Quick Pickling 101 — Stevie Storck (2024)

FAQs

What is the formula for quick pickling? ›

The classic ratio is super easy to remember and is easily scale-able depending on how many pickles you're making. It's 100% vinegar, 50% water, 25% sugar and 12.5% kosher salt by weight. So for example, 200g vinegar, 100g water, 50g sugar and 25g kosher salt (again, you can scale this up or down!).

Quick pickling won't create shelf-stable vegetables—you'll need to refrigerate them and eat them in a day or two—but the vinegar and sugar add extra flavor to salad vegetables, taco toppings, burger condiments, and more.

Quick pickling is simply the act of storing fresh produce in a brine of vinegar, salt, water, and sometimes sugar, in the refrigerator. These pickles are not canned and are ready to eat mere hours after making, though I usually wait at least a day or two.

Then, place the jar in the fridge and allow to pickle for a minimum of 2 hours before serving. For best flavor, allow to pickle for a full 24 hours before serving. Most Quick pickled produce will last in the refrigerator for up to one month, with the exception of onions/shallots which last about two weeks.

The basic ratio for quick pickles is 1:1 vinegar to water, and includes some combination of salt and sugar. Another ratio that is commonly followed is the 3:2:1 method, using three parts vinegar, two parts water, and 1 part sugar.

Once cool, store in the fridge. The quick pickles can be enjoyed right away, although they'll taste much better after 24 hours and even better after a week. Quick pickles will keep for about 3 months in a sealed jar in the fridge.

An easy pickling recipe to follow is the 3-2-1 method; three parts water, two parts vinegar, and one part sugar. This 3-2-1 pickle brine is on the sweeter side, making it great for bread and butter pickles or spicy pickled beets. For a more savory pickle, use less sugar.

Once the brine is hot and ready, pour it into your jars—leaving ½ inch of headspace between the liquid and the rim for liquid-induced expansion—and screw on the lids. The heat will soften your veg a little and speed up the pickling process. Let the jars cool to room temperature, then transfer them to the fridge.

Most pickle recipes call for distilled 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 light-colored vegetables or fruits.

Place the vinegar, water, salt, and sugar (if using) in a small saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar. Pour the brine over the vegetables, filling each jar to within 1/2 inch of the top.

Do jars need to be sterilized for quick pickles? ›

It doesn't require sterilizing the jars or using a canning bath, meaning the whole process can be done in a fraction of the time of regular pickling. While you can enjoy quick pickles just a few hours after making them, the longer you leave the vegetable to pickle, the more flavorful they'll be!

Quick pickles last for a few days in the refrigerator. Canned pickles, on the other hand, use a stronger brine (remember the minimum 5 % acidity) and a water bath canning process to make them shelf stable for a longer time.

As long as you can remember equal parts vinegar to water, and ½ cup sugar plus 1 tablespoon salt for every 2 cups of total liquid, you will be able to easily adjust this formula for the amount of pickling brine you need to fill your pickling jars.

Some swear by the 2:1:1 ratio (2 parts vinegar to 1 part water to 1 part sugar). Others use a modified 5:3:2:1 or 9:5:3:1 (vinegar:water:sugar:salt). Some start off the pickling process hot, others will insist on waiting for the pickling liquid to cool down.

Then there is the quick-pickle — the kind of pickle that's ready in less than 24 hours, and sometimes in only minutes. One way to speed up the process is to eliminate the water component in the brine. That way, acid is in direct contact with the ingredient so pickling is nearly instantaneous.