Quoted from san j

I'm still waiting to find out how those squash pickles turn out...

I'm in the midstage of the first batch. I peeled and cubed 9 pints of squash tonight. As usual I had to make a store run so the actual canning will have to be tomorrow. I do need to know how long a sprig of oregano is though.

I'd say a sprig should be about 4-5 inches long and not too bushy or too many side shoots.

Thanks Brighid!

Quoted Text

The recipe calls for 2 sprigs in each pint jar. Each sprig should be no taller than the jar, I reckon, even though they're pliable.
Fresh oregano is very, very pervasive. It tends to over-power a product, I learned the hard way. And the fact that there'll be vinegar in there means the herb's essential oil will be all the more extracted into the "brine". So I'd err on the side of meagerness/shortness.  

I'm quoting myself from your September thread in which you posed the same question. "Err on the side of meagerness/shortness." This can be an overpowering herb. In answer to your question, above:

Quoted from gulfcoastguy

I do need to know how long a sprig of oregano is though.

Quoted from san j

I'm still waiting to find out how those squash pickles turn out...

The jars are cooling right now. Salting the squash and letting it sit really firms up the texture. The pickles will be ready in 3 weeks.

Give us a holler, y'hear?  

Quoted from san j

Give us a holler, y'hear?  

8 pints in this batch. Whoever started $elling white wine vinegar in 12.75 ounce bottles $$$$. I needed 1/2 cup from the last expensive bottle. Well the honey wan't real cheap either since I used local honey from the farmers market.

Quoted from Brighid45

I'd say a sprig should be about 4-5 inches long and not too bushy or too many side shoots.

lol, just popped onto the board and the first thing I see is delightful little you guesstimating proper sprig length.  I love this place.  

Well it is confusing trying to figure out non-standardized measurements, so this was just my suggestion, but I understand what you mean Can't wait to see how those pickles turn out.

I ended up not putting the actual sprigs in the jars. In the recipe you put the honey, vinegar and spices in a pot and bring them to a boil for 10 minutes before ladling over the squash stuffed jars. Then just hot wat processing the jars for 10 minutes. You don't want to actually cook the squash just seal the jars. Since I ened up puting the spices and liquid into a crockpot to heat it for 2 hours instead I thought enough of the essence was in the liquid and the jars would be more attractive without "weeds" in them. BTW salting the squash chunks like some people do eggplant really firms it up.

Quoted from gulfcoastguy

I ended up not putting the actual sprigs in the jars.

Glad to see that. That whole sprig-length thing was a question mark that had the potential to ruin your pickle.

I once ruined a dish, for a big party, with fresh oregano - it's that serious.

You can always season the pickled squash after the 3 weeks are up, when you have more control. And, to that end, you can always use dried oregano, too, which is much easier to work with...  

Oh I boiled the oregano in the pickling mixture, I just strained it back out before packing the jars.

Quoted from gulfcoastguy

Oh I boiled the oregano in the pickling mixture, I just strained it back out before packing the jars.

Even so. This may have saved your pickle.
It's having the sprigs of fresh oregano leeching into the blend - especially being drawn out by the vinegar - for three weeks that might have botched the batch. This is a highly volatile herb. I think it was irresponsible of the recipe's author to be so vague about quantity with such an ingredient. The tiniest snippet (as in 1" long or less) per jar would probably suffice.

Quoted from Brighid45

Well it is confusing trying to figure out non-standardized measurements, so this was just my suggestion, but I understand what you mean Can't wait to see how those pickles turn out.

You are darn tootin' it is confusing to figure out sprig length, which is why I sincerely meant I love this place for being the only place I know of where it is being discussed. Hey, you could do one of those 3-ish minute PBS informative pieces on food/cooking tips, and the segment could be called ... wait for it ... "Brig on Sprigs".

Quoted from Peppermint Twist

You are darn tootin' it is confusing to figure out sprig length, which is why I sincerely meant I love this place for being the only place I know of where it is being discussed.

Apropos:

I was watching YouTubes of World Class Chefs cooking.
I think it was Eric Ripert making rabbit, but it might have been someone else.

And - guess what? He was adding sprigs of an herb to the dish in the pan, and the "sprigs" were no more than 2 inches long.

My guess is that the length of the sprig should be proportionate to the volatility of the essential oils in the fresh herb. Oregano and rosemary, for instance, are highly volatile; a long sprig, or branch, would quickly overpower a dish. Dill, on the other hand, is very mild, and it would take a lot more of it to do so.

Therefore, sprig length should really, in the recipes of responsible writers/editors, be specified.

Quoted from san j

Apropos:

I was watching YouTubes of World Class Chefs cooking.
I think it was Eric Ripert making rabbit, but it might have been someone else.

And - guess what? He was adding sprigs of an herb to the dish in the pan, and the "sprigs" were no more than 2 inches long.

My guess is that the length of the sprig should be proportionate to the volatility of the essential oils in the fresh herb. Oregano and rosemary, for instance, are highly volatile; a long sprig, or branch, would quickly overpower a dish. Dill, on the other hand, is very mild, and it would take a lot more of it to do so.

Therefore, sprig length should really, in the recipes of responsible writers/editors, be specified.

Good point!  At least, I think it was a good point--I forgot my glasses again today (did the same thing last week, and am now starting to wonder seriously about my brain, function-wise), so I can barely make out the words on the computer screen  .  But I think your point is:  sprig length would depend on both the specific herb and the specific recipe.  And if that is your point, it is a stellar one!

I bought another jar of local honey at the Peter Anderson Art Festival this weekend. So I might make another batch of winter squash pickles. I just wish white wine vinegar wasn't quite so expensive but I have everything else allready on hand.
I'm going to seriously test the "if it fits it ships" boxes from UPS. Another site that I'm on has a Hollerday gift exchange. I'm including my sweet and spicey winter squash pickle, my fig bbque sauce, a cd including 8 pages of my recipes, a local cook book, lotion and soap, and a blown glass pendant. The cushening will be rosemary sprigs from my bush since she uses it for crafting.

Quoted from Peppermint Twist

Good point!  At least, I think it was a good point--I forgot my glasses again today (did the same thing last week, and am now starting to wonder seriously about my brain, function-wise), so I can barely make out the words on the computer screen  .  But I think your point is:  sprig length would depend on both the specific herb and the specific recipe.  And if that is your point, it is a stellar one!

PT: I don't think leaving your glasses at home is reason to doubt your brain-function  
And you should be able to "zoom in" on the print, anyway, so ... why the reading trouble? No need to wonder - just enlarge the print. I'm such a techno-newbie and I'm instructing YOU?  

Anyway, glad you found the content of my post helpful.

Quoted from san j

botched the batch.

Something about that phrase jumped out at me. I should make up a tongue-twister that includes the phrase.

Butch botched the batch of...um, the next word coming to mind is something about mommy dogs and I don't think it would go through the website's filter intact.

Quoted from ruthiegirl

Something about that phrase jumped out at me. I should make up a tongue-twister that includes the phrase.

Butch botched the batch of...um, the next word coming to mind is something about mommy dogs and I don't think it would go through the website's filter intact.

Haha!!

Maybe you could use belch instead  

Ah, I think I got it!

Butch botched the batch of boiled beans by belching.

Quoted from ruthiegirl

Ah, I think I got it!

Butch botched the batch of boiled beans by belching.

I like it!

Sounds like what would have happened to Peter Piper after he finished eating up that peck of pickled peppers I reckon - he should have got a Swami!

SWAMI, how I love ya how I love ya, my dear ol' SWAMI.  

Quoted from ruthiegirl

Something about that phrase jumped out at me. I should make up a tongue-twister that includes the phrase.

Butch botched the batch of...um, the next word coming to mind is something about mommy dogs and I don't think it would go through the website's filter intact.

Butch botched the batch of butterscotch!

(Sometimes, I amaze myself!)

Okay, look, gcg. You've been teasing us long enough with this pickled butternut squash fantasy. We want the results, and we want 'em NOW.