You'll Never Buy Pickles Again After This (5 Quick And Easy Pickled Recipes)!

You're never going to buy pickles again after you see this. Let's be real. The last jar of pickles you grabbed at the grocery store was probably a letdown. You're hoping for that incredible, satisfying crunch. But what you usually get is a sad, soft, floppy pickle that has lost all its will to live. They're expensive for what they are. And half the time, the ingredient list is a paragraph of preservatives and weird dyes. I'm going to show you how to make pickles that are crunchier, more flavorful, and just worlds better than anything you can buy. And the best part? It takes just a few minutes of actual work. Okay, let's begin. The one piece of info that will set you free from the pickle aisle forever is the universal pickle brine. And it is shockingly simple. We will make a universal brine and then flavor them depending on the vegetables we are pickling. The perfect all-purpose starting ratio for a quick pickle brine is one-to-one. One part five percent distilled white vinegar to one part water. That's the whole foundation. For today's brine, we're making a bigger batch, so we'll use five cups of distilled white vinegar and five cups of water. This is a great neutral base that really lets the flavor of your vegetables and spices shine. Now, to this liquid base, we add two more crucial ingredients, salt and sugar. Salt is non-negotiable. It's essential for flavor and pickling. Sugar is technically optional, but I highly, highly recommend it. It doesn't make the pickles sweet. It just rounds out the sharp edges of the vinegar and creates a much more balanced, complex flavor. For our five cups of water and five cups of vinegar, we'll add five tablespoons of kosher salt and five tablespoons of sugar. If you're making a smaller batch, simply scale everything down. For example, use one cup of water, one cup of vinegar, one tablespoon of kosher salt, and one tablespoon of sugar. Now we're going to combine the water, vinegar, salt, and sugar in a Turn the heat on to medium. We don't need this to boil. We just want to warm it enough to completely dissolve the salt and sugar. Give it a stir for a minute or two until the liquid is totally clear. And that's it. You just made the universal brine. Now, let's make some pickles. Let's start with a classic garlic dill cucumber pickle. First, your cucumbers. The best ones for pickling are those small, firm, bumpy ones, often called pickling cucumbers. They have thicker skin and less water, which helps them stay extra crunchy. But honestly, any cucumber will work as long as it's firm and fresh. The cut is totally up to you. You can slice them into coins for burgers or cut them into spears for that classic snacking experience. Today, I'm doing spears. Next, the jar. It just needs to be really clean. Wash it with very hot, soapy water. Rinse it well, and you are good to go. For a classic dill pickle, we're going to add a few key aromatics right into our jar. I'm dropping in two cloves of garlic that I've lightly smashed to release their flavor, a handful of fresh dill, about a teaspoon of whole black peppercorns, and a half teaspoon of mustard seeds. Now, pack your cucumber spears into the jar. Get them in there nice and snug. Once the jar is packed, take your warm brine and carefully pour it all over the cucumbers. The single most important rule is to make sure the vegetables are completely covered by the brine. Any part that's exposed to air can potentially spoil. Seal the jar with a lid and just let it sit on your counter to cool down to room temperature. Once it's cool, pop it into the refrigerator. You could technically eat these in just a few hours, but the real magic happens after 24 hours. That's when the brine has really worked its way into the cucumbers, creating a pickle that is just leagues beyond anything you can buy. Now, let's use that exact same brine to create a whole family of pickles. First up, carrots. Carrots are way denser than cucumbers, so the trick is to cut them thin. I'm slicing these into thin coins on an angle, which looks nice and gives them more surface area. Fill your jar with the carrots. Into this jar, I'm adding a few slices of fresh ginger and a pinch of red pepper flakes for a little sweet heat. Then, carefully pour your warm brine over the carrots. Seal it, cool it on the counter, and then pop it in the refrigerator. Next, onions. Pickled red onions are one of the greatest things in life. They lose that raw, harsh bite and become bright, tangy, and so addictive. The key here is to slice them as thinly as you possibly can. I'm packing these into a jar all by themselves. Pour that same universal brine over top, and these will be good to go in as little as an hour. They are phenomenal on tacos, salads, avocado toast, basically everything. Next up, bell peppers. I'm slicing these red bell peppers into strips and placing them right into the jar. I'll add some crushed red pepper flakes for a little sweet heat. Then, I'll pour the warm brine over the top. Cover the jar and let it cool before popping it into the refrigerator. Finally, for the spicy version, I'm slicing some jalapenos into rings. I'm adding a smashed garlic clove to this one, then topping it with the warm brine. Cover the jar, let it cool, and pop it into the refrigerator. It has been 24 hours. I've let these jars hang out in the fridge, letting all those amazing flavors get to know each other. The time has come for the moment of truth. First, the classic dill pickle. Let's open this up. The aroma is incredible. That fresh dill and garlic just pops. I'm going to pull out a spear. It's still so vibrant and looks perfectly crisp. Now, for the sound. Just hear the crunch. That's what it's all about. It's perfectly salty, super tangy, and the flavor of the fresh dill and garlic is so much brighter than the muted taste of a store-bought pickle. Now, let's try the others. Here are the carrot coins. They still have a firm snap, and they've absorbed that tangy brine beautifully. That hint of ginger and chili is fantastic. These are an amazing snack all by themselves. And finally, the pickled red onions. They've turned this gorgeous, vibrant pink. They're tender, but still have a little bite. They're sweet, they're tangy, and they are going to make any dish you put them on at least 10 times better. So there you have it. You are now armed with the one secret you need to make incredible pickles at home forever. You'll save money. You'll have a much better product that is crunchier and more flavorful, and you can customize the taste exactly how you want. If you enjoyed this video, do me a favor and hit that thumbs up button. It really helps the channel out. 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