Sous Vide Flavor-Packed Pickles Recipe | Sur La Table (2024)

Ingredients

  • Fruits or vegetables, any, as needed
  • Brine, see options below, as needed
  • Seasonings, any, as needed

  • Savory Pickling Brine:
  • 400g Vinegar, white wine
  • 400g Water
  • 80g Sugar, granulated
  • 20g Salt

  • Sweet Pickling Brine:
  • 400g Vinegar, white wine
  • 400g Water
  • 265g Sugar, granulated

Procedure

This recipe was designed for use with the Joule Sous Vide by Chef Steps.

Set water to 140°F / 60°C

Inspect and clean your jars: As any canner worth his handmade raspberry preserves will tell you, it’s important to inspect your jars before you go a-pickling. If you see any of the following issues, you need new jars: cracks or chips in the glass, bent or warped lids, food residue or anything else on the lids—you want those clean, chipped or banged-up rubber on the lid

Pick your brine: Broadly speaking, you want to use a savory brine for vegetables and a sweet one for fruit.

Prep ingredients: Peel or chop away rinds, stems, or any other parts of the future pickles that you don’t want to eat. Rinse fresh herbs.

Put it all in a jar: Transfer fruits and veggies, along with any seasonings, to your jars, taking care not to overfill them. The food and seasonings should be able to float around freely. Food should reach no higher than about 0.75 in (2 cm) below the lid. Add brine, stopping when the liquid level is about half an inch (1 cm) from the top of the jar.

Close jars until "fingertip tight": Place the lid on the jar. Twist the lid until "fingertip tight," meaning just barely closed and still possible to open with your fingertips. To close the jars fingertip tight, place the lid on top of the jar, then twist the band to tighten using just your fingertips. When you begin to feel resistance, twist once in the opposite direction, then once more in the original direction to tighten. Closing the jars until fingertip tight means that air will be able to escape from the jars when you submerge them in water. If you close them too tightly, the trapped air will press against the glass and could crack or break your jars.

Cook for 2½ hours: Lower jars into the heated water carefully. Walk away! Joule will watch over your fruits and veggies, so you can go pickle your liver at the bar while they pasteurize.

Rest at room temp: After two and a half hours, remove your pickles from the water and allow them to rest overnight on the counter. CAUTION: Do not submerge the jars in ice water for rapid chilling—they may well shatter if you do.

Pucker up!: You can now start chomping on yo’ pickles or store them in a clean, cool, dark place for up to six months.

By ChefSteps

Ingredients

  • Fruits or vegetables, any, as needed
  • Brine, see options below, as needed
  • Seasonings, any, as needed

  • Savory Pickling Brine:
  • 400g Vinegar, white wine
  • 400g Water
  • 80g Sugar, granulated
  • 20g Salt

  • Sweet Pickling Brine:
  • 400g Vinegar, white wine
  • 400g Water
  • 265g Sugar, granulated

Procedure

This recipe was designed for use with the Joule Sous Vide by Chef Steps.

Set water to 140°F / 60°C

Inspect and clean your jars: As any canner worth his handmade raspberry preserves will tell you, it’s important to inspect your jars before you go a-pickling. If you see any of the following issues, you need new jars: cracks or chips in the glass, bent or warped lids, food residue or anything else on the lids—you want those clean, chipped or banged-up rubber on the lid

Pick your brine: Broadly speaking, you want to use a savory brine for vegetables and a sweet one for fruit.

Prep ingredients: Peel or chop away rinds, stems, or any other parts of the future pickles that you don’t want to eat. Rinse fresh herbs.

Put it all in a jar: Transfer fruits and veggies, along with any seasonings, to your jars, taking care not to overfill them. The food and seasonings should be able to float around freely. Food should reach no higher than about 0.75 in (2 cm) below the lid. Add brine, stopping when the liquid level is about half an inch (1 cm) from the top of the jar.

Close jars until "fingertip tight": Place the lid on the jar. Twist the lid until "fingertip tight," meaning just barely closed and still possible to open with your fingertips. To close the jars fingertip tight, place the lid on top of the jar, then twist the band to tighten using just your fingertips. When you begin to feel resistance, twist once in the opposite direction, then once more in the original direction to tighten. Closing the jars until fingertip tight means that air will be able to escape from the jars when you submerge them in water. If you close them too tightly, the trapped air will press against the glass and could crack or break your jars.

Cook for 2½ hours: Lower jars into the heated water carefully. Walk away! Joule will watch over your fruits and veggies, so you can go pickle your liver at the bar while they pasteurize.

Rest at room temp: After two and a half hours, remove your pickles from the water and allow them to rest overnight on the counter. CAUTION: Do not submerge the jars in ice water for rapid chilling—they may well shatter if you do.

Pucker up!: You can now start chomping on yo’ pickles or store them in a clean, cool, dark place for up to six months.

Sous Vide Flavor-Packed Pickles Recipe | Sur La Table (2024)

FAQs

How do you make vacuum sealed pickles? ›

Combine the sliced cucumbers and the brine in a large vacuum bag. Set the seal to 3 and the vacuum to 2. Seal the cucumbers, label and date the package, and place in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours.

Do sous vide pickles need to be refrigerated? ›

Since the process of cooking will essentially pasteurize your pickles they are safe to store in the pantry until use. Refrigerate after opening.

How to make pickles without botulism? ›

Making sure enough vinegar is added to the cucumbers is important to make safe pickles; Clostridium botulinum can grow in improperly canned, pickled foods with a pH higher than 4.6. It is critical to use scientifically tested recipes for making pickles to ensure their safety.

What temperature is sous vide canning? ›

Anywhere from 140 degrees for two hours, to 190 degrees for thirty minutes.

Does vacuum sealing pickle faster? ›

Vacuum-sealing is also a good way of quick pickling – it simplifies everything from kosher dills to Peter Piper's preferred pimientos. With traditional canning, jam and pickles become shelf-stable after processing in a water bath or pressure canner.

Should I vacuum seal pickles? ›

A vacuum is not necessary for either quick pickles or lacto-fermented pickles. Pickles made with vinegar are usually in the "quick" or "refrigerator" pickle category. The brine flavors the vegetable.

Are sous vide pickles shelf-stable? ›

If you want truly crisp pickles, fridge pickles are the way to go, but sous-vide canning does offer a shelf-stable middle ground.

How do you store after sous vide? ›

Simply pull out the pouches as when their cooking time elapses, quick chill them in ice water, dry them off, label with contents and date, and refrigerate for up to 48 hours or freeze for up to 1 year. (See Time and Temperature Table for recommendations.)

Can you sous vide and then refrigerate? ›

If you want to refrigerate or freeze any food that has been cooked sous vide, we recommend that it be brought quickly from the cooking temperature to below 41F/5C before storing. This process is called quick chilling.

How do you know if homemade pickles have botulism? ›

You cannot see, smell, or taste botulinum toxin – but taking even a small taste of food containing this toxin can be deadly.
  1. The container spurts liquid or foam when you open it.
  2. The food inside is discolored, moldy, or smells bad.
Jun 6, 2019

What are the symptoms of botulism in pickles? ›

Symptoms of foodborne botulism include:
  • Trouble swallowing or speaking.
  • Dry mouth.
  • Facial weakness on both sides of the face.
  • Blurred or double vision.
  • Drooping eyelids.
  • Trouble breathing.
  • Nausea, vomiting and stomach cramps.
  • Paralysis.
Jul 12, 2022

Can botulism survive pickling? ›

botulinum cannot grow below a pH of 4.6, so acidic foods, such as most fruits, tomatoes, and pickles, can be safely processed in a water bath canner. However, foods with a higher pH (most vegetables and meats) must be processed under pressure.

What temperature is unsafe for sous vide? ›

With sous vide, the doneness of a steak is directly correlated to the temperature at which you cook it. Set that cooker to 130°F (54°C) and you're guaranteed a medium-rare steak, no matter your experience level.

Can you sous vide in a Mason jar? ›

Most meats are not suitable for sous vide mason jar recipes. Fruit and vegetables that are bulky, delicate, or juicy (think corn on the cob, asparagus, and tomatoes) are also not good options. However, any recipe that calls for a large amount of liquid or fat can be adapted to sous vide glass cooking.

What is the temperature danger zone for sous vide? ›

Because of the relatively low temperatures used in sous vide, one major consideration is the Danger Zone. The 'Danger Zone' is a range of temperatures where bacteria particularly thrive and multiply. It's generally defined as 40F to 140 F, or 4.4C to 60C .

Can you pickle in a vacuum bag? ›

Place the prepared vegetables and any optional flavorings into a vacuum bag. Arrange them in a single layer for even pickling. Pour the cooled pickling brine into the bag, ensuring that the vegetables are fully submerged. Leave some headspace at the top of the bag to prevent overflow during the vacuum sealing process.

Can I vacuum seal dill pickles? ›

Let the brine come as close to room temperature as you can stand to wait. Add the cucumbers to a vacuum or zipper seal bag with the garlic, onion, dill, and brine. Vacuum seal on the “moist” setting, or manually seal in a ziplock bag, removing as much air as possible.

Is vacuum sealing as good as canning? ›

Vacuum sealing jars does not take the place of proper canning methods! The vacuum sealer has a specific purpose and place in the kitchen. When used appropriately, it will make your food storage efficient, useful, and even attractive. But don't try to use it to cut corners on food preservation.

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