Who doesn’t love a good pickle? I know I do, and what makes it even better is when it is made fresh with produce straight from your garden! Fresh summer vegetables always have such a robust flavor in comparison to store bought and will always make for the best pickles! Cucumbers are not the only vegetable that makes for a great pickle either. Okra, Carrots, Onions, Garlic, Peppers, Eggs… you name it, and it can probably be pickled! The good news is pickling is actually quite simple and easy to customize to your liking.
What Is Pickling?
In simple terms, pickling is simply the process of preserving food by means of fermentation in brine or immersion in vinegar. There are one of two ways which you can go about pickling. The method you use really just depends on how much time you have on your hands and when you plan to consume your pickles. “Quick Pickles” are made by taking a boiling mixture of vinegar, salt, and spices and pouring over your produce and refrigerating. Depending on the recipe you use, these are typically ready to consume within a week or two and sometimes even the next day depending on the recipe. However, of course, the longer you let your produce marinate in the brine the more pungent the flavor will be. “Slow Pickles” take a little longer to prepare. With these, you will want to soak your vegetables in salt water seasoned to your liking or by your recipe’s instructions for at least a week or more at room temperature. By using this process, you will allow your pickles to ferment naturally which results in a bacteria known as Lactobacillus to form. This bacterium is responsible for the sour taste in pickles. Once the process is complete, simply transfer the pickles to a sterile jar and seal. You can refrigerate afterwards, or water bath can your jars to make them shelf stable.
How to Pickle - Step by Step
- First you will want to select the produce you are going to use. Like stated above, fresh is always best but use whatever you have on hand. If you are following a recipe, it may tell you specifically what produce to use, or you can use a basic brine recipe over your choice of veggies. The pickling process is really just trial and error to see what you like best. When choosing the brand of vinegar, you plan to use, do make sure that it has an acidity of at least 5% or above or else the pickles will not be safe. I find that garlic, onions, and peppers are a great addition to most pickles.
- Second, choose your recipe and prepare your brine. Please ensure that whatever brine recipe you choose to use, that you are following it exactly as it is written. By making adjustments to the ratios of your salt and vinegar, you are opening up the risk for a toxic bacterium (Botulinum) to form. Another thing I should mention, is that if your recipe calls for a specific type of salt, you should make sure to use that. Do not use iodized salt if your recipe calls for sea salt. I highly suggest reading “The complete guide to Home Canning ” if it is your first time canning or even keeping a copy of it in your kitchen for quick referencing.
- Go ahead and wash and cut your veggies to your desired size. Once cut, pack them into your sterilized jars. Some people prefer to blanch things such as green beans and carrots before pickling to give them a nice vibrant color, but this is not a necessary step by any means.
- Next you will want to add your spices. This is the part where you can really get creative. If you are making dill pickles, fresh dill is always great. Red pepper flakes are my favorite spice to use for spicy pickles. Fresh garlic cloves can also add great flavor to your jars. Tannins are the key to achieving a crispy pickle. I prefer to use bay leaves as they are easy to come by and full of tannins but there are many plants out there that contain tannins that you could substitute this for. Just pour your spices and aromatics over your veggies and tuck a bay leaf or two down the side of your jar.
- Now, just pour your brine into your jars leaving one inch headspace and seal. If you plan to water bath, now would be the time to so. If not, just wait for your jars to come to room temperature before placing in your refrigerator.