I wouldn't give up on them. Even without the boiling water at cool temps cucumbers can sit more than a week with nothing happening.

If there's a problem with your cucumbers you'll smell it or see it. They'll be soft or slimy, will smell nasty. Otherwise I'd just give it more time.

Carol

Laura,

I would inoculate the fermentation asap. Sourdough hooch or kefir whey.

The cukes do not need to be fresh. Pick the cukes, wash them & let sit for a few days so natural bacteria can get started growing on the outer surface again.

jt

Just to clarify, my reason for suggesting to add a few new cukes to the batch is that cukes are the source of lactic acid bacteria when making fermented pickles. I rather doubt that the boiling brine destroyed all the bacteria, but it probably didn't do them any good.

Jim

Jim,

I'm just guessing that the boiling brine did destroy all or most of the bacteria. Kinda a newbie at fermenting (less than a year) so might be wrong.

I thought your add new cuke suggestion to be right on.

jt

Okay...so I checked them last night when I got home from work. I took them out and took a really good look at them. They were toast :( They were all shrivled up and a bit soft to squishy in parts :(

I keep them downstairs because the temp is just about perfect for them. We try not to use the AC when we arn't home, so it will get about 85+ on the main floor...downstairs never gets warmer than about 75, even on the hottest days!

Oh well...I got a new batch I just started which should do fine if I'm lucky.

I also found my first ripe Brandywine tomato today!!! I had to fight the pumpkin vine to get to it, but it looks great!

Thanks again for all the help :)

I wish you luck with the next batch. Fermented dills are a wonderful treat. Not the easiest to make, but worth the effort.

Jim

I'm sorry to hear the first batch didn't turn out, but I'm glad you're starting a second one. Once you have the first successful batch under your belt you'll be hooked.

Carol

If they were soft, they were cooked. A shame, but a great learning experience. I still encourage you to innoculate your future ferments.

Was emailing back and forth with another fermenter yesterday who is doing dills. Can't wait to start a new batch myself. Not sure if I can find suitable gherkins any time soon, but will be looking.

Good luck with the new batch and please keep us posted.

jt

For useable pickling cukes you need to grow them yourself or buy them from a farm stand or farmer's market. I've never seen a good one in a supermarket. By the time they get through the distribution process they are old and dehydrated.

Jim