Brine Recipe for Brine Cured Pickles

With some things growing full tilt in the vegetable garden at the moment, I am on regular pickling duty.  It’s not yet time for lots of chutneys, but every week a few batches of dill pickled cucumbers, pickled chillies and peppers are being made up.

These types of pickles really are the easiest to create.  It’s just a matter of picking things, cleaning them up, packing into sterilised canning jars, topping with brine vinegar and waiting for them to be ready.

To keep things really convenient, I make up one large batch of brine vinegar.  Then I can quickly preserve the veggies as they’re ready.  So, here’s the brine vinegar recipe I use.

Brine Recipe for Brine Cured Pickles

Firstly, let me confess, this isn’t some recipe I created.  It is included in Foods of the Lebanon by Cassie Maroun-Paladin.  But, for those of you without your own copy, here’s her take on brine:

  • 4 pints water
  • 1 1/4 pints of white wine or distilled malt vinegar
  • 6 tbsp salt
  • Spices/herbs of choice

Okay, mix all the above together in a clean glass jar.  Add some additional flavorings if the mood takes you.  I always throw in some whole peeled garlic cloves, peppercorns, bay leaves and a few dried chillies.

This is brilliant for pickled cucumbers, peppers and chillies.

This should be enough vinegar brine for around 4 lb of vegetables.  Of course you can increase the proportion of vinegar to make your pickles more sour, but keep the level of salt to liquid at least as included here.  Simple huh?

For a more self sufficient future

3 Responses to “Brine Recipe for Brine Cured Pickles”

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  1. Mike says:

    I like this recipe, it is similar to one we have used. The only thing we add are a couple of grape leaves, seems to aid in keeping the pickles firmer. Enjoy the summer!
    Mike