Salting is one of the oldest ways of preserving food. Salting is accomplished by preserving food using an acid, such as vinegar, or fermenting the food in salty water which creates the conditions for lactic acid to form. When it comes to pickles, cucumbers are the most common that comes to mind, but many other fruits and vegetables can also be pickled. This article describes some recipes to help you get started with salting your food.
Ingredients
Pickled Kosher Dill
Makes 15 slices of pickle
- cup (85 ml) Kosher salt
- 1 cup (250 ml) boiling water
- 900 g of small "pickled" cucumbers, cleaned and halved lengthwise.
- 5 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 1 large bunch fresh dill with flowers (or 2 Tbs. dried dill and 1 tsp. dill seeds)
1 large bunch of fresh dill with flowers (or 2 tablespoons dried dill and 1 teaspoon dill seeds)
Fridge Pickles
To make 6 cups (1.5 L)
- 3 cups (750 ml) cucumbers, peeled and sliced
- 3 cups (750 ml) pumpkin, peeled and sliced
- 2 cups (500 ml) chopped sweet onion
- 1½ cups (375 ml) white vinegar
- 1 cup (250 ml) sugar
- teaspoon salt
- teaspoon celery seeds
- teaspoon mustard seeds
Quick Pickled Vegetables
To make 4 servings
- 450 g cucumber, zucchini, pumpkin or eggplant
- 1 tablespoon salt
- teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 2 teaspoons any vinegar.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Pickled Dill Kosher
Step 1. Clean the cucumber
Step 2. Combine salt and boiling water in a large bowl or crock
Stir to dissolve the salt.
- Kosher salt is very coarse grain salt and does not contain iodine or any clotting agents.
- Do not replace Kosher salt with table salt. Table salt is fairly fine salt and usually contains iodine or a clot-preventing agent. Substances contained in table salt can leave a bitter taste, darken the color, and cause the salt water to become cloudy.
- You can pickle food in food grade plastic, stainless steel, and glass. Vessels made of aluminum or copper should not be used as salting containers.
Step 3. Once the salt has dissolved, add a handful of ice cubes to cool the mixture
Step 4. Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise
Step 5. Add cucumber, garlic, dill and enough cold water to cover the cucumbers
Step 6. Using a plate that is slightly smaller than the container, place the plate and a small support on top of the cucumber mixture
This way, the cucumbers will stay submerged in the water.
- Use a clean rock, or anything heavy enough to keep the cucumbers submerged.
- Keep the mixture at room temperature.
Step 7. After 10 hours, taste the pickles
The salting process takes between 24-48 hours to complete.
Step 8. When the pickle is to your liking, store the pickle in the refrigerator along with the brine
- The pickle fermentation process will continue, but will slow down in the refrigerator.
- Pickles can last up to a week in the refrigerator.
Method 2 of 3: Fridge Pickles
Step 1. Clean the cucumber and pumpkin
Step 2. Peel the cucumber and pumpkin
Cut into slices 1/4 inch (0.6 cm) in diameter.
If you want, you can use thinner or thicker slices. Cucumber and pumpkin slices should be the same thickness
Step 3. Place the cucumber, pumpkin, and sweet onion in a bowl
- You can salt them in food-safe plastic, stainless steel, or glass containers.
- Aluminum and copper containers are not suitable for salting.
Step 4. Combine vinegar, sugar, salt, celery seeds, and mustard seeds in a small saucepan
Heat until boiling.
Step 5. Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved
Step 6. Pour the mixture over the cucumbers
Chill.
Step 7. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 24 hours
Method 3 of 3: Quick Pickled Vegetables
Step 1. Clean the vegetables
Step 2. Slice the vegetables as thinly as possible
Vegetables can be peeled or left unpeeled.
- A mandolin (vegetable slicer) works well for this.
- Make sure that you wear protection and be careful not to slice your fingers when you use the mandolin.
Step 3. Put the vegetables in a colander, and sprinkle salt on the vegetables
Step 4. Swing the colander containing the vegetables and salt, and spread the salt over the vegetables by hand for one minute
Step 5. Leave the salt in the colander for 15 - 30 minutes, swing the sieve and squeeze the vegetables every few minutes
- Continue until no water can be squeezed out of the vegetables.
- Cucumber takes less time; eggplant takes longer
Step 6. Rinse the vegetables well in cold water
Step 7. Put the vegetables in the bowl
- You can salt them in food-safe plastic, stainless steel, or glass containers.
- Aluminum and copper containers are not suitable for salting.
Step 8. Add sugar, dill, and vinegar to the vegetables
Step 9. Serve immediately
Quickly pickled vegetables don't last long.
Step 10. Change the recipe if you want the pickles in an Asian style
In place of the sugar, dill, and vinegar in Step 8, add 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon black sesame oil, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon rice vinegar.
Tips
- Starting with fresh, firm vegetables will make for the best pickles
- Avoid using water that is high in minerals to make salt water
- Warning: Sometimes, at some stage in salting, there is a small chance the jar will cause a chemical explosion.
