Welcome to Celtnet's Hannah Glassse's Recipes for Pickling — This page gives you the entire contents of the Fourteenth Chapter: 'Of PICKLING.' from Hannah Glasses's 1747 volume,
The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy. Each recipe is given here in its original form, with a link underneath to the modern redaction, should you wish to replicate it. This is the first time that Hannah Glasse's book has been made available in its entirety on the internet. Enjoy...
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You will encounter many unfamiliar culinary terms and usages in this work. Where the recipe has been redacted into modern form, these are either defined in the redaction or a link to a definition is given. However, may of the terms can also be found by browsing or searching the
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The text presented here is derived directly from Hannah Glasse's book and redacted specifically for this website. Please do not copy or use the content of these pages without first gaining permission.
Hanna Glasse's Fourteenth Chapter
CHAP. XIV.
Of PICKLING.
To pickle walnuts green.
TAKE the largeſt and cleareſt you can get, pare them as thin as you can, have a tub of ſpring-water ſtand by you, and throw them in as you do them. Put into the water a pound of bay-ſalt, let them lie in the water twenty-four hours, take them out of the water, then put them into a ſtone-jar, and between every layer of walnuts lay a layer of vine-leaves at the bottom and top, and fill it up with cold vinegar. Let them ſtand all night, then pour the vinegar from them into a copper or bell-metal ſkillet, with a pound of bay-ſalt ; ſet it on the fire, let it boil, then pour it hot on your nuts, tie them over with a woolen cloth, and let them ſtand a week ; then pour that pickle away, rub your nuts clean with a piece of flannel ; then pout them again in your jar, with vine-leaves, as above, and boil freſh vinegar. Put into your pot to every gallon of vinegar, a nutmeg ſliced. Put into your pot to every gallon of vinegar, a nutmeg ſliced, cut four large races of ginger, a quarter of an ounce of mace, the ſame of cloves, a quarter of an ounce of whole black pepepr, the like of Ordingal pepper ; then pour your vinegar boiling hot on your walnuts ; and cover them with a woollen cloth. Let it ſtand three or four days, ſo do two or three times ; when cold, put in half a pint of muſtard-ſeed, a large ſtick of horſe-raddiſh ſliced, tie them down cloſe with a bladder, and then with a leather. They will be fit to eat in a fortnight. Take a large onion, ſtick the cloves in, and lay in the middle of the pot. If you do them for keeping, don't boil your vinegar, but then they will not be fit to eat under ſix months : and the next year you may boil the pickle this way. They will keep two or three years good and firm.
To pickle walnuts white.
TAKE the largeſt nuts you can get, juſt before the ſhell begins to turn, pare them very thin till the white appears, and throw them into ſpring watre, with a handful of ſalt as you do them. Let them ſtand in that water ſix hours, lay on them a thin board to keep them under the water, then ſet a ſtew-pan on a charcoal fire, with clean ſpring-rater, take your nuts out of the other water, and put them into the ſtew-pan. Let them ſimmer four or five minutes, but not boil : then have ready by your a pan of ſpring-water, with a handful of white ſalt in it, ſtir it with your hand till the ſalt is melted, then take your nuts out of the ſtew-pan with a wooden ladle, and put them into the cold water and ſalt. Let them ſtand a quarter of an hour, lay the board on them as before ; if they are not kept under the liquor they will turn black, then lay them on a cloth, and cover them with another to dry ; then carefully wipe them with a ſoft cloth, put them into your jar or glaſs, with ſome blades of mace and nutmeg ſliced thin. Mix your ſpice between your nuts, and pour diſtilled vinegar over them ; firſt let your glaſs be full of nuts, pour mutton fat over them, and tie a bladder, and then a leather.
To pickle walnuts black.
You muſt take large full-grown nuts, at their full growth before they are hard, lay them in ſalt and water ; let them lie two days, then ſhift them into freſh water ; let them lie two days longer, then ſhift them again, and let them lie three days ; then take them out of the water, and put them into your pickling-pot. When the pot is half full, put in a large onion ſtuck with cloves. To a hundred of walnuts put in half a pint of muſtard-seed, a quarter of an ounce of mace, half an ounce of black pepper, half an ounce of all-ſpice, ſix bay-leaves, and a ſtick of horſe-raddiſh ; then fill your pot, and pour boiling vinegar over them. Cover them with a plate, and when they are cold tie them down with a bladder and leather, and they will be fit to eat in two or three months. The next year, if any remains, boil up your vinegar again, and ſkim it ; when cold, pour it over your walnuts. This is by much the beſt pickle to uſe ; therefore you may add more vinegar to it, what quantity you pleaſe. If you pickle a great many walnuts, and eat them faſt, make your pickle for a hundred or two, the reſt keep in a ſtrong brine of ſalt and water, boiled till it will bear an egg, and as your pot empties, fill them up with thoſe in the ſalt and water. Take care they are covered with pickle.
In the ſame manner you may do a ſmaller quantity ; but if you can get rape vinegar, uſe that inſtead of ſalt and water. Do them thus : put your nuts into the pot you intend to pickle them in, throw in a good handful of ſalt, and fill the pot with rape vinegar. Cover it cloſe, and let them ſtand a fortnight ; then pour them out of the pot, wipe them in the jar with the pickle, as above. If you have the beſt ſugar vinegar of your own making, you need to boil it the firſt year, but pour it on cold ; and the next year, if any remains, boil it up again, ſkim it, put freſh ſpice to it, and it will do again.
To pickle gerkins.
TAKE what quantity of cucumbers you think fit, and put them in a ſtone jar, then take as much ſpring-water as you think will cover them : to every gallon of water put as much ſalt as will make it bear and egg ; ſet it on the fire, and let it boil two or three minutes, then pour it on the cucumbers and cover them with a woollen cloth, and over that a pewter diſh ; tie them down cloſe, and let them ſtand twenty-four hours ; then take them out, lay them in a cloth, and another over them to dry them. When they are pretty dry, wipe your jar out with a dry cloth, put your cucumbers, and with them a little dill and fennel, a very ſmall quantity. For the pickle, to every three quarts of vinegar one quart of ſpring-water, till you think you have enough to cover them ; put in a little bay-ſalt, and a little white, but not too much. To every gallon of pickle put one nutmeg cut in quarters, a quarter of an ounce of cloves, a quarter of an ounce of mace, a quarter of an ounce of whole pepper, and a large race of ginger ſliced ; boil all theſe together in a bell-metal or copper pot, pour it boiling hot on your cucumbers, and cover them as before. Let them ſtand two days, then boil your pickle again, and pour it on as before ; do ſo a third time ; when they are cold cover them with a bladder and then a leather. Mind always to keep your pickles cloſe covered, and never take them out with any thing your pickles cloſe covered, and never take them out with any thing but a wooden ſpoon, or one for the purpoſe. This pickle will do the next year, only boiling it up again.
You are to obſerve to put the ſpice in the jar with the cucumbers, and only boil the vinegar, water, and ſalt, and pour over them. The boiling of your ſpice in all pickles ſpoils them, and loſes the flavour of the ſpice.
To pickle large cucumbers in ſlices.
TAKE the large cucumbers before they are too ripe, ſlice them the thickneſs of crown pieces in a pewter-diſh ; to every dozen of cucumbers ſlice two large onions thin, and ſo on till you have filled your diſh, with a handful of ſalt between every row : then cover them with another pewter-diſh, and let them ſtand twenty-flour hours, then put them in a cullender, and let them drain very well ; put them in a jar, cover them over with white wine vinegar, and let them ſtand flour hours ; pour the vinegar from them into a copper ſauce-pan, and boil it with a little ſalt ; put to the cucumbers a little mace, a little whole pepper, a large race of ginger ſliced, and then pour the boiling vinegar on. Cover them cloſe, and when they are cold, tie them down. They will be fit to eat in two or three days.
To pickle aſparagus.
TAKE the largeſt aſparagus you can get, cut off the white ends, and waſh the green ends in ſpring-water, then put them in another clean water, and let them lie tow or three hours in it ; then have a large borad ſtew-pan full of ſpring water, with a good large handful of ſalt ; ſet it on the fire, and when it boils put in the graſs, not tied up, but looſe, and not too many at a time, for fear you break the heads. Juſt ſcald them, and no more, take them out with a broad ſkimmer, and lay them on a cloth to coo. Then for your pickle : to a gallon of vinegar put one quart of ſpring-water, and a handful of bay-ſalt ; let them boil, and put your aſparagus in your jar ; to a gallon of pickle, two nutmegs, a quarter of an ounce of mace, the ſame of whole white pepper, and pour the pickle hot over them. Cover them with a linen cloth three or four times double, let them ſtand a week, and boil the pickle. Let them ſtand a week longer, boil the pickle again, and pour it on hot as before. When they are cold, cover them up cloſe with a bladder and leather.
To pickle peaches.
TAKE your peaches when they are at their full growth, juſt before they turn to be ripe ; be ſure they are not bruiſed ; then take ſpring-water, as much as you think will cover them, make it ſalt enough to bear an egg, with bay and common ſalt, an equal quantity each ; then put in your peaches and lay a thin board over them to keep them under the water. Let them ſtand three days, and then take tem out and wipe them very carefully with a fine ſoft cloth, and lay them in your glaſs or jar : to every gallon put one pint of the beſt well-made muſtard, two or three heads of garlick, a good deal of ginger ſliced, half an ounce of cloves, mace, and nutmeg ; mix your pickle well together and pour over your peaches. Tie them cloſe with a bladder and leather, they will be fit to eat in two months. You may with a fine penknife cut them acroſs, take out the ſtone, fill them with made muſtard and garlick, and horſe-raddiſh and ginger ; tie them together.
To pickle raddiſh pods.
MAKE a ſtrong pickle, with cold ſpring-water and bay-ſalt, ſtrong enough to bear and egg, then put your pods in, and lay a thin board on them, to keep them under water. Let them ſtand ten days, then drain them in a ſieve, and lay them on a cloth to dry ; then take white wine vinegar, as much as you think will cover them, boil it, and put your pods in a jar, with ginger, mace, cloves, and Jamaica pepper. Put your vinegar boiling hot on, cover them with a coarſe cloth, three or four times double, that the ſteam may come through a little, and let them ſtand two days. Repeat this two or three times ; when it is cold, put in a pint of muſtard-ſeed, and ſome horſe-raddiſh ; cover it cloſe.
To pickle French beans.
PICKLE your beans as you do the gerkins.
To pickle cauliflowers.
TAKE the largeſt and fineſt you can get, cut them in little pieces, or more properly pull them into little pieces, pick the ſmall leaves that grow in the flowers clean from them ; then have a broad ſtew-pan on the fire with ſpring-water, and when it boils, put in your flowers, with a good handful of white ſalt, and juſt let them boil up very quick ; be ſure you don't let them boil above one minute ; then take them out with a broad ſlice, lay them on a cloth and cover them with another, and let them lie till they are quite cold. Then put them in your wide-mouth'd bottles with two or three blades of mace in each bottle and a nutmeg ſliced thin ; then fill up your bottles with diſtilled viegar, cover them over with mutton fat, over that a bladder, and then a leather. Let them ſtand a month before you open them.
If you find the pickle taſte ſweet, as may be it will, pour off the vinegar, and put freſh in, the ſpice will do again. In a fortnight they will be fit to at. Obſerve to throw them out of the boiling water into cold, and then dry them.
To pickle beet-root.
SET a pot of ſpring-water on the fire ; when it boils, put in your beets, and let them boil till they are tender, then peel them with a cloth, and lay them in a ſtone jar ; take three quarts of vinegar, two of ſpring-water, and ſo do till you think you have enough to cover your beets. Put your vinegar and water in a pan, and ſalt to your taſte ; ſtir it well together, till the ſalt is all melted, then pour them on the beets, and cover it with a bladder, do not boil the pickle.
To pickle white plumbs.
TAKE the large white plumbs ; and if they have ſtalks, let them remain on, and do them as you do peaches.
To pickle nectarines and apricots.
THEY are done the ſame as the peaches. All theſe ſtrong pickles will waſte with keeping ; therefore you muſt fill them up with cold vinegar.
To pickle onions.
TAKE your onions when they are dry enough to lay up in your houſe, ſuch as are about as big as a large walnut ; or you may do ſome as ſmall as you pleaſe. Take off only the outward dry coat, then boil them in one water without ſhifting, till they begin to grow tneder ; then drain them through a cullender, and let them cool ; as ſoon as they are quite cold, ſlip off two outward coats or ſkins, ſlip them till they look white from each other, rub them gently with a fine ſoft linen cloth, and lay them on a cloth to cool. When this is done, put them into wide-mouth'd glaſſes, with about ſix or eight bay-leaves. To a quart of onions, a quarter of an ounce of mace, two large races of ginger, ſliced ; all theſe ingredients muſt be interſperſed here and there, in the glaſſes among the onions ; then boil to each quart of vinegar two ounces of bay-ſalt, ſkim it well as the ſcum riſes, and let it ſtand till it is cold ; then pour it into the glaſs, cover it cloſe with a wet bladder dipped in vinegar, and tie them down. This will eat well, and look white. As the pickle waſtes, fill them with cold vinegar.
To pickle lemons.
TAKE twelve lemons, ſcrape them with a piece of broken glaſs ; then cut them croſs in tow, four parts downright, but not quite through, but that they will hand together ; then put in as much ſalt as they will hold ; rub them well, and ſtrew them over with ſalt. LEt them lie in an earthen diſh for three ays, and turn them every day ; then ſlit an ounce of ginger very thin, and ſalted for three days, twelve cloves of garlick parboiled and ſalted three days, a ſmall handful of muſtard-ſeeds bruiſed and ſearched through a hair ſieve, and ſome red India pepper ; take your lemons out of the ſalt, ſqueeze them very gently, put them into a jar, with the ſpice and ingredients, and cover them with the beſt white wine vinegar. Stop them up very cloſe, and in a month's time they will be fit to eat.
To pickle muſhrooms white.
TAKE ſmall buttons, cut and prime them at the bottom, waſh them with a bit of flannel through two or three waters, then ſet on the fire in a ſtew pan ſpring water, and a ſmall handful of ſalt : when it boils, pour your muſhrooms in. Let it boil three or four minutes ; then throw them into a cullender, lay them on a linen cloth quick, and cover them with another.
To make pickle for muſhrooms.
TAKE a gallon of the beſt vinegar, put it into a cold ſtill ; to every gallon of vinegar put half a pound of bay-ſalt, a quarter of a pound of mace , quarter of an ounce of cloves, a nutmeg cut into quarters, keep the top to the ſtill covered with a wet cloth. As the cloth dries, put on a wet one ; don't let the fire be too large, leſt you burn the bottom of the ſtill. Draw it as long as you taſte the acid, and no longer. When you fill your bottles, put in your muſhrooms, here and there put in a few blades of mace, and ſlice the nutmeg ; then fill the bottle with pickle and melt ſome mutton fat, ſtrai it, and pour over it. It will keep them better than oil.
YOU muſt put your nutmeg over the fire in a little vinegar, and give it a boil. While it is hot you may ſlice it as you pleaſe. When it is cold, it will not cut ; for it will crack to pices.
Note, In the 19th Chapter, at the end of the receipt for making vinegar, your will ſee the beſt way of pickling muſhrooms, only they will not be ſo white.
To pickle codlings.
WHEN you have greened them as you do pippins, and they are quite cold, with a ſmall ſcoop very carefully take of the eye as whole as you can, ſcoop out the core, put in a clove of garlick, fill it up with muſtard-ſeed, lay on the eye again, and put them in your glaſſes, with the eye uppermoſt, Put the ſame pickle as you do to the pippins, and tie them down cloſe.
To pickle red currants.
THEY are done the ſame way as barberries.
To pickle fennel.
SET ſpring-water on the fire, with a handful of ſalt ; when it boils, tie your fennel in bunches, and put them into the water, juſt give them a ſcald, lay them on a cloth to dry ; when cold, put in a glaſs, with a little mace and nutmeg, fill it with cold vinegar, lay a bit of green fennel on the top, and over that a bladder and leather.
To pickle grapes.
GET grapes at the full growth, but not ripe ; cut them in ſmall bunches fit for garniſhing, put them in a ſtone-jar, with wine-leaves between every layer of grapes ; then take as much ſpring-water as you think will cover them, put in a pound of bay-ſalt and as much white ſalt as will make it bear an egg. Dry your bay-ſalt and pount it, it will melt the ſooner, put it into a bell-meatal, or copper-pot, boil it and ſkim it very well; as it boils, take all the black ſcum off, but not the white ſcum. When it has boiled a quarter of an hour, let it ſtand to cool and ſettle ; when it is almoſt cold, pour the clear liquid on the grapes, lay vine-leaves on the top, tie them down cloſe with a linen cloth, and cover them with a diſh. Let them ſtand twenty-four hours ; then take them out, and lay them on a cloth, cover them over with another, let them be dried between the cloths, then take two quarts of vinegar, one quart of ſpring-water, and one pound of coarſe ſugar. Let it boil a little while, ſkim it as it boils very clean, let it ſtand till it is quite cold, dry your jar with a cloth, put freſh vine-leaves at the bottom, and between every bunch of grapes, and on the top ; then pour the clear off the the pickle on the grapes, fill your jar that the pickle may be above the grapes, tie a thin bit of board in the place of flannel, lay it on the top of the jar, to keep the grapes under the pickle, tie them down with a bladder, and then a leather ; take them out with a wooden ſpoon. Be ſure to make pickle enough to cover them.
To pickle barberries.
TAKE of white-wine vinegar, and water, of each an equal quantity : to every quart of this liquor put in half a pound of ſix-penny ſugar, then pick the worſt of your barberries, and put into this liquor, and the beſt into glaſſes ; then boil your pickle with the worſt of the barberries, and ſkim it very clean. Boil it till it looks a fine colour, then let it ſtand to be cold before your ſtrain ; then ſtrain it through a cloth, wringing it to get all the colour you can from the barberries. Let it ſtand to cool and ſettle, then pour it clear into the galaſſes in a little of the pickle, boil a little fennel ; when cold, put a little bit at the top of the pot or glaſs, and cover it cloſe with a bladder and leather. To every half pound of ſugar put a quarter of a pound of white ſalt.
To pickle red-cabbage.
SLICE the cabbage thin, put to it vinegar and ſalt, and an ounce of all-ſpice cold ; cover it cloſe, and keep for uſe. It is a pickle of little uſe but for garniſhing of diſhes; ſallads, and pickles, though ſome people are fond of it.
To pickle golden pippins.
TAKE the fineſt pippins you can get, free from ſpots and bruiſes, put them into a preſerving pan of cold ſpring-water, and ſet them on a charcoal fire. Keep them turning with a wooden ſpoon, till they will peel ; do not let them boil. When they are boiled, peel them, and put them into the water again, with a quarter of a pint of the beſt vinegar, and a quarter of an ounce of allum, cover them very cloſe with a pewter-diſh, and ſet them on the charcoal fire again, a ſlow fire not to boil. Let them ſtand, turning them now and then, till they look green, then take them out, and lay them on a cloth to cool ; when cold make your pickles as for the peaches, only inſtead of made muſtard, this muſt be muſtard-ſeed whole. Cover them cloſe, and keep them for uſe.
To pickle ſtertion-buds and limes ; you pick them off the lime trees in the ſummer.
TAKE new ſtertion-ſeeds or limes, pickle them when large, have ready vinegar, with what ſpice you pleaſe, throw them in, and ſtop the bottle cloſe.
To pickle oyſters, cockles, and muſſels.
TAKE two hundred oyſters, the neweſt and beſt you can get, be careful to ſave the liquor in ſome pan as you open them, cut off the black verge, ſaving the reſt, put them into their own liquor ; then put all the liquor and oyſters into a kettle, boil them about half an hour on a very gentle fire, do them very ſlowly, ſkimming them as the ſcum riſes, then take them off the liquor whilſt it is hot, put thereto three quarters of an ounce of mace, and half an ounce of cloves. Juſt give it one boil, then put it to the oyſters, and ſtir up the ſpices well among the oyſters, then put in about a ſpoonful of ſalt, three quarters of a pint of the beſt white-wine vinegar, and a quarter of an ounce of whole pepper ; then let them ſtand till they be cold, then put the oyſters, as many as you well can, into the barrel ; put in as much liquor as the barrel will hold, letting them ſettle a while, and they will ſoon be fit to eat, or you may put them into ſtone jars, cover them cloſe with a bladder and leather, and be ſure they are quite cold before you cover them up. Thus do cockles and muſſels ; only this, cockles are ſmaqll, and to this ſpice you muſt have at leaſt two quarts, nor is there any thick to pick off them. Muſſels you muſt have two quarts, take great care to pick the crab out under the tongue, and a little fus which grows at the root of the tongue. The two latter, cockles and muſſels, muſt be waſhed in ſeveral waters, to clean them from grit ; put them in a ſtew-pan by themſelves, cover them cloſe, and when they are open, pick them out of the ſhells, and ſtrain the liquor.
To pickle young ſuckers, or young artichokes, before the leaves are hard.
TAKE young ſuckers, pare them nicely, all the hard ends of the leaves and ſtalks, juſt ſcald them in ſalt and water, and when they are cold put them into little glaſs bottles, with two or three large blades of mace and a nutmeg ſliced thin, fill them either with diſtilled vinegar, or the ſugar-vinegar of your own making, with half ſpring-water.
To pickle artichoke bottoms.
BOIL artichokes till you can pull the leaves off, then take off the chokes, and cut them from the ſtalk ; take great care you don't let the knife touch the top, throw them in ſalt and water for an hour, then take them out and lay them on a cloth to drain, then put them into large wide-mouth'd glaſſes, put a little mace and ſliced nutmeg betwee, fill them either with diſtilled vinegar, or your ſugar-vinegar and ſpring-water ; cover them with mutton fat fried, and tie them down with a bladder and leather.
To pickle ſamphire.
TAKE the ſamphire that is green, lay it in a clean pan, throw twor or three handfuls of ſalt over, then cover it with ſpring water. Let it lie twenty-four hours, then put it into a clean braſs ſauce-pan, throw in a halfdul of ſalt, and cover it with good vinegar. Cover the pan cloſe, and ſet it over a very ſlow fire ; let it ſtand till it is juſt green and criſp, then take it off in a moment, for if it ſtands to be ſoft it is ſpoiled ; put it in your pickling pot, and cover it cloſe. When it is cold, tie it down with a bladder and leather, and keep it for uſe. Or you may keep it all the year, in a very ſtrong brine of ſalt and water, and throw it into vinegar juſt before you uſe it.
Elder ſhoots, in imitation of bamboo.
TAKE the largeſt and youngeſt ſhoots of elder, which put out in the middle of May, the middle ſtalks are moſt tender, and biggeſt ; the ſmall ones are not worth doing. Peel off the outward peel or ſkin, and lay them in a ſtrong brine of ſalt and water for one night, then dry them in a cloth, piece by piece. In the mean time, make your pickle of half white wine, and half beer vinegar : to each quart of pickle you muſt put an ounce of white or red pepper, an ounce of ginger ſliced, a little mace, and a few corns of Jamaica pepper. When the ſpice has boiled in the pickle, pour it hot upon the ſhoots, ſtop them cloſe immediately, and ſet the jar two hours before the fire, turning it often. It is a good way of greening pickles as often boiling ; or you may boil the pickle two or three times, and pour it on boiling hot, juſt as you pleaſe. If you make the pickle of the sugar-vinegar, you muſt let one half be ſpring-water. You have the receipt for this vinegar in the 19th Chapter.
Rules to be obſerved in pickling.
ALWAYS uſe ſtone jars for all ſorts of pickles that require hot pickle to them. The firſt charge is the leaſt, for theſe not only laſt longer, but keep the pickle better ; for vinegar and ſalt will penetrate through all earthen veſſels, ſtone and glaſs is the only thing to keep pickles out, it will ſoon ſpoil it. The beſt method is, to every pot tie a wooden ſpoon full of little holes, to take the pickles out with.
Back to the contents of Hannah Glasse's 1774 book
The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy
