By Deborah Castellano
It took me a long time to get brave enough to make my own pickles. My more experienced friends assured me that traditional canning isn’t that hard, but every time I would look at the procedures, all I would see are words like pressure cooker, botulism, and vacuum seal, and it sounded like an incredible amount of work to me; especially since I was just starting out.
My method of pickling is simpler, but there are drawbacks to my method, too. I make refrigerator pickles. Unlike traditionally canned pickles, these need to be kept in the refrigerator (not on the shelf) and they will only be good to eat for a week or two since they are not vacuum sealed. However, using refrigerator-style pickling means that you have spent a lot less time and effort on your pickles. This is important because your first few batches may not turn out that great. It may take a few batches for you to figure out how crisp you like your vegetables, how you like your vegetables to be cut, what kind of vinegar you prefer, how much vinegar you like in your brine, and how much pickling spice you like in your batch. Refrigerator pickles are also more economical in terms of start-up costs verses traditional canning methods. A dozen Mason jars, a gallon of apple cider vinegar, spices, and a few pounds of vegetables only cost about twenty-five dollars. You can make several different kinds of pickles with that initial investment. If you find you’re crazy for pickling, you can always look into learning more about canning and purchase canning supplies later.
Certain vegetables, like radishes, are available nearly year-round in the grocery store. Other vegetables, like kirby cucumbers, are only available during certain times of the year. Shopping with seasonality in mind will also help you get the most budget-friendly prices. I personally prefer to shop at my local farmers’ market for pickling because it helps support local agriculture, and I know the vegetables available are at the peak of freshness. If you are new to shopping at farmers’ markets and tracking seasonality, two websites that can assist you are:
• Vegetable seasonality: www.cuesa.org/eat-seasonally/charts/vegetables
• Local farmers’ market finder: www.localharvest.org
Pickling Recipes
Your pickling mix is your first step, and it’s an important one. If you’re like me and have only previously eaten commercially prepared pickles, a traditional pickle spice mix may taste very strange to you. I tried to acquire a taste for it, but I couldn’t. I’m not a delicate flower when it comes to food. My palate has been described by my family as “garbage dumpsterlike.” Try as I did, I just couldn’t get used to sweet spices being involved in my pickles. If you have a taste for sweet pickles like bread and butter pickles, it may be an easier hurdle for you to become accustomed to having cinnamon and allspice in your mix. Personally, I like my pickles to taste a bit tart. You can always add additional spices later when you get a better feel for your pickling palate.
I tried fresh herbs in some of my earlier batches, and while they did look very pretty in the bottle, I found that dried herbs really packed the most punch in my pickles. High quality herbs also really help make a good spice mix. If you have a local spice shop, the herbs are generally really fresh and they let you buy herbs in small, economical one-ounce bags. If you don’t have a spice shop close to you, I recommend buying from SavorySpiceShop.com. Their prices are very good, their spices are very fresh, and they sell in both small and large quantities.
Pickling Spice Mix
2 tablespoons whole mustard seeds
1 tablespoon whole allspice berries
2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds
2 teaspoons whole peppercorns
2 bay leaves, crushed
Mix the spices together and keep in an airtight jar.
Dill Cucumber Pickles
Pint and a half wide-mouth Mason jar
3 small kirby cucumbers, cut into spears
2 tablespoons ground dill seeds
3 tablespoons pickling spice
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 cup apple cider vinegar
Water
Make sure your Mason jar has been through the dishwasher, or boiled for 15 minutes, right before you begin pickling so you have a reasonably sterile jar. Put everything but the water into a medium-sized pot and simmer for about 15 minutes. Then let your vegetables cool for 10 minutes. Pour into the Mason jar. Fill the Mason jar the rest of the way with water. Put the ring and the lid on the jar, and seal it shut. Label and date your lid. Give your jar a good shake, and put in the refrigerator. Let brine for 3 days, and then it will be ready to eat. Keep for no longer than a week and a half.
Pickled Asparagus
Pint and a half wide-mouth Mason jar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1⁄2 bunch asparagus, trimmed
2 tablespoons ground dill seeds
3 tablespoons pickling spice
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon sea salt
1⁄2 lemon, sliced
Water
Make sure your Mason jar has been through the dishwasher, or boiled for 15 minutes, right before you begin pickling so you have a reasonably sterile jar. Fill about a third of your Mason jar with apple cider vinegar. Then pour into a medium-sized pot. Put everything but the water into the pot, and simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes. Shut the heat off, and let your vegetables cool for 10 minutes. Put your asparagus into the Mason jar so that the asparagus is standing up. Pour the brine into the Mason jar. Fill the Mason jar the rest of the way with water. Put the ring and the lid on the jar, and seal it shut. Label and date your lid. Give your jar a good shake, and put in the refrigerator. Let brine for 3 days, and then it will be ready to eat. Keep for no longer than a week and a half.
Farm Stand Mixed Pickle
Pint and a half wide-mouth Mason jar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
6 small whole radishes
1 small carrot, sliced
6 mushrooms, sliced in halves
1 shallot, sliced
2 tablespoons ground dill seeds
3 tablespoons pickling spice mix
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon sea salt
Water
Make sure your Mason jar has been through the dishwasher, or boiled for 15 minutes, right before you begin pickling so you have a reasonably sterile jar. Fill about a third of your Mason jar with apple cider vinegar. Pour into a medium-sized pot. Put everything but the water into the pot, and simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes. Shut the heat off. Let your vegetables cool for 10 minutes. Pour into the Mason jar. Fill the Mason jar the rest of the way with water. Put the ring and the lid on the jar, and seal it shut. Label and date your lid. Give your jar a good shake, and put in the refrigerator. Let brine for 3 days, and then it will be ready to eat. Keep for no longer than a week and a half.
Dilly Beans
Pint and a half wide-mouth Mason jar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 handful string beans, trimmed
3 tablespoons ground dill seeds
2 tablespoons pickling spice mix
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon sea salt
Water
Make sure your Mason jar has been through the dishwasher, or boiled for 15 minutes, right before you begin pickling so you have a reasonably sterile jar. Fill about a third of your Mason jar with apple cider vinegar. Pour into a medium-sized pot. Put everything but the water into the pot, and simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes. Shut the heat off. Let your vegetables cool for 10 minutes. Pour into the Mason jar. Fill the Mason jar the rest of the way with water. Put the ring and the lid on the jar, and seal it shut. Label and date your lid. Give your jar a good shake, and put in the refrigerator. Let brine for 3 days, and then it will be ready to eat. Keep for no longer than a week and a half.
Pickled Fennel
Pint and a half wide-mouth Mason jar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 small bulb fennel, including the fern fronds, sliced
1 tablespoon ground dill seeds
3 tablespoons pickling spice mix
1 clove garlic, chopped
1⁄2 lemon, sliced
1 tablespoon sea salt
Water
Make sure your Mason jar has been through the dishwasher, or boiled for 15 minutes, right before you begin pickling so you have a reasonably sterile jar. Fill about a third of your Mason jar with apple cider vinegar. Pour into a medium sized pot. Put everything but the water into the pot, and simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes. Shut the heat off. Let your vegetables cool for 10 minutes. Pour into the Mason jar. Fill the Mason jar the rest of the way with water. Put the ring and the lid on the jar, and seal it shut. Label and date your lid. Give your jar a good shake, and put in the refrigerator. Let brine for 3 days, and then it will be ready to eat. Keep for no longer than a week and a half.
Giardiniera
Pint and a half wide-mouth Mason jar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
8 pearl onions, peeled
1 small carrot, cut into strips
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 small zucchini, cut into strips
1⁄4 cup cauliflower, chopped into small florets
1 teaspoon oregano
3 tablespoons pickling spice mix
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon sea salt
Water
Make sure your Mason jar has been through the dishwasher, or boiled for 15 minutes, right before you begin pickling so you have a reasonably sterile jar. Fill about a third of your Mason jar with apple cider vinegar. Pour into a medium-sized pot. Put everything but the water into the pot, and simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes. Shut the heat off. Let your vegetables cool for 10 minutes. Pour into the Mason jar. Fill the Mason jar the rest of the way with water. Put the ring and the lid on the jar, and seal it shut. Label and date your lid. Give your jar a good shake, and put in the refrigerator. Let brine for 3 days, and then it will be ready to eat. Keep for no longer than a week and a half.
Pickled Fiddlehead Ferns and Ramps
Note: Fiddlehead ferns and ramps have a very short season during the spring. Generally, specialty grocery stores will carry both, so check with them when they usually get them in so you can claim some for yourself!
Pint and a half wide-mouth Mason jar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1⁄2 cup fiddlehead ferns, trimmed
1 teaspoon ground dill seeds
3 tablespoons pickling spice mix
1 clove garlic, chopped
½ lemon, sliced
1 tablespoon sea salt
¼ cup ramps, trimmed
Water
Make sure your Mason jar has been through the dishwasher, or boiled for 15 minutes, right before you begin pickling so you have a reasonably sterile jar. Fill about a third of your Mason jar with apple cider vinegar. Pour into a medium-sized pot. Put everything except for the water and ramps into the pot, and simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes. Shut the heat off and add the ramps, while you let your vegetables cool for 10 minutes. Pour into the Mason jar. Fill the Mason jar the rest of the way with water. Put the ring and the lid on the jar, and seal it shut. Label and date your lid. Give your jar a good shake, and put in the refrigerator. Let brine for 3 days, and then it will be ready to eat. Keep for no longer than a week and a half.
Deborah Castellano enjoys writing about earth-based topics, though she has been known to write romantic fiction as well. Her craft shop, The Mermaid and The Crow, specializes in handspun yarn and other goodies. She resides in New Jersey with her husband, Jow, and two cats. She has a terrible reality television habit she can’t shake and likes St. Germain liqueur, record players, and typewriters. Visit her at www.deborahmcastellano.com.