I probably have a pre-ordained destiny to be a “pickler.” That may not be a word, lol! See, my Grandma and my Mom used to make pickled beets (not huge amounts of “putting up” but a jar or two for the family.) So it just seemed “normal” to me to do a little pickling here and there. And since I love cooking, over the years, I’ve expanded my repertoire. That led me to come up with a “signature” Home Made Pickling Spice.
Homemade Pickling Spice
Yeah, coz “signature” sounds so much better than “generic” or “basic” or even “standard!” But here’s the deal: many pickling spices share standard ingredients with just a few variances in amounts and proportions. And this recipe will work well in almost any recipe that calls for “pickling spice.”
About Home-Made Pickling Spice:
Some pickled items have an extra special touch or two that makes them stand out, and if that’s the case this pickling spice can be a “base” that is added to as needed. That can save you some time and energy and I hope that this blend makes it easy for you!
By the way, this is not a dill pickle blend or even a bread and butter type of pickle blend. Those usually contain turmeric, celery seed, and sometimes ginger. I do have two specific small-batch recipes on here, one for a classic Bread & Butter Pickle and the other for a small batch of Sweet Tart Bread & Butter Pickles. The Sweet Tart Bread & Butter Pickles are riffed from this recipe.
Making Home-Made Pickling Spice:
The basics, here, for the homemade pickling spice, are Mustard Seed, Whole Coriander, Whole Allspice, Whole Clove, along with Cinnamon, and Bay. I usually add whole peppercorns of some sort, either plain old black peppercorns or if I have them on hand, a mix of peppercorns. I love a tiny touch of heat, not to make this hot but to add a bit of interest, so some Red Pepper flakes go in.
And now and I’ll add in a little grated and dried ginger. That’s rare for me, so I didn’t include ginger in my standard blend. It is important to stay away from anything powdered because a) it makes for a cloudy pickle brine, and that’s not attractive. We do eat with our eyes first, and b) powdered varies in strength and it is hard to control the flavor and how much is absorbed over time. I suppose it wouldn’t be the end of the world, though, if you used something powdered in a pinch.
Making it Your Own:
Unless you’ve been lucky enough to have a special recipe handed down, you might want to experiment a little here and there to find your own special blend. Maybe you’ll want to tweak this recipe or *gasp* someone else’s…hey, it happens and I’m all about sharing! Make notes on what you’ve used and how the final product tasted.
If you don’t have your own handed-down recipe, here’s my recipe, handed down, now, to you! So tweak away and make it your own! This will store, in a tightly sealed jar, literally for months and months, although the first ingredient to lose its punch will be the red pepper flakes; the next is the bay. (Do you ever wonder exactly how much bay leaves add to a recipe, any recipe? Me, too! But I dutifully put it in.
Ways To Use Pickling Spice:
In addition to adding flavor to so many food items, pickling is a way to preserve, if even short term for the refrigerator (which is super easy) many items that you might have an abundance of.
Pickling can be a planned activity or an easy save for something you may have over-bought or haven’t been able to get to and might be languishing on your counter or in your fridge. Make sure to only pickle items that are sound and haven’t yet “gone south.”
And of course, if you wish to “can” your pickles (process in a water bath or pressure canner so they are shelf stable and don’t have to be refrigerated) that’s a bit more of a project and beyond the scope of this article.
- Try this spice blend in my Sweet Tart Bread & Butter Pickles; that recipe is a good example of adding just a bit of something else to this standard blend. A little turmeric is added.
- Now my recipe for Pickled Beets was passed down from my Grandma to my Mom and then to me. It is very simple and very good. If you want a fancier, more complex version, just use a small amount of this pickling spice (since the recipe just makes one jar) maybe a half teaspoon – but do make sure there is a bit of each item in that 1/2 teaspoon!
- If you would like to try your hand at making your Corned Beef this is the recipe you want! If making your own, for a two to three pound brisket, you’d use the whole batch. If you are making a much larger brisket, double the batch.
- If you want to add some punch to your Slow Cooker Corned Beef and the packet that is usually included with your corned beef isn’t there or isn’t enough, use a good heaping teaspoon of this spice.
- Pickling spice can infuse flavors into other braises and stews including long slow recipes that rely on beans as the main protein element as well as some rice dishes. Add the pickling spice into the center of a small square of preferably cotton fabric or several layers of cheesecloth and tie it into a bundle. Add to the pot and fish it out when finished.
- You can make very easy pickles with many different vegetables, fruits, and other items using this easy blend.
- I have specific recipes on my site with custom spices for some of these items, but examples of veggies that will do well when pickled: are asparagus, beets, bell peppers, brussels sprouts, cabbage and slaw mixtures, carrots, cauliflower, cucumbers, daikon radish, fennel, garlic, ginger, green beans, jalapenos and other chili peppers, okra, onions, relishes, squashes, turnips, and vegetable mixtures such as escabeche and giardiniera.
- A few fruits that pickle well are blueberries, cherries, peaches, and watermelon rind.
- Some even pickle apples, avocados, mushrooms, and eggs, as well as some meats.
Hey guys, I’ve covered everything I can think of regarding Home Made Pickling Spice and I feel I have only scratched the surface! I would love to hear your comments if you have anything to add!
Mollie
PrintHome-made Pickling Spice
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: about 1/2 cup 1x
- Category: Preserving
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons mustard seed
- 1 tablespoon whole allspice
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 2 teaspoons mixed peppercorns or black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 6 whole cloves
- 2 bay leaves, crumbled.
- 1 two-inch piece of cinnamon stick, crushed
Instructions
Mix all ingredients together. Contents will settle, so gently stir before using.
Note: if you’re only using a portion, make sure there is an appropriate amount of the individual ingredients in your measure.
Store in a glass container in a cool, dark cupboard or drawer.
If you’d like to see more of my spice & herb blends, check out Spice, Herb & Flavor Packet Substitutes. I’m always adding as I go along!
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I’ll be taking this Pickling Spice to the Fiesta Friday 100 anniversary extravaganza, and I’m also co-hosting this event, so a big shout out to Angie from the Novice Gardener and Fiesta Friday for putting the event on and Steffi from Ginger&Bread, Suzanne from APugintheKitchen and Judi fromCookingwithAuntJuju for co-hosting, too. Stop by, say hi, visit, and mingle and I hope to “see” you there!
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