Edible DIY
By Lucy Norris
Photos by Leah Harb
Pickling is an old-world method of preserving fresh foods with salt or brine solution. Similar to drying or curing, pickling prevents toxic bacteria from growing, which prevents spoilage. These days, ready-made pickles are sold in retail stores, but to me, homemade pickles are far superior. Home pickling is thrifty, delicious, and a great way to extend the bountiful season.
Most cultures around the world have pickling traditions. Think Lebanese preserved lemons, Korean kimchi, Polish sauerkraut, Jewish kosher dills and Mexican pickled jalapeños. Time-honored family recipes have been lovingly saved and passed down through generations. But many folks struggle to follow recipes from cookbooks without the kitchen wisdom learned through shared, hands-on experience. Your first pickling experiment can be daunting, so it’s helpful to understand some basic concepts before getting started.
First, it’s hardly a pickle without salt. Salt controls fermentation; fosters the progression of good bacteria; draws excess, often bitter liquid from food; firms the texture of food (for crunch!); and concentrates and balances a host of herbaceous, sweet, and spicy flavors.
Without salt, fermentation progresses too quickly, and food spoils. Fermentation happens when the safe bacteria in food breaks apart sugars to create lactic acid. Moderate acid production preserves food for an extended time in its partially decomposed form, but too much acid halts the fermentation process.
Pickling, like cooking, requires some preparation and organization. It is common sense to prioritize sanitation when you are handling the equipment. Of course, not every pickle has to be processed in a hot water bath. In fact, many pickle recipes can be stored in the refrigerator in a glass or stainless steel bowl for a couple of weeks. Canning ensures that your homemade pickles are storable at room temperature for about one year, as long as they are sealed.
The equipment has changed little in the last century. To get started, you will need glass Mason jars, screw caps and lids, available in most hardware stores. Make sure your jars and lids are in perfect condition. That means no jar cracks or bent metal parts. Before processing, clean jars, caps and lids with hot water and detergent or by washing them in a dishwasher. This will clean, but not sterilize, jars. Pre-sterilized jars are not necessary for pickling as long as they will be processed 10 minutes or longer in a boiling water canner.
If you do not have a boiling water canner, you can build one by placing a clean, raised rack in a large stock pot. Jars can become too hot and crack if they are in direct contact with the bottom of the pot. Make sure the pot is wide and tall enough so that the water covers the jars by 1 to 2 inches before you bring the water up to at least 180°F. Use a candy thermometer to check the temperature. The water should always read between 160°F and 200°F.
Fill your clean, dry jars using a clean, wide-mouthed jar funnel. Insert a chopstick or plastic knife (if you do not have a bubble freer) to break up any air pockets that could potentially harbor the growth of nasty bacteria. Be sure to pack your jars full, but allow open space at the top. Once your jars are filled, wipe the mouth clean, making sure no food has escaped the funnel. Over the mouth of the jar, place a clean lid and cap. Screw the cap down firmly, but not so tightly that exhaust air cannot escape during processing. Lower the jar with a jar lifter into the hot canner filled with water that has reached at least 180°F, making sure the water clears the jar by 1 to 2 inches. Set the kitchen timer for 10 minutes and wait.
Once processed, lift each jar carefully with rubberized jar tongs and rest them on a dry towel over a flat surface. Gently wipe water from the lid, being careful not to jostle the contents. As the jar cools, the pressure inside the jar will pull the cap down in the center like a vacuum. You may hear a pinging sound as the seal is formed. The caps should be left alone until jars are completely sealed, cooled and ready to store. After about 12 hours or longer, your jars will be cool and the screw caps can be removed for ease of storage.
Yes, you can make homemade pickles without poisoning your family and friends. You must first take a deep breath and commit yourself to a few hours in the kitchen. All ingredients should be inspected for freshness and scrubbed clean. I suggest using garden-fresh produce or seasonal farmers’ market produce. The idea behind pickling is to add shelf life to the freshest, most flavorful produce for year-round enjoyment.
[Recipe: Pickled Carrot Spears with Dill]
Lucy Norris is the author of Pickled: Preserving a World of Tastes and Traditions, a book that emerged from a three-year oral history project with the New York Food Museum. Co-leader of the Slow Food Seattle convivium, she is wild about Northwest food and wine.
