The Best Ever Deli-Style Sour Pickles Recipe. Ever. Seriously. - Garden Therapy (2024)

FAQs

What makes deli pickles so good? ›

Crunchy, garlicky kosher deli pickles traditionally get their distinctive flavor, not from vinegar, but from a salt-water brine. Artisanal fermented pickles can offer gut-healthy probiotics. And would any grilled cheese sandwich be complete without a pile of bread & butter chips on the side?

Half sour pickles are a deli staple made using a salt-based brine and a partial fermentation process for their distinctive sour flavor, without the use of vinegar. Half sour pickles have a mild tang and pleasing saltiness, and retain their bright green appearance.

To make pickles more sour, you can add more salt to the brine. Many foods can be pickled. Commonly pickled foods include cabbage (called "sauerkraut") and pigs' feet. What we all know as a pickle, though, is a pickled cucumber.

The biggest difference between dill and sour pickles is that the former includes fresh dill weed (and occasionally dill seeds or oil) for a boost of herby flavor. Also, dill pickles nowadays are typically vinegar-based, while sour pickles are always fermented in a salt brine.

Historically, deli pickles are saltier and prepared with garlic. As Freddie Jansen writes in her book, "Pickled," the New York Jewish deli pickles are immersed in saltwater brine instead of being fermented in vinegar.

Candied jalapeños, also known as Cowboy Candy, add a spicy-sweet kick to tons of your favorite recipes! Made like a quick pickle, with a good bit of sugar added to the brine, this condiment is sweet, surprisingly versatile, and a great way to use up all of jalapeños from a summer garden.

On the plus side, pickles (which are made from cucumbers) are generally a low-calorie, low-fat food. They're a source of fiber, as well as vitamins A and K. And, like all vegetables and fruit, they have antioxidants.

Then I found out about alum, so that is what I use to make them keep their crunch. Add calcium chloride crystals (a pinch per jar) to keep your pickles crisp. It is sold as “Pickle Crisp Granules” by Ball.

What is another name for sour pickles? ›

Sulphuric acid is used for metal pickling almost as often as hydrochloric acid, but it does not evaporate and is therefore mostly used for pickling at high temperatures.

This is a basic 3-2-1 pickle recipe—three parts vinegar, two parts water, one part sugar. Salt and spices are totally up to you. You can also reduce the amount of sugar for a more savory pickle brine.

McDonald's uses dill pickles in their burgers including in the Big Mac®.

After all, they're made from cucumbers, which are low in calories and contain fiber, calcium, potassium and vitamins A, C and K. In addition, fermented pickles (pickles made with saltwater brine) contain probiotics, which can help keep your digestive system, brain and immune system healthy.

Vitamin A: “Pickles are good sources of beta-carotene, which our bodies convert to vitamin A,” Peart says. “This is a powerful antioxidant good for vision and cell health in general.” Vitamin K: This vitamin is important for heart health. It helps your bones stay strong and your blood clot.

Even in two hours, pickles' texture can start to change. Warm temperatures cause pickles to soften and lose their crunchy texture. Keeping them cool keeps them crisp. Fridge-cold temperatures prevent mold and yeast from forming in the pickle jar, but other factors can affect the contents, too.

So-called “cold pack” pickles—you'll find them in the refrigerator case at your grocer—have undergone lactic acid fermentation in a brine, much like sauerkraut. While traditional kosher dill pickles are fermented, some commercial products labelled “kosher-style” are simply marinated in vinegar.

A special combination of vinegar, garlic, dill, and seasonings (we don't quite know which ones, as this is a trade secret) creates a pickle that does not taste remotely like that of any of the company's fast food competitors, with just the right level of acid to complement rather than overpower its signature product.