Pickled products bring a tangy taste to foods, including a variety of garden vegetables and fruits. Pickling occurs either by anaerobic fermentation in brine or immersion in a vinegar solution. Read the basics in Extension's Pickling Guidelines and find answers to commonly asked questions about pickles and pickling. Here are some basics of successful pickling.

Types of Pickles

• Brining pickles: Cured in a brine (salt and water), and preserved with vinegar.
• Fresh pack or quick process pickles: Covered in vinegar, spices, and seasonings. For best flavor, let pickles stand for several weeks after being sealed in jars.
• Fruit pickles: Made with fruits and a sweet-sour syrup which includes vinegar or lemon juice.
• Pickle relish: Made with fruits and vegetables and cooked to desired consistency in a vinegar solution.

Safety Steps

• Follow the directions and steps of tested recipes exactly.
• Use recommended ingredients in recipes: canning or pickling salt, white granulated sugar or brown sugar, and vinegar with 5% acidity.
• Process pickles in a boiling-water bath canner as directed by the recipe.
• Pickles processed in a boiling-water bath canner for less than 10 minutes must be put in sterilized jars first.
• For fermenting pickles, use stone crockery, glass, or food-grade plastic.
• For quick pickles, heat solution in aluminum, steel, or unchipped enamel.
• For best results, use soft water and consume home-canned goods within one year.

Sterilizing Jars

• Wash jars using soap and rinse well. Submerge jars in boiling water for 10 minutes.
• To pre-sterilize jars, place cleaned jars right-side-up on a rack in a canner and fill the jars and canner with water up to 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring water to a boil, and boil for 10 minutes.
• Remove jars one at a time when ready to begin filling them; empty water from the jars back into the canner.