Homemade pickled vegetables are a centuries-old tradition and are far less complicated to make than you might think. Most vegetables pickle well in vinegar, salt and seasonings, but for really crisp pickles, you need to add a firming agent like pickling lime. Using pickling lime adds calcium to the pickles, making them crisp. It's not difficult to use pickling lime, but you do need to be careful to rinse all of it out of the vegetables before moving on to the next step.
Step 1
Fill an enamel or earthenware container with water.
Step 2
Add the pickling lime and salt and stir them slowly. Be very careful not to breathe in any of the fumes from the water.
Step 3
Soak your pickling vegetables in the lime water for 12 to 24 hours.
Step 4
Drain the vegetables into a colander.
Step 5
Place the vegetables into a bowl and cover them with cold water. Soak them for one hour.
Step 6
Drain the vegetables, cover them with cold water and soak them for another hour.
Step 7
Drain and soak the vegetables again for a total of three times.
Tips and Warnings
- Add sliced onions to pickled cucumbers when you seal them in their jars.
- Never use lime from the garden store for pickles; get food-grade pickling lime from Hispanic markets or online.
Things You'll Need
- Enamel or earthenware container
- 1 gallon water
- 1 cup pickling lime
- ½ cup salt
- Large spoon
- Colander
- Large bowl
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