Vinegar-Based Pickling:
Pickling is a great way to extend the life of the vegetables you grow. It also happens to add a deliciously sour, tangy zing that’s fun to enjoy independently or as part of a dish. “Quick Pickling” with vinegar is the easiest way of doing it. The process uses the acidy of vinegar to preserve your vegetables. Over time, foods pickled with vinegar will lose some of their nutritional value, but that doesn’t mean they won’t stay delicious and crunchy over time.
What Can Be Pickled:
You can pickle any fruit or vegetable you want. Cucumbers and peppers are popular favorites, but many folks enjoy pickling beans, radishes, squash, tomatoes and much more as well. I’ve heard that even pickled strawberries provide a unique and tasty treat.
How to Pickle:
A basic pickling brine only requires a few basic ingredients:
- 1 Cup of Water
- 1 Cup of Vinegar (white vinegar, white wine vinegar or cider vinegar)
- 1 Tablespoon of Kosher or Pickling Salt
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
- You may also want to add items like garlic, peppercorns, dried herbs or mustard seeds to provide unique flavors
While you’re bringing your brine to a boil, place your veggies in an empty glass jar. When your brine begins to boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Then, after letting your brine cool slightly for ~10 minutes, pour it into the jar with your veggies, seal it and place it in the fridge. Now you can enjoy your pickled veggies in a few hours, or in a few months.
More Tips on Pickling:
- Many folks like to roast or dry vegetables before pickling them. This can bring out new flavors.
- If you’d like to preserve your vegetables as long as possible, you can Brine them before you pickle them. The extra salt helps with the preservation of your pickled items, and can help with the taste and crispiness as well.
- Some of your vegetables may change color from being pickled. Blanching them in boiled water for 2-3 minutes, and then placing them in an ice bath will help to preserve their color. The type of vinegar you choose will also impact color. Distilled white vinegar and white wine vinegar will lead to the least discoloration.
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FAQs
Instructions
- Add sliced vegetables to a mason jar or glass container. Set aside.
- To a small saucepan add vinegar of choice, water, salt, and sugar. ...
- Pour the brine over the vegetables, ensuring they are fully submerged. ...
- Seal well and shake to combine. ...
- Will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks (sometimes longer).
The basic method is to pack your fresh produce & any other spices into sterilized canning jars, pour a vinegar-based pickling brine into the jars to completely submerge the produce, and then preserve the jars with the water bath canning method. Certain produce, like asparagus, is blanched before pickling.
What is the 321 method of pickling? ›
An easy pickling recipe to follow is the 3-2-1 method; three parts water, two parts vinegar, and one part sugar. This 3-2-1 pickle brine is on the sweeter side, making it great for bread and butter pickles or spicy pickled beets. For a more savory pickle, use less sugar.
Which vinegar is best for pickling vegetables? ›
Most pickle recipes call for distilled white vinegar. This is the clear, colorless vinegar made by fermenting grains. It has a mellow aroma, tart acid flavor and does not affect the color of light-colored vegetables or fruits.
How long does it take a cucumber to turn into a pickle? ›
Top the cucumbers with a few stacked lids or a resealable plastic bag filled with extra brine to keep them submerged. Place the airlock on top and secure it to the jar with the band. Store in a cool area (between 60 and 75F [15 and 24C]) for 3 to 5 days, or until the cucumbers taste like pickles.
Can you pickle vegetables without canning them? ›
You can pickle pretty much any veggie in the refrigerator: tomatillos, carrots, okra, beets, peppers, turnips, avocado. Then jazz them up with some seasonings, such as pickling spice, garlic and fresh dill. That's the beauty of making pickles at home.
How to pickle beginners? ›
How to Make Pickles
- Slice your cucumbers as desired.
- Whisk together a basic brine made of water, vinegar and seasonings.
- Pack the cucumbers into a jar, add some dill and garlic, and pour the brine over it all.
- Refrigerate until the pickles taste sufficiently “pickled!”
Do not use recycled commercial jars or old-style home-canning jars. They can break in the canning process. Use new jar lids for a tight seal. To avoid rust, screw bands should be removed from processed jars that are stored.
What are the three basic ingredients in pickling? ›
They are simply vegetables that are pickled in a vinegar, water, and salt (sometimes sugar, too) solution and stored in the refrigerator. Quick pickles don't develop the deep flavor that fermented pickles do, but they also only require a few days in the brine before they can be enjoyed.
How to pickle quickly? ›
Quick pickles are made by adding hot brine to fresh veggies and letting them sit in the fridge. You can eat them almost immediately for a crunchy, lightly flavored snack, but they're best if you give them at least 24 hours. For true pickle flavor, wait a week.
You take all of your ingredients, apart from the product that is being pickled, and bring them to a boil. The heating process helps activate the flavors in the brine and marry them together. This hot brine is then poured over what is to be pickled and then stored in the refrigerator.
How many parts of vinegar to water for pickling? ›
The Basics of Making Refrigerator Pickles
The basic ratio for quick pickles is 1:1 vinegar to water, and includes some combination of salt and sugar. Another ratio that is commonly followed is the 3:2:1 method, using three parts vinegar, two parts water, and 1 part sugar.
Can you pickle with just vinegar? ›
Vinegar-based pickles are the most common form of pickling. Cut vegetables are submerged in just boiled vinegar brine. This process destroys the natural culture and rich enzymes. The acidic nature of denatured vinegar does the preserving.
How long does it take to pickle vegetables? ›
The actual process of pickling takes as little as 10 minutes. Then you should allow your pickles to rest in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours before serving. Although for best flavor, let them brine for 24 hours before serving.
What vegetables are good pickled? ›
Beyond the classic cucumbers, other fruits and vegetables that work well for pickles include asparagus, beets, bell peppers, blueberries, cauliflower, carrots, cherries, fennel, ginger, grapes, green beans, mushrooms, onions, parsnips, peaches, peppers, radishes, ramps, rhubarb, strawberries, squash, tomatoes, turnips, ...
How long do home pickled vegetables last? ›
How long do pickled vegetables last? Your quick pickled vegetables will last at least three to four weeks in the fridge, possibly longer if unopened. Pickles that have gone through the correct water bath canning process will typically keep for about a year.
How do chefs quickly pickle vegetables? ›
Place the vinegar, water, salt, and sugar (if using) in a small saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar. Pour the brine over the vegetables, filling each jar to within 1/2 inch of the top.
Is it worth it to make your own pickles? ›
They're the perfect little summertime project, if you even want to call it that. These pickles are ready after a short chill in the refrigerator (as little as one hour), and they keep for several weeks. These pickles are tangy and refreshing, nice and crisp, and offer garden-fresh flavor.
Are homemade pickled vegetables good for you? ›
Not only are they delicious but they're packed full of minerals, vitamins and good bacteria. Pickles have a high concentration of vitamins such as Vitamin K, Vitamin C and Vitamin A, this is due to water being drawn out of the pickles by the salty brine they are pickled in.
