The Best Salt for Pickling, According to a Constant Pickler and Chef

Pickles are infinitely customizable and every culture has one. We often suggest a custom pickle recipe for clients to make their event more memorable. It's fun to develop a brand new recipe, just for you, that can be made over and over again at home. A key ingredient is salt and we have some advice about what you should use.

Here is an excerpt:

The world of pickles spans everything from classic dill and bread-and-butter slices to condiments like pickled red onions and atchara. Quick pickles, also known as refrigerator or vinegar pickles, are made by adding a hot brine to fresh produce and letting them sit in the fridge. Fermented pickles get their tang through weeks of fermentation, which converts the natural sugars of the pickled ingredient into lactic acid. 

Almost any fruit or vegetable can be pickled as long as you make a good brine. And the key to a good brine is salt. This kitchen staple not only works as a seasoning, but helps to keep fermented pickles safe by regulating microorganisms and promoting lactic acid formation. For this reason, Penn State University warns not to omit salt in fermented pickles or sauerkraut.

Do you have questions about salt? Comment below.