Pickling vegetables in vinegar brine

Preservation methods

1. 1

   Pickling is the process of preserving or extending the shelf life of food by either anaerobic fermentation in brine or immersion in vinegar. The pickling procedure typically affects the food's texture and flavour. Foods that are pickled include vegetables, fruits, mushrooms, meats, fish, dairy, and eggs. Pickling solutions are typically highly acidic — pH 4.6 or lower — and high in salt, which prevents enzymes from working and microorganisms from multiplying. Antimicrobial herbs and spices such as mustard seed, garlic, cinnamon, or cloves are often added.

2. 2

   If food contains sufficient moisture, a pickling brine may be produced simply by adding dry salt — for example, sour cabbage, sauerkraut, and kimchi are produced by salting vegetables to draw out water; natural fermentation by lactic acid bacteria then produces the required acidity. Other pickles are made by placing vegetables directly in vinegar. Unlike canning, pickling does not require that the food be completely sterile. The acidity or salinity of the solution, the temperature of fermentation, and the exclusion of oxygen determine which microorganisms dominate and shape the flavour of the final product.

3. 3

   The outline below describes a vinegar (quick) pickle suitable for refrigerator storage; for shelf-stable jars, the filled jars are processed in a water bath as described in the canning entry.