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Community Recipes

Pickle it!

Notes from our recent pickling workshop hosted by Michelle…

Cold vs Hot Pickling

Cold Pickling (Quick Pickling):

  • Fast and easy
  • Vegetables are covered in a vinegar-based brine and stored in the fridge
  • Ready in hours to a couple of days
  • Best for crisp textures and fresh flavours

Hot Pickling:

  • Involves heating the brine and pouring it over vegetables
  • Helps preserve food for longer periods
  • Often used for shelf-stable storage (when done properly)
  • Produces deeper, more developed flavours

What Can We Pickle?

Almost anything! We’ll focus on common garden produce like:

  • Cucumbers
  • Carrots
  • Radishes
  • Onions
  • Cabbage

But you can also pickle beans, cauliflower, zucchini—even fruit.

Flavour Building – Herbs & Spices

This is where creativity comes in. A basic brine becomes something special with the right additions:

  • Spices: black peppercorns, mustard seeds, fennel seeds
  • Aromatics: garlic, ginger
  • Herbs: dill, bay leaves, thyme
  • Extras: chilli, citrus peel, sugar for balance

Everyone can experiment to create their own signature flavour.

Basic Method & Equipment

A few key principles to keep things safe and effective:

  • Use non-reactive equipment (glass, stainless steel, or food-safe plastic)
  • Avoid aluminium or copper, which can react with vinegar
  • Start with a simple brine:
    • Vinegar
    • Water
    • Salt
    • Optional sugar

Basic steps:

  1. Wash and chop your vegetables
  2. Pack into clean jars
  3. Add spices and flavourings
  4. Pour over brine (hot or cold, depending on method)
  5. Store appropriately (fridge or sealed for longer storage)

Simple Recipes to Get Started

Quick Pickled Cucumbers

  • 1 cup vinegar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Sliced cucumbers, garlic, dill

Combine brine, pour over cucumbers, refrigerate. Ready in a few hours.

Pickled Carrots with Fennel & Pepper

  • 1 cup vinegar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • ½ tsp black peppercorns
  • Carrot sticks

Heat brine, pour over carrots and spices. Cool and refrigerate.

Quick Pickled Red Onions

  • 1 cup vinegar
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Sliced red onions

Pour warm brine over onions. Ready in 30–60 minutes.

Thanks for spending the morning with us 🙂