This overnight quick pickles recipe is surprisingly good! I was skeptical at first too. How can pickles be ready overnight?! Won’t they just taste like watery cucumbers? I am pleased to report that is not the case. They turned out really flavourful, super crunchy, and not overly acidic. I hate it when all you can taste is vinegar. I promise you will love this recipe and want to make it again and again.
Gluten-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Quick & Easy
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History of Pickles
It is rumored that pickles were one of Cleopatras’ prized beauty secrets. They make appearances in the Bible and in Shakespeares’ writing.
Pickles have been around for thousands of years, dating as far back as 2030 BC when cucumbers that were native to India were pickled in the Tigris Valley. The word pickle, meaning salt or brine are two very important components in the pickling process.
Throughout history, pickling was a necessity, as it was the best way to preserve food for a long period of time. For several generations, it was an autumn custom to fill barrels with cucumbers, beets, and shredded cabbage. The mixture was left to ferment for several weeks. As one of the earliest mobile foods, pickles could be taken on journeys and could also provide a source of food during the cold winter months.
Home pickling was made much easier during the 1850s when two essential canning tools were invented. First, a Scottish chemist named James Young created paraffin wax, which creates a seal for food preserved in jars. A few years later, John Mason developed and patented the Mason jar. Mason jars were made from a heavyweight glass that was able to tolerate the high temperatures used in the canning process.
The Process
Pickles are created by immersing fresh fruits or vegetables in an acidic liquid or saltwater brine until they are no longer considered raw. When we think of pickles, cucumbers commonly come to mind. Pickled cucumbers are often Lacto-fermented in saltwater brine. Cucumber pickles can also be made with a salt and vinegar brine, a popular choice for home cooks.
More than Just Pickles
Of course, pickles aren’t limited to the dill and cucumber variety. They can be sweet, sour, salty, hot, or all of the above. Pickles can be made with cauliflower, radishes, onions, green beans, asparagus, and an endless variety of other vegetables and fruits.
- The English brought their method for creating sweet pickles with vinegar, sugar, and spiced syrup to the new world.
- Eastern Europeans introduced various forms of Lacto-fermented cabbage, known as sauerkraut.
- The French serve tiny, spiced cornichons with heavy pâtés and pungent cheeses.
- In the Middle East pickles are served with every meal, from peppers to olives to lemons.
- Russians pickle tomatoes, among other things.
- Koreans have their kimchi
- Japanese pickle plums and daikon
- Italians pickle eggplants and peppers.
Each area of the world has its own beloved variety of pickles.
Recommendations
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Quick Pickles Recipe
Equipment
- saucepan
- 1 pint size mason jar (or two smaller that equal same amount)
Ingredients
Jar Ingredients
- 1 handful fresh dill
- 2-4 cloves garlic, chopped in half
- 1 tsp crushed red chili flakes, add more if you like spicy
- ¼ cup chopped white onion
- 3 cups sliced small cucumbers
- 1 tsp peppercorns
Brine Ingredients
- 1½ cups water
- ¾ cup white vinegar
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
Instructions
Instructions
- place jar ingredients into mason jar, fill to top with sliced cucumbers
- in a saucepan over high heat, add water, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. whisk until boiling.
- pour hot liquid over the cucumbers.
- cool slightly and refrigerate overnight or 12 hours.
- These will keep for a couple months.
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