If following a Ball recipe for example, or Healthycanning.com, and the recipe for pickling calls for the main vegetable, water, vinegar, pickling salt, but then also, mustard, dill, garlic, an onion, a half a stalk of celery, etc… are those other ingredients necessary? or can I pickle just tomatoes, with water, vinegar, and pickling salt?
by dhoepp
4 Comments
The only ingredient you need for pickling is the vinegar. Everything else, including the water, is negotiable. You can add a smaller proportion of water but not more water.
That being said, I don’t think your pickles will taste as good if you don’t add at least some of the flavoring ingredients.
What matters most in a pickling recipe is the acid, aka the brine. Don’t go swapping the main vegetable, but everything outside of that and the vinegar/water ratio is for flavor and can be reduced or omitted.
Its definitely about the acid, but it varies depending what vegetable you are canning. I don’t think salt impacts preservation much but certainly helps with flavour.
I do however often omit pickling spice because I just want straight dill flavour. I prefer simple pickles. I did try some carrots this year though.
You can always safely remove or reduce low acid ingredients (onion, garlic, celery, peppers)
You can always remove or reduce herbs and seasoning – including salt. Salt does not increase the safety or preservation, though the flavor often suffers if it is completely eliminated.
Do not change sugar content in jams, jellies, marmalades, etc. Sugar is important for both the “gelling” and the reduction of water activity (safety). There are *separate* recipes for low-sugar jams, jellies, etc.