Why does pickling liquid need to first be boiled? (or does it)

Why does pickling liquid need to first be boiled? (or does it) - Water Bubbles Photography

In every recipe I have seen, brine in various combinations of ~50% acid, ~%50% other liquid + spices is always first brought to a boil before pouring over whatever it is we're pickling.

Curious why, what would happen if you just pickled with the combination of stuff by itself (assuming you thoroughly dissolved things like sugar)?



Best Answer

There are two big reasons to boil the water in this scenario:

  1. Hot water dissolves salt, sugar and other things better than cold water.
  2. Sterilization. We sometimes want to make sure that there is nothing alive that shouldn't be. Boiling water for a bit makes sure there are no unwelcome guests still alive like mold, yeast or germs.

As a side note, I think there are a lo of recipes that say "boil some water" because that's a simple reference point for "hot enough". It's much easier to know your water is boiling than whether it has reached some arbitrary temperature below that.




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Do you have to boil pickling liquid?

The key is knowing that first off, boiling your brine (vinegar mixture) will help all the flavors meld better, and that if you add in your pickling subject while the brine is hot, your pickle will be briefly cooked, and you risk losing some of the crunch.

Do I have to boil brine?

Tip: There is no need to boil all the brine liquid because you can fully dissolve the salt and sugar and extract the flavor out of any seasonings in 1\xbd cups of liquid. Step 2: Allow boiled brine to cool completely to room temperature.

What is the difference between brining and pickling?

SO, to debrief: Brining = preserving and/or flavoring with salt. Marinating = preserving and/or flavoring with acid. Pickling = preserving with salt (fermented pickles) or preserving with acid (unfermented pickles)

What liquid is used for pickling?

Vinegar: A tart liquid that prevents the growth of bacteria. Always use a vinegar with an acidity level of 5 percent. The preferred vinegar for pickling is distilled white vinegar, which has a sharp, tart flavor.



How To Make Pickles Without A Recipe




More answers regarding why does pickling liquid need to first be boiled? (or does it)

Answer 2

You typically always sterilise your consol jars, what are known as Mason Jars in the US. This is typically done by drenching the jars in boiling water to kill all micro-organisms that may be lingering on the glass.

You would not typically put the veggies in hot water. This would have the effect of partially cooking the veggies. Making your pickle less pickle and more weak soup.

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