The Freshness Of Your Ingredients Matters For Pickling

If you've ever added some pickled red onions or jalapeños to your sandwich, then you know that distinct pungent touch they give to almost any dish. Although soaking something in vinegar doesn't seem like it would benefit a recipe, pickled veggies add so much flavor to anything from sandwiches to salads and even pizza. For the best pickled vegetables, make sure they are as fresh as possible before soaking them in pickling liquid.

Beyond the flavor, pickled veggies tend to last much longer in the refrigerator than fresh ones, so it's a great way to preserve your purchase if you wouldn't otherwise eat the veggies within a few days. Fresh vegetables always offer a better flavor and texture than days-old ones, so, those higher-quality veggies will give a better taste and mouthfeel when pickled. You can pickle vegetables in a variety of ways, and in addition ensuring your pickled vegetables are fresh, the other ingredients you incorporate into the pickling liquid should be fresh, too.

In the same way the crunch of a fresh cucumber or sharpness of a red onion will translate to a better-pickled vegetable if they have just been picked, fresh garlic and herbs will emit more flavor into the pickling liquid. While you shouldn't overspend at the grocery store and can still get good flavor using dried herbs you already have, fresh herbs and other flavor enhancers are a better alternative to dried spices like garlic powder or dried parsley.

Just-picked vegetables are often brighter in color, so if you are making pickled green beans or zucchini and want to keep that sharp color, you can choose to blanch the veggies first. This way, the veggies will stay vibrant as they sit in the pickling liquid and will appear fresher. However, blanching isn't a necessary part of the pickling process as it shouldn't alter the vegetables' flavor. Once pickled, the vegetables should last between three and four weeks if continuously kept sealed and stored in the refrigerator.