How to pickle vegetables

Once you know the tricks to quick pickling, it’s easy to preserve summer produce and enjoy it in loads of different dishes. Give it a go using our easy step-by-step guide. 

1. Sterilise your jars

To kill any bacteria, sterilise preserving jars and lids before starting. Gently boil them in a saucepan for 10 mins, then use tongs to carefully transfer them to a baking tray or board lined with a clean tea towel to air dry.

Boil a jar in a saucepan

2. Make the liquid

Pickling liquid is a mixture of vinegar, sugar and salt, which preserves fresh ingredients. For best results, use a non-iodised salt. Iodine and anti-caking agents in some salts can discolour the pickling liquid.

Pouring water to the saucepan with a mixture of pickling liquid

3. Fill ‘em up

Raw ingredients can expand slightly when pickled, so leave a 2cm gap below the rim when filling your preserving jars. To help you safely pour the hot pickling liquid over the veg, transfer it to a large jug first. 

Pour the pickling liquid to a jar with carrots