doesn’t eat. The researchers recommend making “sell by” dates invisible to the consumer, and have the food industry establish a standard, uniform labeling system.

Types of FOOD dating

There are three types of dates on a food that is purchased. If the package says “Sell By,” be sure to purchase the food before the date listed. The “sell by” date tells the grocer how long to display the food. The food should remain good for a period of time once you get it home.

The “Best if Used By” is not a purchase or safety date. The date stamped after that term is the date the food should be used by for best flavor or quality. A “Use-By” date is the last date recommended for peak quality of the product.

All three terms are guides to help a purchaser determine the quality of the food. The food can be safe and of good quality after any of the three above open-dating terms are used.

This Infographic below explains a bit more:

FoodShelfLife-InfoGraphic3

[source]

Survival on the Cheap: Preparing for an Emergency without Losing your Savings

By Guest Blogger –  Survival Life

Being prepared for any eventuality is one of the keystones of being a survivalist. However, if you’re just starting out, it can be a little overwhelming thinking of all of the supplies you need to be ready for three days, a week, a month or even more living on your own. Being prepared doesn’t have to cost a fortune though. In fact, re-using items and finding alternative (and affordable) sources for food, clothing and other essentials goes hand-in-hand with being a prepper. It’s a more modern variation of “living off of the land.”

How to stretch your prepping dollars

If you’re looking to start building your survival stockpile, below are a few hints to help you gather everything you need without breaking the budget. (And, remember: you don’t have to buy everything at once; a better plan is to build your stockpile gradually and thoughtfully. Your ideas about what you need will evolve over time.)

Tips for preparing for an emergency on a budget

1. Learn from the couponers. Although you may be buying different items (they’re buying baby food; you’re buying beans), there’s a lot to be learned from the extreme couponing crowd. Combining coupons with store specials can net you regular savings of 30 percent or more on non-perishable food items and toiletries. Take it a step further and join the grocery and drug store reward programs and you can find things like hand sanitizer, toothpaste and a host of other items for free that you can use in your survival kit. To learn more about couponing, check out sites like the KrazyCouponLady.com.

Surplus stores, stores that sell dented cans or half lots of boxed items, can also be good places to find non-perishable food items.  Learn how to create a price binder.

2. Be a regular at estate and garage sales. Estate and garage sales are other good places to find gear and supplies. Estate sales are especially good hunting grounds, since they feature an entire house full of goods. Some sales may require that you dig around in the attic a little bit, but there are often treasures to be found at cents on the dollar. Good things to look for at such sales are water containers, camping equipment and kitchen items. Some people also find good bargains on food at such sales. (I prefer to buy food directly from the grocery or market.) If you do look at food items, be sure to check the sell-by dates.

3. Shop off-season sales. Off-season sales are another good place to find seasonal gear like camping equipment and gardening supplies at prices that are 50 percent or even 75 percent off of their original price.

4. Host your own swap meet. If you know others that are interested in the survival life, you can combine preparing your stockpile with a social night by hosting a swap meet. Have everyone bring something extra from their stockpile and let the trading begin.

Review these 70+ survival items that cost less than $5!

Being prepared for any emergency or situation doesn’t have to be expensive or all consuming. Like other aspects of life, it’s all about smart shopping and always keeping an eye out for a bargain.
About the Author
At Survival Life our mission is to provide vast array of knowledge, tactics, and skills in the survival and preparedness fields, to any and all who wish to become more prepared for whatever may come. We strive to maintain a truthful and unbiased compendium of knowledge, both in original content, product reviews and survival tips, as well as curated articles from other top survival websites. Click here to visit our site and learn more.