Why Didn't my Pickles Stay Crisp?

I admit that my home canned pickles (dill) get soft and it drives me crazy. I've used recipes completely from scratch, I've used dill pickle mixes. I've used 3 different kinds of cucumbers. Nada. The odd thing was that one season I had 2 quarts stay semi-crisp but the rest got soft. Now that was confusing!

I came across the advice from people 'in the know' - the makers of Bell and Kerr brand canning equipment.



There are several factors that may cause a soft pickle:

• * using a vinegar with an acidity level that is less than 5%;

• * pickles were not processed or not processed long enough in a boiling-water canner to destroy spoilage microorganisms;

• * variety of cucumber used;

• * brine was too weak when fermenting cucumbers;

• * cucumbers were not completely covered with brine while fermenting;

• * cucumbers were not completely covered with liquid when packed in the jar;

• * scum was not removed from top of brine while fermenting;

• * improper storage or handling of cucumbers before pickling.