I’ve been getting TONS of farm fresh veggies delivered to me from King Brothers Dairy weekly since the beginning of summer, and after a while, I started having a bit too much to handle.
But what to do with all the excess vegetables you have in the summertime?
I have to admit, I’m always pretty envious of people when I see pictures of them canning vegetables because I’m intimidated by the idea of it. And pickling? I see it done all the time, but I’ve felt the same about that as well.
But then, I got my monthly Bon Appetit magazine, and in the back was basically like an idiots guide to all things pickling, canning, fermenting, and more.
After reading the article, I was like Hey… I could do this. I have mason jars, I have white vinegar. YEAH!
So if you’ve ever felt intimidated by pickling, let’s start here. This is what you’ll need:
- 1 Cup Distilled White Vinegar
- 2 Tbsp Kosher Salt
- 2 Tsp Sugar
- 2 Tbsp Spices (e.g., peppercorns, coriander seeds, and/or mustard seeds)
- 2 Cups Water
(*Side note: I used 2 tbsp of pickling spices that you’d find in the spice section of a store)
You toss them all together into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, remove from heat and pour mixture over vegetables in jar. Close jar and place in the refrigerator for 48 hours.
And BOOM – you have a pickled product. For my first attempt, I got a little excited and for my pickles, I added gloves of garlic and crushed red pepper flakes for a little kick. I also pickled a bunch of super hot peppers, so for that one I didn’t add any additional spices, but garlic was added to that one as well.
I wouldn’t consider myself a pickle connoisseur, but I love myself a nice, crunchy pickle. So it was to my delight that when I tried these, they WAY exceeded my expectations, and tasted like a professional had made them. BRB, I’m just brushing my shoulders off right now.
If you’ve ever considered pickling but feel a little unsure of yourself – use this recipe and give it a shot. You have nothing to lose besides having a ton of delicious pickled veggies in your fridge!
PS if you follow this method, they’ll keep for up to 2 months in your refrigerator.
Have fun!
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