Did you know that pickling has been a food storage “hack” for thousands of years? Predating the Roman empire, pickling has been a quick and easy way to preserve fruits and vegetables since some of the first known humans lived in Mesopotamia.
Food preservation has come a long way since those days, but pickling remains a popular at-home pastime for those looking to make their end-of-summer produce last through the winter months. Additionally, not only does pickling create long-lasting food storage, it also helps to reduce food waste.
Picking Your Pickle
There are two common types of at-home pickling methods used in the United States–Quick Pickling and Canned Pickling. These methods use similar ingredients to achieve crunchy, salty goodness in just a few steps.
Quick Pickling is the easiest and fastest way to pickle fruits and vegetables. Typically, quick pickles are made by pouring boiling brine over fresh veggies and letting them sit for 2–5 days before serving. Quick pickled ingredients commonly include red onions, jalapeños, carrots, and cauliflower. This method typically uses a small amount of sugar and does not include many additional spices
Canned Pickling takes this process to the next step by utilizing a boiling pot of water to sterilize and seal the pickles, allowing for long-term storage and an extra-flavorful product. This is a common canning technique and many people use mason jars as their canning vessel.
Canned pickles often incorporate additional ingredients to create a more flavorful product. Common additions include dill, garlic, sugar, red pepper flakes, peppercorns, and more. Pickle flavors made using these include dill pickles, bread-and-butter pickles, and sweet pickles.
Pickling Base
One of the most important parts of pickling is ensuring an acidic-enough base to properly preserve the pickled produce. Measurements vary from recipe to recipe, but a standard base is made with equal parts vinegar and water, and for each cup of liquid, 1 teaspoon of salt. This base is used to make the recipes below.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 cups Water
- 4 teaspoons salt
- Bring water, ACV, and salt to a boil
Servings: Makes enough liquid for 3–4 pint sized mason jars
Quick Pickling Recipes
Quick pickles are a great way to infuse acidity and flavor into everyday produce. The recipes below are intended to be made using the most common sized mason jars, pints, but can easily be cut in half or modified to fit different jar sizes.
Quick Pickled Red Onions
Ingredients:
- 1 medium red onion
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup pickling base (boiling hot)
Directions: Add all ingredients to a pint-sized mason jar and mix. Refrigerate for up to two weeks.
Quick Pickled Jalapeños
Ingredients:
- 6 green jalapeños
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup pickling base (boiling hot)
Directions: Slice jalapeños into thin rounds. Add all ingredients to a pint-sized mason jar and mix. Refrigerate for up to two weeks.
Quick Pickled Carrots
Ingredients:
- 2–3 peeled carrots
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup pickling base (boiling hot)
Directions: Slice carrots into thin rounds. Add all ingredients to a pint-sized mason jar and mix. Refrigerate for up to two weeks.
Canned Pickling Recipes
These addictively crunchy pickled green beans and pickles are sure to become a family favorite. Made with fresh produce, chili flakes, and garlic, dill-style pickled vegetables are perfect as a salad topper, charcuterie accompaniment, or served by themselves.
Mom Pro-Tip: When choosing beans for canning, try to find straight, long beans.
Dilly Beans
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs green beans
- 8 cloves garlic
- 8 sprigs fresh dill (or 4 teaspoons dried dill)
- 2 teaspoons chili flakes
- 4 cups pickling base
- 4 mason jars with new lids (must be new to achieve correct seal)
Directions: Trim beans to approximately 4 inches long (need to fit an inch below the rim of a pint-sized mason jar). Save bean trimmings by freezing to add to soups, stir fries, etc. later on. Add two cloves of garlic, two sprigs of dill, and ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes to each jar. Pack beans lengthwise into jars. Pour boiling liquid over beans, leaving ¼ inch of headspace.
Process: Place mason jars in a boiling water bath and let process for 10 minutes before removing and letting cool on the counter. To ensure a good seal, listen for a small “pop” and check lids for a slight bubble in the center. Store for at least two weeks before opening and up to three months.
Dill Pickles
Ingredients:
- 2 large cucumbers
- 8 cloves garlic
- 8 sprigs fresh dill (or 4 teaspoons dried dill)
- 2 teaspoons chili flakes
- 4 cups pickling base
- 4 mason jars with new lids (must be new to achieve correct seal)
Directions: For chips, slice cucumbers into thin ¼ inch rounds. For spears, slice cucumbers into quarters lengthwise and cut to approximately 4 inches long. Add two cloves of garlic, two sprigs of dill, and ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes to each jar. Pack cucumbers into jars. Pour boiling liquid over beans, leaving ¼ inch of headspace.
Process: Place mason jars in a boiling water bath and let process for 10 minutes before removing and letting cool on the counter. To ensure a good seal, listen for a small “pop” and check lids for a slight bubble in the center. Store for at least two weeks before opening and up to three months.
