Easy Versatile Pickle Brines
There are 2 kinds of people.
People who love pickles and people who are wrong. Sorry, not sorry. My partner and I love anything pickled–pickled cucumbers, pickled red onions, pickled jalapeños, pickled carrots, pickled peppers… truly, give me anything pickled and I will eat it.
Until Joe mentioned that he was going to attempt pickling, I truly never even thought of doing it myself. I don’t know why! It is just one of those things I think of as coming in a jar from the supermarket. So together (mostly Joe) we embarked on our pickle journey. We started with a simple brine and poured it over cucumbers, red onions and jalapeños. You have to let them sit at least 48 hours to get the full flavor, and if you use whole kirby cucumbers like we did, you need to let them sit at least 72, if not more. Longer is generally better.
That’s it! You have quick pickles that are sure to fit most of your pickling needs!
Easy Versatile Pickle Brines
Ingredients:
- 1 cup distilled water
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1/4 bunch of dill
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/4 cup peppercorns
- 10 grams salt
- 1 large red onion
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1 cup distilled water
- 10 grams salt
- 5-6 jalapeños
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup distilled water
- 10 grams of salt
- Pinch of Sezchuan peppercorns
- Small handful of coriander seeds
- 2 cardamom pods
- 3 star anise
- 4 crushed garlic cloves (skin on)
Instructions:
- Boil the water and vinegar with peppercorns and salt.
- Fill the quart mason jar tightly with your vegetable of choice and the dill, bay leaves and garlic.
- Pour boiling water on top, allow to get to room temperature before tightly capping.
- Slice red onion and add to a colander.
- Boil water, vinegar and salt.
- Boil a few cups of water seperately.
- Pour boiling water over the red onions in the colander to cook them slightly.
- Pack the red onions into the jar.
- Pour the brine over the red onions and leave out to cool until it hits room temperature before placing it in the fridge.
- Slice jalapeños and put them in mason jar.
- Bring water, vinegar, salt and all the add-ins to a boil.
- Strain brine into the mason jar, leaving all the solids behind and leave out to cool until it hits room temperature before placing it in the fridge.
