Skip to content Skip to navigation
We're still delivering! Check out our bank holiday weekend schedule.
Our Story Our Suppliers Our Blog
Login / Join
OffersSainsbury’s Price MatchNew In

A Snippet From The Dairy Diary 2024: Let’s Get Pickling!

From piccalilli to pickled onions, preserving has been part of British cuisine for centuries. Yet in recent times the humble pickle has undergone a renaissance, popping up at trendy restaurants and on Michelin-starred menus. Here’s how to make your own…
Dairy Diary
Posted 25-09-23

Humans have been preserving foods in vinegar for millennia – so cooks have had plenty of practice perfecting the technique. Pickling is thought to have begun long ago, in reaction to insecure food supplies, famine and crop failure.

The humble pickle appears pretty frequently throughout history: Cleopatra, Julius Caesar and Napoleon were alleged to have been big fans. Archaeologists have found evidence of cucumber pickling by ancient Mesopotamians, as far back as 2400 BC. And manual labourers working on the Great Wall of China more than 2,000 years ago were fuelled, in part, by sauerkraut, aka fermented cabbage.

In 1809, the art of pickling got a massive boost when the French scientist Nicolas Appert invented airtight food preservation: the practice of storing food long-term by enclosing it in sealed containers. By the 1850s, Mason and Kilner jars (which remain popular preserving equipment to this day) had been developed and were flying off shelves in both America and Europe.

 

PICKLES AROUND THE GLOBE

It was actually Christopher Columbus who first introduced pickles to the American continent. Packed with nutrients, they were an essential item on long journeys by boat and helped sailors to avoid scurvy from lack of fresh produce. But pickles have been found across cultures and eras long before Columbus’ voyage across the Atlantic.

Almost every country has its own (unofficial) national pickle. In Eastern Europe sauerkraut and pickled fruits have been popular for centuries. In the Middle East, preserved lemons and olives are common accompaniments to everyday meals. Pickled cornichons are beloved by the French, kimchi by Koreans, while the Japanese are proud of their penchant for pickled plums.

Up north in Scandinavia, pickled herring is a firm favourite while lime pickle is a choice condiment with curry in India. As you can see, these traditions evidence the number one rule for successful pickling: use whatever fresh produce you have in abundance and it’s hard to go wrong.

 

ALL ABOUT PICKLES

Pickling may be one of the oldest known ways of preserving food, but the terminology can be slightly confusing at first. In a nutshell (or a Kilner jar) there are two basic types of pickles. The first is the classic pickle, think pickled onions, in which ingredients are submerged in vinegar or brine. The high acidity levels of the vinegar kill off almost all bacteria. Pickled gherkins are usually pickled in this way.

Fermented pickles, on the other hand, make use of bacteria. This type of pickle is immersed in a salt brine to aid the process of fermentation – which is, in essence, the growth of ‘nice’ bacteria in order to overpower any ‘bad’ bacteria that would cause the ingredients to go off. Kimchi, the Korean cabbage dish, is an example of a fermented pickle. Whichever method is used, both dramatically increase the amount of time a food can be kept for. And it not only makes produce last longer, but also makes it taste sharper.

 

GETTING STARTED

While pickling and fermenting might appear complicated at first, the truth is, almost any vegetable can be pickled. If you’re new to the method, start with something simple and classic

like pickled onions or beetroot.

Once you’ve got the hang of it, you can experiment with flavours and spices. Part of the fun of preserving at home is creating delicious combinations of vegetables, vinegars and flavours that you don’t find on the supermarket shelves. Try preserving different vegetables, like cauliflower, radishes, runner beans – or even fruit, garlic or ginger root.

 

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

One of the best things about pickling, especially using the classic method detailed above, is that you need very little equipment to get started. All that is required is a sterilised jar, the foods you wish to pickle and a knife to chop them with. And, of course, vinegar.

For pickling, opt for a vinegar that has at least 5 per cent acidity. You can usually find this by checking the label. Dark malt vinegar has been the go-to pickling vinegar in Britain for at least the last century, but cider vinegar, white wine vinegar and white vinegar are also excellent options. For Asian-style pickles, rice vinegar is a great choice.

Glass jars with a rubber seal, like the popular Kilner brand, work especially well for pickling because they are easy to clean and made to last. Sterilising is essential to ward off the growth of nasty bacteria. Simply rinse jars in hot, soapy water (or the dishwasher) and then put in the oven on a low heat for about 15 minutes.

 

THE BENEFITS

When food is scarce, pickles have kept humans in vitamins and variety over hundreds of years. And they were essential on voyages at sea when the supply of fresh fruit and veg had long since run out. But these sour treats have several other things going for them.

Fermented pickles are jam-packed with good bacteria, which encourage gut health and aid digestion. There’s even evidence that eating pickles with a meal helps to even out blood sugar levels. Aside from the health benefits, pickling a surplus of seasonal veg is a fantastic way to reduce waste and prolong the shelf life of your favourite foods.

 

TIPS

  • Fresh is best: choose produce that is in good condition, free from damage and as fresh as possible. Avoid over- or under-ripe ingredients.
  • If you’re fermenting your pickles, seek out a salt without additives which will cloud up the brine.
  • Always sterilise your jars to avoid contamination with harmful bacteria and prolong the shelf life of your creations.
  • Store your fermented pickles in the fridge to slow the growth of nasty micro-organisms.
  • Start with small batches as you experiment with flavours.
  • Serve pickles with fatty dishes to counteract their richness.
  • The longer you leave a pickle to ferment, the more tangy and sour it’ll become. Fresher pickles will be crunchier but less acidic.
  • Limes, lemons and cucumbers work perfectly for quick pickles. Throw them inside a sandwich or burger, serve alongside curries or toss through a salad for an extra bit of zing.

For more food tips, delicious recipes and so much more, pick up your copy of the Dairy Diary here. Don't forget to buy plenty of fresh fruit and veg from our newly expanded range, some jars, and let's get pickling!

Related tags

Related articles

Recipe
How To Quickly Pickle or Ferment Your Leftover Vegetables
5 a Day
Fresh From The Dairy Diary 2024: How To Get Your Five a Day
Gardening
A Snippet From The Dairy Diary 2024: Gardening – Good For Mind, Body and Soul
A Veggie Breakfast
The Dairy Diary's Deliciously Different Veggie Breakfast Tray Bake