Pickles are foods soaked in a low PH solution to prevent spoilage and extend the food’s shelf life. The term pickle is a British dialect “pikel”, which means a pitchfork or hay-fork. Pikel is also associated to a Middle Dutch word “pekel”, which literally means to flavor and preserve foods. The process is called pickling — a food preservation technique used during Ancient times.
In history, Pickles were believed to be among Cleopatra’s beauty secrets. Meanwhile, Julius Caesar assumed that pickled cucumber, which was the first pickled food thousand years ago, will make his army tough and vigorous. Pickles are high in Vitamin C, and a great source of Vitamin K and A. These preserved foods are also low in calories and are fat-free. The fermented pickles are also rich in probiotics which reduce the symptoms of depression and anxiety, improve digestion, and reduce urinary tract infection (UTI).
When asked pickled in the United States, they refer to pickled cucumbers. The cucumber, which belongs to the gourd family, is the main ingredients in making pickles.
In today’s cuisine world, thousands of varieties of pickled vegetables are available. Read further to learn about the different types of Pickles recipes.
Types of Pickles
Listed below are well-known pickled recipes in today’s generation.
Dill Pickles
This variety of pickles is known to be the most famous cucumber pickle. The main ingredient used in making dill pickle is the dill herb. The dill pickling method utilizes fresh dill mixed to a salt brine or vinegar brine along with other appetizing ingredients such as pepper and mustard seeds. The health benefits of eating Dill Pickles include maintaining blood sugar level and boost gut health.
This type of pickle is subdivided into types; Overnight Dill, Kosher Dill, and Polish and German Pickles.
- Overnight Dill Pickles are commonly known as cukes. These types of pickles are kept in brine for a short while. As the name implies, these pickles are stored overnight. To inflate its savoring taste, it is recommended to store the Dill Pickles overnight in room temperature or a refrigerator for 24-36 hours. These refrigerator pickles are much crunchier compared to normal cucumber pickles.
- Kosher Dill Pickles are pickles made traditionally by Jewish New York City pickle makers. With the alternative name of Gherkin, this pickle is made of cucumber, brine, garlic, Kosher salt, and dill. It is called Kosher Dill because of the presence of garlic which gives the fermented food a distinctive taste.
- Polish and German Pickles, also known as kiszony, are made with more garlic and pickle spices than the normal dill pickles. They are usually made of dill, cucumbers, garlic, salt, fresh horseradish and flavored with mustard seeds and peppers. The fermentation process is quite the same with the Kosher Dill. It’s just that this type of pickle does not use vinegar.
Sweet Pickles
Sweet pickles are made with vinegar, brine, sugar, cinnamon or other sweet spices. To enhance its taste, mustard seed and onion can be added. The sweetness of these pickles depend on its variety. Bread and butter pickles and Candied pickles are among them. Bread and butter is invented by Omar and Cora Fanning. This pickle is made of sweet pickle brine with sugar and sweet spices. To make its taste a bit tangier, you can add celery seeds and coriander. They are best served with burger and sandwiches. Candied pickle on the other hand, are made of high content of sugar, cider vinegar, and spices. The Candied pickles’ very sweet taste make it a famous all-time snack. Sweet pickles are a good source of B vitamins, Vitamin K and A.
Cinnamon Pickles
The fermentation method of cinnamon pickles is distinctive from other pickles as you need to create mouth watering candy syrup by mixing the ingredients. And yes, they are still cucumbers soaked with vinegar, water, sugar, and cinnamon sticks that are mixed together to become candy syrup. The color texture of this pickle is red due to the presence of cinnamon and a little amount of red food coloring. This is best served during the Christmas season.
Cornichons
Cornichon pickles are French pickles made with mini gherkin cucumbers that are one to two inches in length. These tiny baby pickles have mild sweet flavor and are ideal to serve with curried sausages, terrines, pâtés, and other classic charcuterie foods. Cornichons are actually not cucumbers, but various types of gherkin plants being harvested before they matured. These pickles are best eaten with egg and sandwiches.
Lime Pickles
Lime pickles are exclusively made of limes without the presence of pickles. This type of pickle is a known Indian preserved food called “limbu ka achaar”.These sour pickles are also easy to prepare. Pickling spices such as salt, chili powder, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, turmeric powder, and limes are the main ingredients in making lime pickles. They are best served with foods that are less flavorful such as parathas, plain rice, and Indian flatbread.
Genuine Dill
This type of pickle is the easiest pickle recipe you can make at home. Prepare the pickling cucumber and add the dill seed and dill vinegar to the vinegar brine. In terms of texture, pickles look similar to Kosher Dills but taste differently as these pickles do not have add-on condiment vegetables like garlic. Genuine Dill can be eaten as a whole pickle, slice it thinly or thickly to serve with a sandwich.
Hungarian Pickles
This is one of a kind pickle famous side dish in Hungarian. It is crispy and salty. What makes this pickle recipe different from the standard pickles is that it is being fermented instead of pickling. Cucumbers, salt, vinegar, dill, bell peppers, and spices are the main ingredients in making Hungarian pickles. After preparing all the ingredients, simply put the mixture into the jar and leave it for five days. For best results, expose the pickles to the sun. They are often prepare during summer. Some eat it as a whole pickle, and others prefer to slice it thinly before consuming.
Gherkin Pickles
These are a small variety of cucumber that’s been pickled in a vinegar mixture, brine, and other pickling liquid. The pickles are left fermented in a room temperature for a certain period of time to enrich its flavor. Gherkins, which is native to North America, are smaller in size as compared to the standard cucumber. They are appraised as condiment vegetables and are notable for their strong and impressive flavor. Gherkin pickles are best served with mayonnaise and tart.