Best Dill Pickle Cheese Ball Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What ingredient makes pickles crisp? ›

Calcium chloride (CaCl2), sometimes known as “pickle crisp”, is a type of salt that helps preserve the crunchiness of food. It is used in the food industry to help preserve the texture of canned fruit and vegetables. Sea salt is sodium chloride. In this case, we're talking about calcium chloride!

A pickle next to a sandwich, alongside charcuterie on a cheeseboard, sliced on top of a hamburger, fried with creamy ranch, and chopped into relish on a hotdog. These classic pickle pairings have stood the test of time, and even the pickle skeptics welcome pickles in these cases.

For every 2 quarts of pickles, you will need: 3 1/2 lbs pickling cucumbers (about 14 small to medium). 2 cups water. 1 cup vinegar (5% acidity). 1/4 cup Ball® kosher dill pickle mix.

Alum will increase firmness of fermented pickles when used at levels up to ¼ teaspoon per pint, but greater amounts will decrease firmness.

Soak Cucumbers In Ice Water Beforehand

If you're not canning your cucumbers immediately, leave them in an ice bath or in your refrigerator overnight to maintain firmness. Doing this before you start canning them will give you the crunchiest pickles you've ever had!

Calcium chloride

These products offer fast results with the same great taste and crispness of lime. They do not have the hydroxide component of lime, so they don't lower the acidity of pickled food or pose a food safety risk. A small amount is added to each jar of pickles before sealing the jar with a lid.

But you might be wondering what cheese goes well with dill pickles? Well, they pair well with a variety of cheeses, but some popular options include sharp cheddar, feta, havarti, gouda, and brie.

Dill pickles are the most commonly known pickle type. Dill pickles include vinegar, pickling salt, and dill in its brine, whether it be fresh, dried, or in seed form. Dill pickles can also be prepared to be Kosher certified.

For quick pickles, a basic brine is equal parts vinegar and water, but you can adjust the ratio to your preference. Any basic vinegar is game — white vinegar, apple cider, white wine, and rice vinegar all work well. You can use these vinegars alone or in combination.

Kosher pickles are made according to Jewish dietary laws, while regular pickles may be made using any ingredients and processing methods. Kosher pickles are typically made with a salt brine and flavored with garlic and dill, while regular pickles may be pickled with vinegar and flavored with sugar and other spices.

What's the difference between kosher pickles and kosher dill pickles? ›

Most pickles sold as Kosher Dill are not actually certified Kosher. The name comes from them being prepared in the same style/method as the dill pickles that you would get at a Kosher Deli. They tend to have a heavy garlic flavor as opposed to a standard dill pickle.

Alum – at one time alum was added for crispness; however it is no longer recommended by the FDA and most modern, science-based recipes no longer include it. Scientifically, alum has little effect on quick-process pickles but may add firmness to fermented pickles when used at a rate of ¼ teaspoon per pints.

Alum is a compound used in old recipes to make pickles crisp. It is no longer recommended by the FDA and current science-based recipes no longer include it. If ingested in large quantities, it can produce nausea or severe distress with the digestive system.

It is very easy to use too much alum. Excessive alum for the circ*mstances lowers pH (makes it more acidic). Low pH then interferes with effective flocculation of river sediment since alum will only cause flocculation within the range of 5-8 pH.

Cream of Tartar: McCormick cream of tartar is an all-natural ingredient that can be used as an alum substitution in your baking recipes. It adds texture, volume, and lift to beaten egg whites in cakes, pies, and other yummy desserts.

Calcium chloride is a salt used to preserve the texture of food. It is often used in canning, but it can also be used in fermentation! For example, it is a powerful weapon for keeping pickles crunchy, whether they are canned or fermented.

Soaking cucumbers in ice water for 4 to 5 hours before pickling is a safe method for making crisp pickles. Firming agents do not work with quick-process pickles. The calcium in lime does improve pickle firmness; if you choose to use lime, purchase food- grade pickling lime from a grocer's shelf.

Alum and Citric Acid does not improve the firmness of quick-process pickles.

This product is a food grade calcium chloride salt. It provides the calcium to help firm pectin, but does not have the hydroxide component that can lower the acidity of pickled foods.