Homemade Sausage Making

I think I kinda went overboard

Never, the year is long. Nice.

Nice looking work . How long before they are ready?

Beautiful! At least what you will be eating you will know the source.

Did you guys know that most of the pickles you buy now at the supermarkets in the U.S. and Canada are from India? That includes the famous Steinfeld's brand, continuing to claim "quality since 1922" What a shame that we can't grow, process and eat pickles grown by our own farmers on this continent.

Big Guy,
You can be proud of such a treasurehouse and the best of all, grown on local soil and prepared by a local. Nothing is better.
Redzed, your message hits the nail right on the head, I am of the opinion that western governments don't want any local production at any cost.
What pi----s me off the most is that all those low cost countries produce now brand name articles/food for a pittance but is does not reflect in the local retail prices paid.
I am all for local produced goods just to keep locals in jobs, even if there is a higher price to pay.
Regards,
Jan.

Super looking pickles! While city folk have been at the mercy of retailers (though there used to be stores that primarily made and sold pickles years ago), rural households used to make many items.

Moving out of the USA to the Philippines made me start looking at how to make things I wanted but they did not produce here. Quality ice cream was one, with a pint of good stuff going for almost ten dollars. Then it was bacon, which I am learning to cure and smoke.

Now I am returning to the way my grandparents used to prepare their food. Canning, smoking, pickling are all approaches I ignored or laughed at as a child and now am trying to learn. Wish I had spent a bit more time in my grandma's kitchen as a kid.

Nice work Big Guy! Is little Mace going to help you devour a bottle or two?

I's not little Mace I have to worry about ! His MOM would devour the whole batch in a week. LOL but thats what I made them for in the first place.

Here is my recipe for Dills

Dill Pickles

6 Qt. basket dill cucumbers, washed.
Dill weed
Garlic cloves
Pickling salt
Vinegar
Calcium chloride
Ice

Brine
2 cups vinegar
10 cups water
3/4 cup salt
1 tsp. calcium chloride
1 tsp Turmeric

Soak the cucumbers in ice water for at least 2 hrs but not longer than 6.
Place a bunch of dill in a quart jar, and a clove of garlic.
Pack in the cucumbers. Top with more dill weed, another garlic clove .
Fill jar with boiling brine, and seal. Let sit for 8 weeks before using.

Yield = 6 Qt. jars