What is it and how does pickling enhance the flavor of my food? A simple process, pickling is brining, check out when I brined my turkey, same concept except with a smaller food item. Brining is soaking in a water/salt solution, but with pickling you can use the process of boiling with a vinegar and salt solution and any of your seasonings/herbs to your liking. Just think of pickles and how the tart flavor of biting into it gives you the extra kick of tanginess that is needed. You can pickle your foods in water, vinegar using different types of vinegar, whether distilled white vinegar, rice vinegar, red wine vinegar or even apple cider vinegar, whether iodized or non-iodized salt and even add sugar. You would then put your food product into a
canning/mason jar and pour the solution over your food product and refrigerate. Play with it a few times by adding different herbs and spices until you get the flavor you are looking for.
What foods can be pickled? You can pickle peppers, vegetables like cucumbers, squash, green beans, beets, onions, tomatoes and fruits like strawberries and the rind of fruits, olives and a whole sort of other food products, even certain meats. Once you pickle your food items, they can last in the refrigerator up to 2 -3 months. That’s a long time for something that is perishable.
How can I serve my pickled foods? Rest assured, in so many ways. You can prepare a Relish Tray where you can display all of your pickled items on one board. Yes!!!! You can add your pickled peppers to your favorite side dish, like macaroni salad, potato salad and even rice. You can add it to the side or on top of your meat dishes. Get creative and experimental, you got this!
Remember that your pickling solution should be refrigerated at all times. The best part of this is when you have emptied your canning/mason jar and have that leftover pickling juice, just add a little splash to your favorite sauce. Happy pickling!!!!!!
Bye now,
Aunt Carmen
