Food Safe Filter: Home canned pickles
May 5, 2016 5:25 PM Subscribe
Home canned pickles from 2008 - yay or nay?
My MIL has been canning for years and gave us some home made pickles in 2008. We discovered they were still in the fridge. Should we try them or toss them? They were canned in glass jars. TIA!
My MIL has been canning for years and gave us some home made pickles in 2008. We discovered they were still in the fridge. Should we try them or toss them? They were canned in glass jars. TIA!
If the seal is good, they should be eatable but most likely mushy.
-Ms. Clav
posted by clavdivs at 5:32 PM on May 5, 2016 [4 favorites]
-Ms. Clav
posted by clavdivs at 5:32 PM on May 5, 2016 [4 favorites]
If the seal is sealed and the button's not popped, eat away!
posted by deezil at 5:33 PM on May 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by deezil at 5:33 PM on May 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
Even if they are safe to eat, they will probably be mushy and gross. Pickling doesn't preserve things forever.
posted by gnutron at 5:36 PM on May 5, 2016 [5 favorites]
posted by gnutron at 5:36 PM on May 5, 2016 [5 favorites]
Oh god no. They will be gross even if they don't kill you.
posted by fshgrl at 5:48 PM on May 5, 2016 [5 favorites]
posted by fshgrl at 5:48 PM on May 5, 2016 [5 favorites]
Were they refrigerator pickles? Or properly canned using a boiling water bath?
Properly canned, probably yes, but desirable probably no. If your MIL is still around, ask for a new batch.
posted by Beti at 6:27 PM on May 5, 2016
Properly canned, probably yes, but desirable probably no. If your MIL is still around, ask for a new batch.
posted by Beti at 6:27 PM on May 5, 2016
Canned, seal still sealed? Give 'em a go.
We've been eating 2010 pickles for the last half year and they are absolutely fantastic and not mushy at all. I had serious misgivings about the first jar but we are all still alive and well and very happy with our superb and crisp old pickles.
posted by bluebelle at 7:26 PM on May 5, 2016 [3 favorites]
We've been eating 2010 pickles for the last half year and they are absolutely fantastic and not mushy at all. I had serious misgivings about the first jar but we are all still alive and well and very happy with our superb and crisp old pickles.
posted by bluebelle at 7:26 PM on May 5, 2016 [3 favorites]
ETA: If you've opened the jar already, i.e. they don't still have their original seal, I'd probably pass.
posted by bluebelle at 7:27 PM on May 5, 2016
posted by bluebelle at 7:27 PM on May 5, 2016
Adding to the chorus of almost certainly safe, maybe not very good.
posted by rockindata at 7:30 PM on May 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by rockindata at 7:30 PM on May 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
Open. smell, and then taste.
Minced/diced, they'd probably contribute to some amazing deviled eggs.
posted by yesster at 8:35 PM on May 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
Minced/diced, they'd probably contribute to some amazing deviled eggs.
posted by yesster at 8:35 PM on May 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
I will eat most anything regardless of dates, left out, etc. I would not try these.
posted by AugustWest at 9:00 PM on May 5, 2016
posted by AugustWest at 9:00 PM on May 5, 2016
It depends on how carefully they were packed, but I've eaten tomatoes and pickles at least 25 years old. Hell, I've eaten plum jam in 1996 that was canned in 1958.
So if they were still sealed and you trust her packing, I'd totally go for it.
posted by Tchad at 9:28 PM on May 5, 2016 [4 favorites]
So if they were still sealed and you trust her packing, I'd totally go for it.
posted by Tchad at 9:28 PM on May 5, 2016 [4 favorites]
Ew. No. And I'm almost always an Eat It person.
posted by emd3737 at 11:23 PM on May 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by emd3737 at 11:23 PM on May 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
I probably wouldn't (and I do a bunch of home canning).
I doubt they would actually make you sick (as long as the seal is intact when you open them and they smell ok), though, so you could try them and see what you think...
(But yeah, I'd toss'em)
posted by leahwrenn at 7:28 AM on May 6, 2016
I doubt they would actually make you sick (as long as the seal is intact when you open them and they smell ok), though, so you could try them and see what you think...
(But yeah, I'd toss'em)
posted by leahwrenn at 7:28 AM on May 6, 2016
Response by poster: LOL thanks for the suggestions and advice. They are not refrigerator pickles. They have never been opened.
We'll give them a go tomorrow and I'll post an update - eating them on a work night seemed like a worse idea ;)
posted by Calzephyr at 2:41 PM on May 6, 2016
We'll give them a go tomorrow and I'll post an update - eating them on a work night seemed like a worse idea ;)
posted by Calzephyr at 2:41 PM on May 6, 2016
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by kellyblah at 5:27 PM on May 5, 2016