Variations for Pickled Goods
There is so much you can do with pickled goods, and so much you can add and change to create new and exciting flavors.
What is pickling?
Pickling is a preserving process that can be applied to vegetables, meat, fish, eggs, fruit and even nuts.
Fruit
Any fresh fruits can be used! Even veggies too!
Vinegar
vinegar is perhaps the single most important element needed in pickling. Most pickle recipes call for distilled white vinegar, but any basic vinegar is game — white vinegar, apple cider, white wine, and rice vinegar all work well. You can use these vinegars alone or in combination.
White vinegar: This is the clear, colorless vinegar made by fermenting grains. It has a mellow aroma, tart acid flavor and does not affect the color of the light-colored vegetables or fruits.
Apple cider vinegar, made from fermented apple juice with its mellow, fruity flavor that blends well with spices is a good choice as well.
Note: When making regular (canned) pickles, vinegars must have an acetic acid content of at least 5% but quick (refrigerator) pickles are not bound by that constraint.
The general pickling consensus is to steer clear of aged or concentrated vinegars like balsamic or malt vinegar but if you’d like to get creative and experiment with these… I’d love to hear about it in the comments below!
Salt
For pickling as long as the label says “pure” salt (meaning non-iodized salt without additives) you’re all good!
Examples include pickling salt, sea salt, pink salt or kosher salt.
Iodized or table salt is perfectly safe to use in pickling but not recommended because the quality of the pickles can suffer due to the additives in salt. The additives can cause clouding of the brine and discoloration of the pickles, making them look unappetizing.
Sugar
Sugar balances out the vinegar’s sourness, creating a more pleasant, well-rounded flavor. White and brown sugar can be used in the brine. Sugar can also be omitted all together or swapped for honey or another sugar substitute. It’s really a matter of personal preference.
Spices & other Flavor – the most fun part!!!
General rule of thumb for best quality of pickled fruit flavor, use fresh whole spices! Powdered spices may cause the brine to darken and become cloudy but are safe to experiment with – that said ground turmeric or smoked paprika are great for both color and flavor.
Use a store-bought pickling spice or you can make your very own creative combination!
Whole Spices
- hot pepper flakes
- mustard seed
- coriander seed
- fennel seed
- cumin seed
- dill seed
- bay leaves
- cinnamon sticks
- cloves
- black peppercorns
Fresh & Dry Herbs
- dill
- thyme
- oregano
- rosemary
- basil
- marjoram
- lavender
- mint
Other Flavor Additions
- vanilla beam , split in half & seeds scraped out
- ginger, peeled & thinly sliced
- turmeric, peeled & thinly sliced
- garlic cloves, smashed or sliced
- thai or other chilies
- shallots
- lemongrass
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