Turn a summer glut into jars for the pantry. A simple brine, clean jars and a little patience is all you need.
Created by jflgardens.co.uk
Pickling is the oldest and one of the easiest ways to keep vegetables for months. Courgettes, cucumbers, beans, cauliflower, onions and carrots all take to a vinegar brine beautifully — and homemade pickles taste nothing like the jars from the shop.
Pick vegetables at their freshest — small zucchini, firm beans and crisp cauliflower work best. Wash them well, trim as needed and cut into uniform pieces so they pack evenly and pickle evenly.
Salting or a quick water-blanch before pickling draws out moisture and helps the veg stay crisp (and the brine clear) once jarred.
Clean, sterilised jars are the difference between pickles that keep for a year and ones that spoil. Wash jars and lids in hot soapy water, then heat them — in a hot oven, a dishwasher's hottest cycle, or a pan of boiling water — and keep them warm until you fill them.
A basic preserving pickle is roughly equal parts vinegar and water (or vinegar alone, for a sharper result), with salt and sugar to taste and spices of your choice — mustard seed, dill, chilli, garlic, peppercorns. Bring it to a rolling boil, then pour it over the packed veg, leaving a little headroom.
Wipe the rims, screw on the lids and leave to cool. Water-bath processing (a few minutes in boiling water) extends the shelf life of vinegar pickles still further and helps seal the jars.
Label each jar with what and when — then keep them in a cool, dark place and leave at least a couple of weeks before opening. The flavour genuinely improves with a sit. Once open, refrigerate.
From seasonal garden care to a full preserving-style overhaul, the JFL Gardens team works across Surrey and London.
