Food
3, 2, 1, pickles! Tips and tricks on how to make quick pickles recipes at home
by Spencer Lengsfield
Pickles are becoming more and more trendy, with their increased presence on social media perhaps linking to the spike in sales of pickles recently. They’re fresh and crunchy, can be used in a variety of ways, and are even thought to have some health benefits. However, as time is ever harder to come by, people understandably don’t want to wait weeks to finally eat their homemade pickles.
Enter the quick pickle, or 'quickle'! Quickles are a speedy way for fans to get a pickle fix within an hour – and here’s everything you need to know about them.
What are quickles?
What is the difference between quick pickles and regular pickles?
Quickles can be ready in as little as 30 minutes, although they’re better after at least 24 hours. Their flavour comes from the vinegar, sugar, salt and any aromatics added, whereas traditional pickles are fermented, which not only adds flavour but means they are preserved for much longer.
How to make quickles
We like to use distilled vinegar here as it has a neutral flavour, meaning you can easily add in other flavours, but you can use any vinegar you like – cider, rice, or red wine vinegar would all work! You can also reduce the amount of sugar if you want a less sweet pickle, especially if you’re pickling fruit. Salt-wise, it doesn’t much matter, except that you don’t want to use fine table salt – it must be ‘non-iodised’ or the quickles will have a harsh flavour and the brine can get cloudy.
What can I quick pickle?
Cucumber, carrot, onion, radish, peppers and beetroot are all good options for quickles – but have fun with it! We have a recipe here for a classic cucumber quickle, and a mixed pepper, corn, and red onion quickle. You can even use fruit like pineapple!
What else can I add to my quickles?
Mustard seeds, coriander seeds, peppercorns, dried chillies, turmeric and garlic are all good options, as well as herbs like dill. You can even swap out the salt for soy sauce, or some of the sugar for something like maple syrup. The possibilities are endless!
How long are quickles good for?
They should last between two and four weeks – but keep an eye on them; if there’s any mould, they’re slimy or smell bad, then that’s a strong indicator that it’s time to let them go!
