Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
The preservation of food using salt and vinegar, with or without the added spices, is commonly known as pickling. The salt solution and vinegar must be sufficiently concentrated to prevent the development of micro-organisms, and there must be enough liquid to cover the food.
There are three main classes of pickles:
- Sour pickles, including mustard pickles.
- Sweet fruit or vegetable pickles.
- A wide variety of pickles in which the food is finely chopped. Relishes are included in this class.
Products for pickling:
Vegetables and fruits used for pickling should be young and fresh. Green and slightly under-ripe produce yields firmer, crispier pickles than fully ripe fruit or vegetables. Coarse salt may be used instead of fine salt, provided it is clean. Cider or malt vinegar imparts a good flavour, while white vinegar produces a cleaner-looking pickle. White or brown sugar may be used. Spices should be used sparingly so as not to overpower the natural flavour of the produce.
Utensils:
All utensils used should be made of earthenware, porcelain, or enamel-lined materials. Saucepans should be wide and shallow to ensure even cooking. Only stainless steel, wooden or enamelled spoons should be used. The finished pickles should be stored in glass containers with glass or enamelled lids. Metal should never come in contact with pickles.
Pickling of vegetables:
In most cases, both salt and vinegar are used. After the initial preparation, such as cleaning the raw product and cutting it into suitable sizes, the vegetables or fruits are placed in brine (½kg salt to 4 litres of water) or packed in layers and liberally sprinkled with salt. They should be left for 1-14 days or as indicated in the recipe. During this time, water is drawn from the vegetables, making them firmer and allowing them to absorb spiced vinegar more easily. The salt also prevents spoilage. The brine must be cool before pouring it over the produce, and they must always remain fully submerged.
After brining (particularly for vegetables), drain the vegetables well and treat them with spiced vinegar or as directed in the recipes below.
The spices may be used whole or ground, depending on whether you want a clear or dark pickle. They may be tied in a small muslin bag and removed from the vinegar before it is poured over the vegetables.
Ripening:
Pickles should not be consumed before they are fully ripened. The ripening process takes 1 to 2 months after bottling bottled. During this time, the produce becomes firm and translucent, and green vegetables change from light green to a dark olive green. This colour change should be uniform across all green vegetables.
Softening:
Vegetables may soften during storage for several reasons. The brine or vinegar might be too weak – vinegar that is boiled too long loses its strength. The storage area may be too warm, or the vegetables may not be fully covered in brine. Another possible cause is that the vegetables themselves were overcooked.
Recipes:
Spiced vinegar option 1:
(For mixed and other pickles)
- 3 litres vinegar
- 1 tablespoon clove stalks (without heads)
- 1 tablespoon whole allspice
- ½ tablespoon stick cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon mustard seed
Tie the spices in a muslin bag, add to the vinegar and bring to the boil. Remove from direct heat and allow to stand for 2 hours, then remove the spice bag.
Spiced vinegar option 2:
(For pickled onions)
- 2 litres vinegar
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons celery seed
- 1 ½ tablespoons mustard seed
- ½ cup grated horse radish
- 1 tablespoon salt
- ½ tablespoon whole allspice
- 1 tablespoon stick cinnamon
Tie the spices in a muslin bag, add to the vinegar and sugar, and bring to the boil. As soon as it starts boiling, remove from direct heat and leave to stand for 2 hours. Remove the spice bag.
Pickled onions:
Select small, white onions. Peel, cover with fresh water and let stand for 2 days. Change the water on the second day. Wash well and put into brine for 4 days. Remove from brine and drop into boiling water. Leave for 10 minutes, then put into cold water for 2 hours. Drain and pack into jars with a few small red chillies and peppercorns. Fill the jars with spiced vinegar until they overflow.
Pickled beans:
Put tender green beans in brine for 24 hours. Drain thoroughly, put into jars and pour hot spiced vinegar over. – Theresa Siebert, Agricultural Research Council, Natural Resources And Engineering (ARC-NRE)
For enquiries, contact Theresa Siebert at SiebertT@arc.agric.za
