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It’s summer and that means it’s time for lots of yummy and fresh (and cheap!) produce. You can enjoy it all year long when you can and preserve.
If you’ve ever canned before, you probably know that it can be somewhat of a big process. If you’re not feeling the canning thing, try quick pickling! It’s a great way to keep your produce around a little bit longer (and perfect for snacking).
Quick Pickling Pros:
-no expensive or complicated equipment is required
-you can use up excess produce
-basically any vegetable can be quick pickled
-you don’t need to have a ton of produce for it to work
-it’s easy to customize your recipe
Tip: Head to your local Farmer’s Market or farm to get the best prices on produce. You can learn more about that in my Shopping at the Farmer’s Market post.
How to Quick Pickle:
The idea with a quick pickle is that by pouring a pickling brine over your cut up veggies in a jar, you’ll be able to enjoy them for a few months longer.
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups white vinegar
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed and cut in half
- 2 tbsp salt
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 1 pound vegetables
Directions
- This recipe will work for about a pound of vegetables.
- Cut your vegetables up to your preference. For example, you could cut cucumbers into spears or slices.
- Divide your vegetables between jars (with this recipe, you'll probably need 2 of the larger mason jars).
- In a pot over high heat, add the water, vinegar, garlic, salt, sugar, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil and allow the salt and sugar to dissolve.
- Pour the brine mixture into the jars over the vegetables. Seal the jar with the lid and allow it to cool to room temperate.
- Store the pickles in the refrigerator (they can last up to 2 months there). They will be ready to eat at any time, but they'll taste best if you let them sit for a day or so in the fridge before you pop them open to eat.
Notes:
-This is not a traditional canning method. In other words, you can’t let these quick pickles sit out at room temperature or they’ll go bad.
-You can switch up your brine recipe and use whatever ingredients you’d like. Try whole coriander, whole mustard seeds, fresh herb sprigs, or ginger.
-Quick pickles are also called new pickles or refrigerator pickles. They are great on their own for snacking, but they’re also great alongside barbecue, on a hot dog, or tossed in a pasta salad.
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