Half sour pickles

[ms.yt]

I had never heard of these until watching Man vs. Food, but I've been doing a little research online on them. I bought some pickling cucumbers yesterday and plan on making some in the next couple of days. Does anybody have any recipes to share or tips?

 

[ms.yt]

Anyone?

 

[kaytieeldr]

I would cheat. I would buy a jar of good quality half-sours, then eat them (or put them out at a picnic) and put my own cleaned, sliced- or speared-cucumbers in the brine instead until the jar is full.

Seriously, you could start here http://www.bing.com/search?q=recipe...m=QBLH&qs=AS&sk=&pq=recipe+half+&sp=1&sc=3-12

Actually, these http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/East-Side-New-York-Half-Sour-Pickles-255145 instructions look pretty good - and don't forget to read the side notes.

 

[Liberty Belle]

I've never heard of them, but my friend's mom used to make the absolute best pickles when we were younger. They weren't sweet like sweet pickles, but they were sweeter than dills. I wonder if they're "half sour pickles." If so, I definitely want some. I've been craving my friend's mom's pickles for years!

 

[LuvOrlando]

Ohh, I am a total pickle addict. Unfortunately, I was forced to kick the habit when I moved to PA because they do not have the NYC Jewish Deli pickles I adore anywhere around here. I like the mild kind that sort of taste like they could use more time in the brine. Are these the same as half sour?

 

[NeverlandClub23]

I would cheat. I would buy a jar of good quality half-sours, then eat them (or put them out at a picnic) and put my own cleaned, sliced- or speared-cucumbers in the brine instead until the jar is full.

I would too. I watched a Good Eats special on making pickles and it was the craziest thing I've ever seen (well, probably not EVER). It required a LOT of steps and dark/cold places and skimming of stuff off of the top of the liquid. Very intense. Good luck OP! I LOVE pickles and I don't believe I've ever had a half sour one before.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I have. I love them! I can't describe them except to say that nobody's hit it yet. I've never had a (full ) sour pickle - the name turned me off - but looking at the ingredients for the half sours, I'd say the difference is vinegar. Sour pickles would have more vinegar, or something, to make them that way.

 

[frndshpcptn]

I like half sour pickles (although I LOVE LOVE LOVE) full sour more - but I have no idea how to make them.

If you have Ba-Tampte brand pickles at your grocer, I would reccomend thier half sour version.

Mayeb you can order them online?

 

[kaytieeldr]

Looking at their packaging, I've probably had those too! I really enjoy the half-sour tomatoes.

http://batampte.com/

They don't sell online, but they do sell in a number of states and a wide variety of supermarkets:

Ba-Tampte products are currently sold in approximately 40 states. Below is list of some of the supermarkets that sell our products:

A & P
Albertsons
DeMoulas / Market Basket
Genuardi’s
Giant - Ahold
Pathmark
Price Chopper
Publix
Safeway
Shaw’s
Shop-Rite
Stop & Shop - Ahold
Super Fresh
Waldbaum’s
Weis
Winn-Dixie

 

[JoiseyMom]

Wow..I can't imagine not knowing what a 1/2 sour pickle is!! I am a spoiled NY Jewish girl...they were staples in my house!

My kids love them, I have a quart in my fridge right now . Very yummy!!

DH hates them calls the cukes!! He likes the full sours!

 

[kaytieeldr]

That's the thing, JoiseyMom - I can't imagine life without half-sour pickles, so I can't explain what they're like! They're not "like" anything else. They're absolutely not like sweet pickles/gherkins; they're not at all like dill pickles...

We can't explain it - y'all will just have to find or make some, and try them! Best place, if you don't have a New York Style deli in your area, is to try your supermarket's refrigerated deli section, or just ask at the deli counter; or ask the department manager.

I can't think of a single place at Walt Disney World where you could even find anything close.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Try here - they ship http://shop.picklelicious.com/

JoiseyMom - are you anywhere near Teaneck? Ever hear of this company?

 

[JoiseyMom]

Try here - they ship http://shop.picklelicious.com/

JoiseyMom - are you anywhere near Teaneck? Ever hear of this company?

I am about 1 hour from Teaneck...DH's bff lives there. Never heard of that company though.

I usually buy batempte at my grocery store. They had a some by a compnay called golden taste and they are good .

To the OP, you can order them online from this store. Shipping will be pricey, but they will be worth it!

 

[ms.yt]

Thanks for all the replies! I don't know exactly what a half sour pickle tastes like, but since I'm a pickle freak, I felt safe in assuming I'd like them! The instructions I've read online seem pretty simple, nothing like the skimming and cooking method someone mentioned from Good Eats. My mom used to make pickles like that, and sometimes they'd be great, sometimes not so much. For those of you with half sour experience, are they anything like a Claussen pickle?

I'm going to get the stuff for it tomorrow, and I'll report back on the results!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Claussen is a brand, not a type of pickle - and YES, they make half-sour pickles!!!! So, you may have already tried them and just don't realize it!!!

 

[Nancyg56]

I like half sour pickles (although I LOVE LOVE LOVE) full sour more - but I have no idea how to make them.

If you have Ba-Tampte brand pickles at your grocer, I would reccomend thier half sour version.

Mayeb you can order them online?

This is the brand that I buy. I have made then years ago but they never turned out as good as my DH Grandma. No one got her recipe so mine were trial and error. Now I wnat to make them again! P'll start with teh recipes shared on this page.Thank you!

 

[ms.yt]

Well, the half sours were disappointing. Maybe that's how they are supposed to taste since I've never had one, but it was just too much like just eating a cucumber. I was hoping for more of a pickle taste. Also, I didn't like how the cinnamon in the pickling spices seemed to overpower anything else.

I found a recipe online for a copycat of Claussen's kosher dills that have a similar process to the half sours, only with more vinegar and more time before refrigerating them. I've got some of these brewing up on the counter right now. I'm hoping they will be more of what I was hoping for.

 

[NeverlandClub23]

I went to Fresh Market this weekend and picked up a jar of KZ half sour pickles. They tasted good but had a weird after taste (almost like metal?).

Hopefully your new batch works out better! If they do I'll definitely take the recipe!

 

[mantaz]

Well, the half sours were disappointing. Maybe that's how they are supposed to taste since I've never had one, but it was just too much like just eating a cucumber. I was hoping for more of a pickle taste. Also, I didn't like how the cinnamon in the pickling spices seemed to overpower anything else.

I found a recipe online for a copycat of Claussen's kosher dills that have a similar process to the half sours, only with more vinegar and more time before refrigerating them. I've got some of these brewing up on the counter right now. I'm hoping they will be more of what I was hoping for.

We eat half sours when we go to Ted's Montana Grill for bison burgers. I don't recall cinnamon in them. Here is a recipe I found on the net. Sounds similar to what I am used to eating.

http://tommyjskitchen.blogspot.com/2006/05/recipe-half-sour-pickles.html

We have a neighbor who has planted a ton of cucumbers this year and I will have to try this recipe and see how they taste!

 

[ms.yt]

I went to Fresh Market this weekend and picked up a jar of KZ half sour pickles. They tasted good but had a weird after taste (almost like metal?).

Hopefully your new batch works out better! If they do I'll definitely take the recipe!

Okay, the new recipe was just what I was looking for. They taste remarkably similar to Claussen kosher dills. Here is the recipe I used:

http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/Claussen-Kosher-Pickle-Copycat-249520

I couldn't find fresh dill, so I just used dill seed. They were a little salty, so I made a new batch today with just slightly less salt. They are so easy to make!