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Pickles add flavor to any foods they are served with. Pickle recipes are straightforward and easy to follow. Learn more about how to make pickles by reading this guide!
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Good Eats: ''American Pickle''
This Food Network clip features Alton Brown discussing pickles, and encouraging people to learn how to make their own pickles, rather than relying on what they can find in the supermarket. In addition to general information about pickles, he prepares several different varieties of pickle, including Kinda Sorta Sours, Firecrackers, Summer Fruits, and Hurry Curry Cauliflower.
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Introduction
Almost any type of fruit or vegetable can be pickled. Pickles are brined and soaked in vinegar; fruit pickles and relishes may be cooked in a sweet and sour syrup. Pickles can be refrigerated or processed in a hot water bath for longer storage. Processed pickles are usually softer, losing some of the pickles' characteristic crispness. -
Step 1: What You Need to Make Pickles
- Vegetables and Fruits: Use fresh vegetables, free of blemishes and bruises. Do not use cucumbers with waxed skins.
- Vinegar with at least 4-6% acidity
- Water: Soft water works better for pickling.
- Salt: Table salt is fine, but make sure to use uniodized salt as the iodine will darken the pickles.
- Spices and herbs as specified by the recipe
- Sterilized jars to store the pickles in the refrigerator, or use for processing in a hot water bath canner.
Step 2: How to Make Bread and Butter Pickles
- Makes 4 pints of bread and butter pickles:
Ingredients for Bread and Butter Pickles
- 6 cups thinly sliced unwaxed cucumbers
- 1 pound thinly sliced onions
- 1 green pepper, shredded
- 1/4 cup uniodized salt
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves
- 1 tablespoon mustard seed
- 1 teaspoon celery seed
- 2 cups cider vinegar
- 4 pint size canning jars, with lids and bands
How to Make Bread and Butter Pickles
- Mix the cucumbers, onions, peppers, and salt in a large bowl.
- Cover and let sit for 3 hours.
- Drain the vegetables and rinse with cold water.
- Combine remaining ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil.
- Boil for 5 minutes.
- Add the drained vegetables and bring the syrup almost to boiling.
- Remove from heat and pour pickles into sterilized jars.
- Seal and refrigerate or process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.
How to Make Dill Pickles
- Makes 8 quarts of dill pickles:
Ingredients for Dill Pickles
- 50 3-4 inch long unwaxed cucumbers
- 1 quart cider vinegar
- 3/4 cup uniodized salt
- 2 quarts water
- 16 fresh dill springs
- 8 cloves of garlic
- 8 quart size canning jars with bands and lids
How to Make Bread and Butter Pickles
- Put the cucumbers in the sink or a large canning or lobster pot, and cover with cold water.
- Let sit for 8 hours.
- Drain the cucumbers and place them in hot sterilized jars.
- Add two spigs of dill and one garlic clove to each quart jar.
- Combine vinegar, salt, and water in a large pot and bring to a boil.
- Boil for 5 minutes.
- Pour vinegar solution over the cucumbers.
- Seal and refrigerate or process in a hot water bath for 15 minutes.
- Wait at least a week before eating the pickles to allow the flavor to develop
