I am confused about the type of dish you are using to "Cover zucchini and onion slices with 1 inch of water." There is a lot of zucchini and onion in this recipe and I don't think that 1 inch of water would cover all of the vegetables. Do you mean to cover all of the vegetables with water plus one inch above them since all the vegetables need to ferment in the salted water? Also, is there enough solution to cover the vegetables once they are put in jars? I have often found with these types of recipes that I had to make more solution in order to cover vegetables both when soaking and when canning. Let me know specifically how your recipe works.

Hi Joetta,

Most recipes for brined, fermented or cured vegetables commonly used in pickling require that the vegetables be submerged totally in brine. An inch of brine over the top of the dish is a safeguard to ensure that the vegetables remain submerged. Lactic acid is likely to develop on the surface and needs to be removed daily so that the vinegar's acidity is not weakened until the vegetables are totally cured. Most recipes call for a dish or other weight to keep the vegetables submerged to prevent contact with the lactic acid and to prevent oxidation from air exposure.

Because all pickling crocks are different sizes and you may have picked a different quantity of pickles from your garden, rather than measuring exactly by the cup, these kinds of recipes use ratios to maintain the correct salinity and acidity levels. You may need to make up an additional batch of brine or pickling solution to maintain a level above the vegetables.

After the curing of the vegetables is complete, you can bring the solution to a boil after thoroughly straining it for canning in the jars. Add new spices, if desired, or if the solution from the crock is not in the best condition (if it is cloudy), make up a new batch of fresh solution with spices for pouring over the pickles in the jars just before processing in a boiling water bath for 10 or 15 minutes (according to your recipe).

Hope this helps!

-- CM