With the hot weather we had this weekend I thought a good place to stay cool was cleaning out the basement.  While doing so I ran across canned pickles I've apparently been saving for a L O N G time.  Maybe too long.  How long do home canned pickles last?

Our neighbors Wally and Sue make THE BEST hot bread and butter pickles.  They periodically have rummage sales in the summer and I always buy a few jars.  I KNOW I've eaten full jars that I purchased in more recent years, but when I was cleaning I found a jar or two from 2010 and one from 2009!!!  Could these possibly still be eatable?  Is the time frame different for other fruits and vegetables?

After asking around and doing some research the consensus is anywhere from they never go bad (obviously from a bachelors point of view) to between 12-18 months unopened.  However, it says that after about a year they will tend to get mushy, no one wants a mushy pickle it needs to be cool and crisp!

Canned Pickle Lable
Cathy Kates
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Pickling means to preserve foods with salt or vinegar. You can use either a pickling or a brining process. The latter is usually used on meats.  This girl does NOT eat pickled meat.  The most common pickled vegetables are cucumbers, and incidentally are the only  ones to be referred to as pickles.

I know there are lots of dangers to pickled foods and that's why I questioned the length of time I had the jars.  There are lots of different recipes for pickling foods and if not done correctly bacteria can build up in the jar and cause sickness.  I've never pickled before but have read that there is a defined ratio that needs to be followed for acid base.  Another concern is if the jar is sealed properly.  Neither of those were a concern for me with these jars, I just don't know what kind of fermentation goes on in them after sitting around for 5-6 years.  The old when in doubt throw it out was loud and proud in my head because I had HUGE doubt.

So, after this determination, I am canned pickle-less and sad.  I'm going to dump the pickles out, wash the jars and return them to my neighbors to hopefully be filled again.  Oh, and buy ONE jar they already have canned to take home and enjoy.

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