Knowledgebase
Are my pickles safe to eat? #915739
Asked August 28, 2025, 5:57 PM EDT
Benton County Oregon
Expert Response
Below are the instructions for canning your pickles once they are fermented outlined in the instructions for canning from the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
If you boil and strain your brine and then process your pickles you should no longer have a mold problem. I would suggest the low temperature pasteurization method outlined in the bottom of the instructions below. It results in a much crisper pickle.
Fermenting pickles cure slowly. Check the container several times a week and promptly remove surface scum or mold. Caution: If the pickles become soft, slimy, or develop a disagreeable odor, discard them. Fully fermented pickles may be stored in the original container for about 4 to 6 months, provided they are refrigerated and surface scum and molds are removed regularly. Canning fully fermented pickles is a better way to store them. To can them, pour the brine into a pan, heat slowly to a boil, and simmer 5 minutes. Filter brine through paper coffee filters to
reduce cloudiness, if desired. Fill jar with pickles and hot brine,
leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process as recommended in Table 1 below.
| Table 1. Recommended process time for Dill Pickles in a boiling-water canner. | ||||
| Process Time at Elevations of | ||||
| Style of Pack | Jar Size | 0 - 1,000 ft | 1,001 - 6,000 ft | Above 6,000 ft |
| Raw | Pints | 10 min | 15 | 20 |
| Quarts | 15 | 20 | ||
or use the low-temperature pasteurization treatment described below.
The following treatment results in a better product texture but must
be carefully managed to avoid possible spoilage. Place jars in a canner
filled half way with warm (120º to 140ºF) water. Then, add hot water to a
level 1 inch above jars. Heat the water enough to maintain 180º to 185º
F water temperature for 30 minutes. Check with a candy or jelly
thermometer to be certain that the water temperature is at least 180ºF
during the entire 30 minutes. Temperatures higher than 185ºF may cause
unnecessary softening of pickles.
Hope that helps. If you have other questions you might like to call the OSU Extension Food Preservation Safety Help line. Certified Master Food Preservers are available to personally answer your questions M-F from 9 am-4pm. The number is <personal data hidden>.
Thanks for using Ask Extension
Nellie Oehler