quick pickling guide + pickling spice

Quick pickling is one of the easiest food preservation methods. Quick pickles, or refrigerator pickles, use vinegar to inhibit bacterial growth (=preserve) and are stored in the fridge. The brine contains equal parts vinegar and water, along with salt, sugar, and spices. This is an endlessly adaptable formula for any combination of vinegar, herbs, spices, and vegetables.

vegetables for quick pickling

Nearly any vegetable makes a great quick pickle. And most require no preparation beyond cleaning and cutting into your desired shape. For green beans and asparagus, blanch the vegetables before pickling to achieve the best looking pickles. To blanch, boil the vegetables in salted water until crisp tender (2-3 minutes), then drain and submerge veggies in an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Prior to pickling, boil beets until tender and peel.

preparing vegetables

• spears, julienned, or sliced- cucumber, carrot, celeriac, radish, parsnip, cucumber, zucchini, red onion, ginger, celery, sunchokes
• whole: green/wax beans, asparagus, cherry tomatoes
• bite-sized pieces- cauliflower

• blanched: green/wax beans, asparagus
• cooked until tender: beets

spices and flavoring

Pickling spice contains a blend of whole spices that go with any vegetable pickle. I like to make a big batch so I always have some on hand.

Print Pin Recipe

5 from 1 vote

pickling spice

Author: Beet Season

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp bay leaves
• 1 tbsp cardamom pods
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 tbsp mustard seeds
• 1 tbsp allspice
• 1 tbsp corriander seeds
• 1 tbsp black peppercorns

Instructions

• Crush bay leaves, cardamom pods, and cinnamon sticks in mortar and pestle (or pulse briefly in food processor/spice grinder).
• Combine bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamom pieces with all remaining ingredients and store spice blend in a cool, dry place.

Notes

Makes 1/2 c pickling spice

other ways to flavor

• fresh and dried herbs: dill, rosemary, thyme, oregano
• garlic
• ginger
• ground spices- turmeric and paprika add great color and flavor

classic flavor combinations

• cucumber + dill + garlic
• green beans + dill + garlic
• carrots + coriander + turmeric
• beets + shallots + rosemary

quick pickling brine

vinegar

Any light colored (white, apple cider, champagne, white wine, rice) vinegar works well for pickling, alone or in combination. I like equal parts vinegar and water, but you can adjust the ratio to your liking.

salt

You want to avoid using salt that contains any type of additives such as iodine or anti-caking agents. These can discolor your pickles and make the brine cloudy. Pickling salt is additive free, and it’s fine texture lets it dissolve easily in the brine. I prefer to use fine sea salt, which is less refined than pickling salt and so contains trace minerals like magnesium and calcium.

sugar

Pickling brines typically include white sugar or honey. I prefer to use white sugar for pickling, but again, use what you prefer.

Print Pin Recipe

5 from 1 vote

quick pickle any vegetable

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Author: Beet Season

Ingredients

• 1 lb vegetables washed and preppared as needed
• 1 tbsp pickling spice

brine

• 1½ c vinegar single or combination of vinegars
• 1½ c water
• ¼ c sugar
• 1 tbsp fine sea salt (16 g)

optional flavors

• 1 inch ginger unpeeled and thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic peeled and smashed or thinly sliced
• 3 sprigs fresh herbs
• 1 tsp dry herbs or ground spcies

Instructions

• Pack preparred vegetables and any optional flavors into 1-quart jar.
• Add all brine ingredients to small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Add pickling spice, lower heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Pour hot brine into jar with vegetables, leaving ½ inch headspace in the jar.
• Leave jar on the counter to cool to room temperature, then seal and place the jar in the fridge. Refridgerate 2-7 days before serving.

Notes

Yield: 1 quart

Pickles will last in the fridge for up to 2 months