Want to enter our pickle makers contest but not sure how to start making pickles?
Believe it or not, making pickles is easier than you think!
Anyone with basic cooking skills can do it. Read the tips and tricks below, separated by category, to get started.
Anyone with basic cooking skills can do it. Read the tips and tricks below, separated by category, to get started.
Best Fridge Pickle
Fridge pickles are the easiest type to make as they don't require any special equipment or monitoring once marinading. Fridge pickles are called that because they go straight into the fridge, where they live until gone. They are not shelf stable (like store bought, sealed jars) which is why they must stay under 40 degrees (typical fridge temp).
Equipment:
Non-reactive container with a tight sealing lid, like a glass jar or plastic container.
Knife, cutting board, ingredients.
Ingredients:
Cucumbers*, white vinegar**, water, salt***, sugar, herbs/spices/flavorings of your choice, pickle crisp (aka Calcium Chloride****)
Fridge pickles are the easiest type to make as they don't require any special equipment or monitoring once marinading. Fridge pickles are called that because they go straight into the fridge, where they live until gone. They are not shelf stable (like store bought, sealed jars) which is why they must stay under 40 degrees (typical fridge temp).
Equipment:
Non-reactive container with a tight sealing lid, like a glass jar or plastic container.
Knife, cutting board, ingredients.
Ingredients:
Cucumbers*, white vinegar**, water, salt***, sugar, herbs/spices/flavorings of your choice, pickle crisp (aka Calcium Chloride****)
* Any firm vegetable can be "pickled" in this way. Consider cauliflower, okra, peppers, carrot slices, onions, etc.
**Any vinegar can be used, but each will have its own flavor profile. Some other common pickling vinegars are malt, apple cider, and rice.
*** Kosher or sea salt is preferred. If using Iodized table salt, scale back the amount by 1/4.
***Pickle Crisp is added to keep pickles crunchy. It's not required, but without it, pickles will become soft after a while.
**Any vinegar can be used, but each will have its own flavor profile. Some other common pickling vinegars are malt, apple cider, and rice.
*** Kosher or sea salt is preferred. If using Iodized table salt, scale back the amount by 1/4.
***Pickle Crisp is added to keep pickles crunchy. It's not required, but without it, pickles will become soft after a while.
Directions:
1) Select cucumbers (or other vegetables) that are fresh and firm. Pickling is an excellent way to make fresh produce last a long time so you want good quality produce to begin with.
2) Wash your produce. Trim off stems, blossom ends, and any soft or unsavory bits.
3) Cut your produce into the shapes and sizes you want your pickles to be in. This can be spears, cubes, slices, etc. You can be fancy and use a mandolin for extra thin slices, or a crinkle cutter for crinkle chips.
4) Add your cleaned and cut produce to your container. Leave about 1 inch of space at the top.
5) Make your marinade. For the most basic recipe, we use a 1:1 ratio of vinegar and water (good quality tap water, filtered, distilled, and bottled water are all fine), plus 1 Tbsp of salt and 1/2 Tbsp of white sugar per cup of vinegar. Mix these ingredients well and pour over your produce, making sure everything is covered. Some recipes say to bring these four ingredients to a simmer, for the salt and sugar to disolve, and let cool before pouring over your produce. We've found that this step is uneccessary and everything will disolve in the fridge in time.
You can add a bit more vinegar and water as needed to reach the appropriate level. Leftover mixture can be stored in the fridge and added to the container as more produce is added, or used to start a new batch in a different container.
6) Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of pickle crisp over the produce, then place the lid on the container and move to the fridge. You will notice the flavor of the produce change within a few hours and get stronger after a few days. Fridge pickles can last indefiitely as long as they are kept below 40 degrees and there are no signs of mold or other pathogens. You can top the container off with new, cleaned and cut produce and more marinade as needed. This is called a perpetual pickle jar!
Additional Notes:
The vinegar and salt are what "pickle" the produce when making fridge pickles. When in high enough concentrations, their properties prevent mold and other pathogens from growing. But always use common sense and discard any pickles that have mold or seem "off".
More sugar can be added for sweeter pickles, but adding too much can allow mold or yeast to grow. You should always have more vinegar and salt than sugar.
You can also flavor your pickles!
Vinegar, salt, and sugar are the most basic fridge pickle recipe, but you can add any number of things to give your pickles a different flavor. Some favorites include:
1) Select cucumbers (or other vegetables) that are fresh and firm. Pickling is an excellent way to make fresh produce last a long time so you want good quality produce to begin with.
2) Wash your produce. Trim off stems, blossom ends, and any soft or unsavory bits.
3) Cut your produce into the shapes and sizes you want your pickles to be in. This can be spears, cubes, slices, etc. You can be fancy and use a mandolin for extra thin slices, or a crinkle cutter for crinkle chips.
4) Add your cleaned and cut produce to your container. Leave about 1 inch of space at the top.
5) Make your marinade. For the most basic recipe, we use a 1:1 ratio of vinegar and water (good quality tap water, filtered, distilled, and bottled water are all fine), plus 1 Tbsp of salt and 1/2 Tbsp of white sugar per cup of vinegar. Mix these ingredients well and pour over your produce, making sure everything is covered. Some recipes say to bring these four ingredients to a simmer, for the salt and sugar to disolve, and let cool before pouring over your produce. We've found that this step is uneccessary and everything will disolve in the fridge in time.
You can add a bit more vinegar and water as needed to reach the appropriate level. Leftover mixture can be stored in the fridge and added to the container as more produce is added, or used to start a new batch in a different container.
6) Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of pickle crisp over the produce, then place the lid on the container and move to the fridge. You will notice the flavor of the produce change within a few hours and get stronger after a few days. Fridge pickles can last indefiitely as long as they are kept below 40 degrees and there are no signs of mold or other pathogens. You can top the container off with new, cleaned and cut produce and more marinade as needed. This is called a perpetual pickle jar!
Additional Notes:
The vinegar and salt are what "pickle" the produce when making fridge pickles. When in high enough concentrations, their properties prevent mold and other pathogens from growing. But always use common sense and discard any pickles that have mold or seem "off".
More sugar can be added for sweeter pickles, but adding too much can allow mold or yeast to grow. You should always have more vinegar and salt than sugar.
You can also flavor your pickles!
Vinegar, salt, and sugar are the most basic fridge pickle recipe, but you can add any number of things to give your pickles a different flavor. Some favorites include:
- Whole black peppercorns, mustard seed, and coriander seed
- Minced garlic (fresh, jarred, or dry)
- Sliced onion (or dried, minced onion)
- Fresh dill sprigs (note that if you use dried dill leaf your pickles will be covered in it, and although tasty, they might look less appetizing) or dried dill seed.
- Fresh or dried bay leaf
- Pre-mixed pickling spice (usually includes a combination of mustard seed, clove, allspice berries, coriander seed, peppercorns, etc.)
- Other ideas include fresh ginger, powdered turmeric (for a yellow color), red pepper flakes or fresh peppers (mild or hot), sprigs of rosemary, cumin seed, star anise, caraway seed, etc. Whole seeds work better than ground spices. Use your imagination! But, if you do not like the flavor of something in other dishes, you probably won't like it in pickles either.
Best Fermented Pickle
Most of the pickles you get at a deli are lacto-fermented. Similar to kimchi, fermented pickles have a sour profile that is not that salty. Lacto-fermentation is a natural process that takes place over time, when the correct conditions are created. Like fridge pickles, many firm vegetables can be lacto-fermented. One of the most common is fresh sour kraut!
Lacto-fermentation only requires two ingredients in addition to your veggies: Salt and water. All produce naturally has good bacteria present in it, which is what does the work of lacto-fermentation. Fermentation is a biologic process that takes place in a closed container and creates a common gas by-product: carbon dioxide. Because of this, fermented pickles need to be "burped" to prevent bubbling over (or worse). You can also use an air-lock lid, which allows carbon dioxide to escape without allowing other things in. Fermented pickles can be made in anywhere from 3-4 days, to a week or two, or even longer. The longer they ferment, the stronger the sour, "funky" flavor will be.
Equipment:
Non-reactive container with a tight sealing lid, like a glass jar or plastic container.
Knife, cutting board, ingredients. An air-lock lid and fermentation weights are optional.
Ingredients:
Cucumbers*, salt**, water, herbs/spices/flavorings of your choice, pickle crisp (aka Calcium Chloride***)
Directions:
Steps 1-2 are the same as for fridge pickles. Fermented pickles (or other veggies) should be left whole, except for removing the blossom ends. Once your veggies are clean and prepped, place them in a container with a tight fitting lid, like a mason jar. Leave 1 inch of headroom at the top.
3) Make your brine. If you plan to ferment your pickles for less than a week, you should aim for a 3% salt brine. This means that in a solution that is 100 ml total, 3 ml (mg) of it will be salt. An easier way to calculate this is to use 1-1/4 tsp of salt for every 1 cup of water. If you want to ferment your pickles longer, aim for a solution that is 4.5% salt, or use 1-3/4 tsp of salt for every cup of water. Mix your salt and water well, then pour over your veggies. Add 1/2 tsp of pickle crisp.
4) The veggies needs to be completely submerged to prevent bad bacteria from growing, so place a fermention weight on top, or fill a zipper bag with some water and place on top like a weight. Close the lid and place the container in a cool, dark place for a minimum of 3 days (3% brine), and up to 3 weeks (4.5% brine).
5) Remember to burp your container daily, unless you are using an air-lock container. Taste the brine periodically to track how the flavor is developing.
6) When your pickles are close to your desired sourness, move them to the fridge. The cooler temperature will slow the fermentation process. Fermented pickles can be kept in the fridge indefinitly, however adding new, non-fermented cucumbers will not become fermented in the fridge.
Additional Notes:
When fermenting, a cloudy brine is normal and good. However green or black mold is bad and the entire jar should be discarded. Sometimes you will see a pink film on top. This is yeast, and although it's technically not dangerous, it's best to discard these jars as well.
Don't forget the flavor! Just like fridge pickles, different ingredients can be added to add additional flavor profiles to your pickles. Fresh, whole garlic cloves, fresh, whole peppers, bay leaves, and fresh sprigs of dill or dill flowers are common additions. Also consider a piece of horseradish, ginger, or tumeric. Use your immagination, but stick to whole additions (not crushed or sliced).
Most of the pickles you get at a deli are lacto-fermented. Similar to kimchi, fermented pickles have a sour profile that is not that salty. Lacto-fermentation is a natural process that takes place over time, when the correct conditions are created. Like fridge pickles, many firm vegetables can be lacto-fermented. One of the most common is fresh sour kraut!
Lacto-fermentation only requires two ingredients in addition to your veggies: Salt and water. All produce naturally has good bacteria present in it, which is what does the work of lacto-fermentation. Fermentation is a biologic process that takes place in a closed container and creates a common gas by-product: carbon dioxide. Because of this, fermented pickles need to be "burped" to prevent bubbling over (or worse). You can also use an air-lock lid, which allows carbon dioxide to escape without allowing other things in. Fermented pickles can be made in anywhere from 3-4 days, to a week or two, or even longer. The longer they ferment, the stronger the sour, "funky" flavor will be.
Equipment:
Non-reactive container with a tight sealing lid, like a glass jar or plastic container.
Knife, cutting board, ingredients. An air-lock lid and fermentation weights are optional.
Ingredients:
Cucumbers*, salt**, water, herbs/spices/flavorings of your choice, pickle crisp (aka Calcium Chloride***)
Directions:
Steps 1-2 are the same as for fridge pickles. Fermented pickles (or other veggies) should be left whole, except for removing the blossom ends. Once your veggies are clean and prepped, place them in a container with a tight fitting lid, like a mason jar. Leave 1 inch of headroom at the top.
3) Make your brine. If you plan to ferment your pickles for less than a week, you should aim for a 3% salt brine. This means that in a solution that is 100 ml total, 3 ml (mg) of it will be salt. An easier way to calculate this is to use 1-1/4 tsp of salt for every 1 cup of water. If you want to ferment your pickles longer, aim for a solution that is 4.5% salt, or use 1-3/4 tsp of salt for every cup of water. Mix your salt and water well, then pour over your veggies. Add 1/2 tsp of pickle crisp.
4) The veggies needs to be completely submerged to prevent bad bacteria from growing, so place a fermention weight on top, or fill a zipper bag with some water and place on top like a weight. Close the lid and place the container in a cool, dark place for a minimum of 3 days (3% brine), and up to 3 weeks (4.5% brine).
5) Remember to burp your container daily, unless you are using an air-lock container. Taste the brine periodically to track how the flavor is developing.
6) When your pickles are close to your desired sourness, move them to the fridge. The cooler temperature will slow the fermentation process. Fermented pickles can be kept in the fridge indefinitly, however adding new, non-fermented cucumbers will not become fermented in the fridge.
Additional Notes:
When fermenting, a cloudy brine is normal and good. However green or black mold is bad and the entire jar should be discarded. Sometimes you will see a pink film on top. This is yeast, and although it's technically not dangerous, it's best to discard these jars as well.
Don't forget the flavor! Just like fridge pickles, different ingredients can be added to add additional flavor profiles to your pickles. Fresh, whole garlic cloves, fresh, whole peppers, bay leaves, and fresh sprigs of dill or dill flowers are common additions. Also consider a piece of horseradish, ginger, or tumeric. Use your immagination, but stick to whole additions (not crushed or sliced).
Best Not-a-cucumber Pickle
This category is open for interpretation! You can enter the contest uding either technique on any produce that isn't a cucumber. Some common items are: cauliflower, garlic, onions, green beans, asparagus, beets, peppers, peaches, squash, strawberries, fennel bulb, a mixture of different things, and more!
This category is open for interpretation! You can enter the contest uding either technique on any produce that isn't a cucumber. Some common items are: cauliflower, garlic, onions, green beans, asparagus, beets, peppers, peaches, squash, strawberries, fennel bulb, a mixture of different things, and more!
