Quick Pickles - Everyday Food with Sarah Carey

Summary

This video script offers a straightforward guide to making quick pickles at home. It emphasizes the simplicity of the process, which involves slicing cucumbers, salting them, and then placing them in a vinegar brine with sugar, salt, mustard seed, celery seed, and turmeric. The recipe is adaptable for various vegetables and can be easily shared with friends. The video also suggests visiting freshpreserving.com for more pickling techniques.

Takeaways

• 🥒 **Quick Pickles**: The video focuses on making quick pickles which are easy to prepare at home.
• 🧅 **Few Ingredients Needed**: Only a few ingredients are required, such as cucumbers, vinegar, sugar, salt, and spices.
• 🔪 **Cucumber Preparation**: Cucumbers should be sliced thinly and preferably have few seeds for better pickling results.
• ⏰ **Time-Efficient**: The process is quick, allowing for pickling even with limited time or ingredients.
• 🧊 **Crispness Tip**: Adding ice to the cucumbers can help make them crisper during the pickling process.
• 🥫 **Refrigeration Required**: Since these pickles aren't fermented, they need to be refrigerated.
• 📚 **Resource Recommendation**: The video suggests visiting freshpreserving.com for more pickling information.
• 🍃 **Dill Addition**: Dill is added for flavor, but it's optional based on personal preference.
• 🥘 **Versatility**: The pickling method can be applied to various vegetables, not just cucumbers.
• 🍯 **Adjustable Sweetness**: The amount of sugar can be adjusted to suit different tastes, from sweet to less sweet.
• 🌶️ **Spice Option**: For a spicier pickle, chili peppers can be added to the brine.

Q & A

What type of pickles is the speaker making in the script?

The speaker is making quick pickles, which are easier and quicker to prepare compared to traditional fermented pickles.

How many cucumbers does the speaker recommend for pickling?

The speaker uses two English cucumbers but suggests that Kirby cucumbers are even better for pickling, and eight of them would be needed to make two jars.

What is the recommended thickness for slicing cucumbers for quick pickles?

The recommended thickness for slicing cucumbers is about an eighth of an inch.

Can the size or shape of the cucumber slices affect the pickling process?

The size or shape of the cucumber slices does not significantly affect the pickling process as long as they are in a vinegar brine that can penetrate and flavor the entire cucumber.

What type of cucumbers should be avoided for pickling according to the script?

Regular cucumbers with many seeds, like salad cucumbers, should be avoided for pickling as they are not ideal.

How long should the cucumbers be left to sit with salt before pickling?

The cucumbers should be left to sit with salt for up to 3 hours. The speaker suggests refrigerating them or adding ice to make them crisper.

What is the purpose of rinsing the cucumbers after they have been salted?

Rinsing the cucumbers after salting is to remove excess salt before placing them into jars for pickling.

What additional vegetables can be pickled using the same brine recipe mentioned in the script?

The same brine can be used to quick pickle various vegetables such as fennel, red pearl onions, and green beans.

What are the key ingredients in the brine recipe used for the quick pickles?

The key ingredients in the brine recipe are white vinegar, sugar, coarse salt, mustard seed, celery seed, and turmeric.

How much sugar is used in the brine recipe and can it be adjusted?

The recipe calls for 1 and 1/2 cups of sugar, but it can be adjusted to taste, as some people may prefer less sweetness in their pickles.

What is the final step before storing the pickles in the refrigerator?

The final step before storing the pickles in the refrigerator is to ensure they have cooled to room temperature.

Outlines

00:00

🥒 Quick Pickles Recipe

This paragraph introduces the process of making quick pickles at home using a vinegar brine instead of the traditional fermentation method. It emphasizes the ease of making pickles with minimal ingredients, such as cucumbers, and provides tips on slicing and selecting the right type of cucumber for pickling. The importance of using a brine to flavor the pickles is highlighted, along with the necessity of refrigerating the pickles due to the lack of canning process. The paragraph also mentions the use of coarse salt to draw out moisture from the cucumbers and the option to add ice for added crispness. It concludes with rinsing the cucumbers to prepare them for pickling in jars.

Keywords

💡Pickles

Pickles are a preserved food product, typically made from cucumbers soaked in a vinegar brine or saltwater. In the context of the video, the host is discussing the process of making quick pickles at home, emphasizing their ease of preparation and the fact that they can be made with just one cucumber. The script mentions different types of cucumbers suitable for pickling, such as English cucumbers and Kirby cucumbers.

💡Quick pickles

Quick pickles are a type of pickled food that is prepared quickly using a vinegar brine rather than through the traditional fermentation process. The video script describes how to make quick pickles, which can be done at any time, even with just one cucumber on hand. This method is highlighted as being particularly convenient and simple.

💡Cucumbers

Cucumbers are a type of vegetable that is commonly used to make pickles. The script specifies that English cucumbers are used in the demonstration, but also mentions that Kirby cucumbers are even better for pickling due to their seed count. Cucumbers are sliced into various shapes for the pickling process, and the script advises using cucumbers with few seeds for the best results.

💡Vinegar brine

A vinegar brine is a solution of vinegar, water, and sometimes salt, used for pickling vegetables. In the video, the host discusses pickling cucumbers in a vinegar brine instead of fermenting them, which is a quicker method. The brine is prepared with white vinegar, sugar, salt, and other spices, and it's used to flavor the pickles.

💡Fermentation

Fermentation is a process where microorganisms like bacteria or yeast convert sugars into acids, gases, or alcohol. Traditionally, pickles are made through fermentation, which is a longer process than the quick pickling method described in the video. The script contrasts quick pickling with fermentation to emphasize the speed and simplicity of the前者.

💡Dill

Dill is a herb often used in pickling recipes for its distinctive flavor. In the script, the host adds dill to the jars of pickles, suggesting that it's a preferred addition, although not necessary. Dill is used to layer between the cucumbers, enhancing the flavor of the pickles.

💡Mustard seed

Mustard seeds are used as a spice and are one of the ingredients in the brine recipe provided in the video. The script mentions adding whole mustard seeds to the brine, contributing to the flavor profile of the pickles, especially in a bread and butter pickle style.

💡Celery seed

Celery seeds are another spice used in the brine, noted for their distinct flavor that is characteristic of bread and butter pickles. The script includes celery seeds as part of the ingredients, suggesting their importance in achieving the desired taste.

💡Turmeric

Turmeric is a spice derived from the root of the Curcuma longa plant, known for its yellow color and earthy flavor. In the video script, turmeric is used in small quantities to add color and a hint of flavor to the brine.

💡Chili Peppers

Chili peppers are used to add spiciness to the pickles. The script suggests adding them for a spicy variation of the recipe, either in dried or fresh form. This illustrates the flexibility of the recipe to cater to different taste preferences.

💡Preserving

Preserving is the process of preparing and storing food to prevent spoilage. The video script mentions a website, freshpreserving.com, which provides information on how to preserve food, including the pickling process. This keyword is relevant as it ties into the broader theme of food preservation techniques.

Highlights

Making pickles at home is easy, especially quick pickles.

You can make pickles even with just one cucumber.

English cucumbers are used, but Kirby cucumbers are better for pickling.

Cucumbers should be sliced about an eighth of an inch thick.

Cucumbers can be cut in wedges or lengthwise based on preference.

Pickling is done in a vinegar brine instead of fermenting.

Cucumbers with few seeds are preferred for pickling.

Pickles need to be kept in the refrigerator as they're not processed.

For more information on processing, refer to freshpreserving.com.

Cucumbers are salted and left to sit for up to 3 hours to draw out moisture.

Adding ice can help make the pickles crisper.

Rinsing the cucumbers removes excess salt before pickling.

Pickled vegetables can be layered with dill in quart-sized jars.

Other vegetables like fennel, red pearl onions, and green beans can be quick pickled.

The brine is made with white vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard seed, celery seed, and turmeric.

Chili peppers can be added for a spicy variation.

The hot brine is poured over the salted cucumbers to cover them completely.

Ensure there is at least a half-inch headroom before cooling and refrigerating.

Pickles can be enjoyed throughout the summer and shared with friends.

Transcripts

have you ever made pickles at home no

you totally should it's super easy

especially quick pickles like the

pickles I'm going to make today they're

so easy in fact that you can make them

whenever you want even if you only have

one cucumber around you can make pickles

I have two English cucumbers but if you

had Kirby's which are even better for

pickling I would use eight to make two

jars you want to slice your cucumbers

about an eighth of an inch thick you can

cut them in wedges if you want to you

can slice them lengthwise if you want to

it really depends on your preference

you're pickling in a vineger brine

instead of fermenting the pickles like

you normally would find with like a deli

pickle as long as it sits in the brine

long enough it'll penetrate and the

whole thing will be flavored so it kind

of doesn't matter what size or shape

you're cutting your cukes into I'm doing

little chips when you're pickling you

want to make sure to use cucumbers that

have few seeds and not use a regular

cucumber you're like salad cucumber

there's too many seeds for pickling

these pickles are going to need to be

kept in your refrigerator cuz I'm not

processing them but if you wanted to do

that you could look up how to do it on

freshpreserving.com which is the ball

website they have lots of great

info add these to the other

CES and then sprinkle them with a

tablespoon of coarse salt toss the

cucumbers with the salt and then let

them sit for up to 3 hours I would put

them in the refrigerator if I were going

to leave it for 3 hours and or you can

add a bunch of ice in there and that

actually helps them get even crisper

make sure all the CES are nicely coated

and then just leave them alone and when

you come back there's going to be a

bunch of liquid in the bottom of the

bowl after an hour you'll see that the

cukes are all wet that's the moisture

that's been pulled out of them and in

the bottom of the bowl some liquid has

collected what you want to do now is

just rinse the Cucumbers off cuz you

want to rinse off some of the excess

salt and that's it they're ready to get

into the jars get in the jars

pickles all right I have two quart size

jars and I'm going to put my cucumbers

into the jars you might notice over here

that I have pickled some other stuff

here I have fennel these are Kirby

cucumbers that I sliced lengthwise to

put on sandwiches these are red pearl

onions and back here I have some green

beans you can make the same brine and

quick pickle pretty much any vegetable

you want in any case I'm just doing your

classic CES today layer them into the

jars with some dill you don't need to

add the dill but I like it a couple

sprigs of Dill every couple layers if

your jars aren't full enough the pickles

float in the brine it's not the worst

thing in the world but your jar will end

up not being very full because you add

hot liquid and it shrinks the vegetables

top them off with a little more dill and

then I'm going to go make the brine why

don't you come with me

over here I'm going to make my brine I

have a medium pot three cups of white

vinegar if you wanted apple cider

vinegar would be just as good to that

add 1 and 1/2 cups of sugar pretty sweet

brine I mean you could use less sugar if

you wanted to certainly some people

don't really like sweet pickles two

teaspoons of course Salt even though you

salted your CES you still want to Salt

your brine half a teaspoon of mustard

seed these are whole mustard seeds I

have yellow you could use Brown half

teaspoon of celery seed that's a

Hallmark flavor of a bread and butter

pickle which is what this recipe is

based on and an e/ of a teaspoon of

turmeric if you wanted it a little bit

spicy add a couple of Chili Peppers here

dry or fresh would work all you need to

do now is Stir this until the sugar

dissolves and bring it to a boil once

the liquid comes to a boil it's ready to

pour over your salted CES I like to do

it in a measuring cup because the

measuring cup has a spout it just is

more accurate so I transfer it to a

measuring cup if you have a preserving

funnel you can use that too but this is

the way to do it if you don't you want

to add the hot brine to your jars to

completely cover your vegetables you

might need to press down on them just a

little bit to make sure that they are

completely submerged and that the liquid

doesn't come too far up to the top you

want to leave at least a half an inch of

head room make sure that you cool these

to room temperature before you cover

them up and put them in your fridge and

you can enjoy them for the rest of the

summer make extra and share with friends

they're going to love them of course

they can make them themselves cuz

they're so

[Music]

easy hi guys thanks for watching this

video be sure to click here if you want

to subscribe and click over here if you

want to continue watching more great

videos like

this