Is there a basic ratio for dill pickle brine which will be safe for any vegetable?
I'm looking for a bare-bones dill pickle brine recipe (for safe canning, and long-term storage—not for refrigerator pickles). When I look online, I see all these really fancy recipes that try to jazz things up, but I don't see any basic recipes. How do you make basic dill pickle brine? I know I need to use water, vinegar, salt and dill, but I don't know the proportions. I would prefer not to use alum, if at all possible.
The brine will be for use with cucumbers, peppers, squash, okra and other things.
Best Answer
Essentially, food pathogens cannot grow below 4.0 pH and vinegar is significantly more acidic that that. If you go here and scroll down a bit, there is a good, succinct explanation. They use brines of 38 and 44 percent vinegar "for taste and safety". With this basic information, it would be easy to create brines that are safe and suite your taste. You really don't need salt, sugar, spices or herbs for safety for vinegar pickles (though you do need salt for lacto-fermented pickles). The acidity alone will do it. Of course, you probably want your pickles to taste good, so those other ingredients will be necessary. I should also add, that the site I linked to adds a cook step. This makes the pickles safe immediately after cooking. Without a cook step, the pickles will become safe over time, as the vinegar permeates the product, but may not be safe immediately. It seems that the addition of a low temperature cook step is an interesting innovation that improves safety and the ability to maintain a crunchy product.
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Quick Answer about "Is there a basic ratio for dill pickle brine which will be safe for any vegetable?"
A general rule is 2/3 vinegar to 1/3 water when making brine. This ratio will result in an acidic enough base for whatever vegetable you choose to pickle. Other recipes may have a lighter vinegar brine but you must follow the exact recipe when using those or risk spoilage.What is the ratio for water and vinegar for pickling?
The Basics of Making Refrigerator Pickles The basic ratio for quick pickles is 1:1 vinegar to water, and includes some combination of salt and sugar. Another ratio that is commonly followed is the 3:2:1 method, using three parts vinegar, two parts water, and 1 part sugar.Do you have to add sugar to pickle brine?
"Pickles are about vinegar and salt, not sweetness," says Perry. Yes, you should have some sugar, but be wary of recipes that call for more than a \xbc cup of sugar. Your brine should lean salty, not syrupy. If you just use vinegar in your brine, it will be way too sharp, warns Perry.What is the most important ingredient in pickling vegetables?
Important Pickling IngredientsWhich are the basic ingredients used for pickling?
Ingredients- Produce. Select fresh, firm fruits or vegetables that are free of spoilage. ...
- Salt. Use a canning or pickling salt. ...
- Vinegar. White distilled or cider vinegars of 5 percent acidity (50 grain) are recommended. ...
- Sugar. White granulated and brown sugars are used most often. ...
- Water. ...
- Spices. ...
- Firming Agents.
Alton Brown Makes Homemade Dill Pickles | Good Eats | Food Network
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