How Pickling Works: The Science Behind The Process

The satisfying crunch, the tangy zip, the onrush of unique flavors; With descriptors like these, verging on the superlative, it's no surprise that so many people all over the world have come to love the art of pickling. Whether you're chowing down on store-bought pickles straight from the jar, testing techniques for super-crunchy homemade pickles, or frankly anything in between, you may not have stopped to consider exactly how the pickling process yields those delicious vinegary goods you love so dearly.

The processes of pickling and fermentation are not the same. But you could think of the two as cousins, especially as it relates to digging into the science of pickling. At its most essential, a combination of fermentation, added flavors and acids, and the osmosis of drawing water from your pickled products all contribute to making a zesty, crunchy, and strongly-flavorful pickled good. Of course, the amount that one particular process plays into your overall picture depends on a few factors. For example, quick pickled red onions don't have time to ferment, so all your flavor has to be garnered from the veggie itself as well as the added ingredients. But in most traditional pickling processes, there's a heck of a lot more going on than just some produce resting in a briny solution.

Pickling as a catch-all term involves a few different processes. But how do these contribute to the final product exactly? Although fermentation is more readily seen in the processes of making wine and beer — or even the pickle-adjacent kimchi and sauerkraut — it can still have a formidable role in your prospective jar of pickles. Essentially, fermentation boils down to the sugars of your pickled goods being converted into lactic acid by non-harmful bacteria. This explains the tangy bite you get in pickled foods (and fermented foods more broadly), and also accounts for how the flavors generally get stronger over time.

The other factors at play — the osmosis and the added flavor components — aren't slouches by any means. The osmosis that takes place in pickling, which uses salt to extract water from your produce, is crucial to achieving a crunchy texture. (Just make sure you use the right kind of salt for pickling.) Poking holes in your veggies can speed up this process a touch, but on the whole this isn't necessary. As far as other flavors are concerned, this is where you have the most room for experimentation. Vinegar, of course, is fundamental to a pickle's flavor. But from there, dill, garlic, mustard seeds, coriander, and allspice berries are but a few examples of the many herbs and spices you can use. With these attributes combined, you'd be hard-pressed to brew a bad pickle.