Home > Balance > Comparing Methods of Pickling

Summer garden produce is great fresh – but it preserves well and can provide splashes of sunshine all winter long. Here’s a look at a couple of methods you can use to save veggies and other foods at home.

Preserving quality foods can be an important part of overall nutrition.

This method of preserving is unique, as vegetables are submerged in a saltwater solution, salty enough to kill harmful bacteria.

Lactobacillus, a beneficial bacteria, thrive in these salty conditions. They begin converting the sugars in the vegetables into lactic acid.

The lactic acid created preserves the vegetables and provides a terrific tangy flavor.

This method is also known as “fresh-pack” and it again can help you save vegetables. It uses vinegar and you can create the desired flavor by using a combination of vinegar, salt, sugar and spices.

You have to sterilize the jars before you fill them; you should also process cans/jars after filling to ensure all bacteria and enzymes have been destroyed.

This method has no fermentation.

Learn more about nutrition and your health by contacting Avera Heart Hospital of South Dakota Dietitian Lauren Cornay.

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