January 16, 2012

A Question For Pickle Pusses

Leftover pickle juice
What do you all do with your leftover pickle juice? Being the frugal sort, I cannot stand to throw anything out if it might be useful. Pickle juice is one of those things that is useful, but I have more of it than uses for it. We like it in homemade cole slaw, and Dan occasionally adds a bit to a glass of water, to give it some zing. Because of the salt and acidity, it's one canning liquid I won't use to water any plants or in the compost. I'm sure it could be used in salad dressings. Does anyone have any recipes? Any other suggestions?

A Question For Pickle Pusses
© January 2012 by Leigh at http://my5acredream.blogspot.com/

This post is linked to
Barnstead Barn Hop #45
Click the link for more or to join in.

40 comments:

Tina T-P said...

If it's dill based, you could make pickled eggs. T.

Frank said...

We keep a bit pot of (filtered) left over pickle juice to add to water for washing salads. The vinegar and salt swiftly kill any small slugs or other insects that hide on the back of a leaf.

Especially during wet periods it is rather reassuring when serving a salad bowl to know that there's no wiggly, slimy creatures remaining -- the kids do appreciate it ;)

Judy said...

I second Tina's suggestion if y'all eat them. My mother and I loved pickle juice on hard boiled eggs instead of butter and in deviled eggs. I have read about slicing fresh cucumber or other veggies and placing in pickle juice setting in the fridge a few days and having fresh pickles but haven't tried it.

Read the comments in this link. Lots of ideas there.

http://repurposeful.wordpress.com/2009/09/03/a-pickle-of-a-problem-how-to-reuse-leftover-pickle-juice/

Bootzey said...

I drink it. I love pickle juice and sometimes drink it before all the pickles are gone. I also make flax chips out of it.

Ellen from Georgia said...

You could use it to pickle some vegetables. Like beets, cucumbers,radish. Okay some one else needs to help me out here. What is your favorite pickled vegetable? Ellen from Georgia

gipsiwriter said...

My kids love to drink it, make pickled eggs, and in the summer... they make picklecicles by freezing it. Crazy kids

Jessica said...

Using it for a veggie wash - that's ingenious!

Valerie said...

In response to Ellen...we love pickled turnips. Slice them like french fries and toss them in the juice. Also small onions are good.

Sherri B. said...

This reminds me of a hint years ago..I think you were to heat up the pickle juice and then put hard boiled eggs and juice back in the jar. Great post and comments! xo

pelenaka said...

I just use it for making coleslaw which is far & few between. I'll have to try using it for rinsing salad greens very smart.
Deviled eggs & egg salad are on the no no list but every once in a while both dishes make it on the treat list.

C and C Antiques and Animals - What a Life! said...

My next venture is to make pickles and it's good to know some uses for the leftover juice! I will have to try the rinsing salad greens.
Connie

Mother Moon said...

one of my favorite things as a child and even now as an adult is a small glass of pickle juice. I love the taste and my grandma swore it kept colds at bay. I like your idea about adding it to coleslaw, my mom adds it to her potato salad as well. A small shot in a bloody mary also adds some zing, esp. if it is a spicy pickle. (olive juice works also)

Doug Pitcher said...

I wonder if chickens would gobble it down? I hear vinegar is good for chickens to control disease, worms, etc.

First Grade Teacher said...

I used it to flavor eggs: I hard boil them, then soak them in the juice in the fridge over night.

We also like to drink it....

Leigh said...

Tina, now why hadn't I thought of that???

Frank, what an excellent idea, thanks!

Judy, thanks for the link! Besides the boiled eggs, deviled eggs sounds good too.

Serenity, flax chips? Hmmm. Recipe?

Ellen, that sounds like a really good idea for extra garden veggies. Great for snacking!

Gipsiwriter, picklecicles! That is definitely a new one but sounds really intriguing. Worth a try! Might be just the ticket in our heat and humidity. Hmm. Or maybe just as ice cubes for a glass of water!

Jessica, isn't it!

Valerie, I have plenty of turnips so this is the first one I'll try. Thanks!

Sherrie, we have plenty of eggs (most times) too. I'll have to try this.

Pelenaka and Connie, we're getting a lot of good ideas here.

Connie, you'll love making pickles!

Mother's Moon, ah, potato salad. Good idea. I need a good potato salad recipe. If it's good in a Bloody Mary, it might be good in tomato juice as well. Will have to try. :)

Doug, that's a thought actually. I know a lot of folks swear by cider vinegar in their animals drinking water.

Anna Marie, thank you! This sounds so easy and tasty too.

luckybunny said...

It would be great in coleslaw - I also use it in potato salad like someone suggested. Also pasta salads too, or even just in a dressing for a green salad! :)

Geodyne said...

When I had a meat-eater in the house, I'd use it to marinate meats before BBQing or roasting. It's one of the classic marinade ingredients for a proper brisket BBQ. Tenderises cheap cuts beautifully.

Poppy said...

Fantastic ideas! I too hate to waste anything. We reuse pickle juice to make refridgerator pickles. Simply slice up your veggies and marinate them in the fridge for a few days. You could boil it all if you are concerned about bacteria but our "refridgerator pickles" are almost always eaten before the week is up. A family favorite is pickled green beans.

Paula said...

I once had a pickle soup in a German restaurant and it was good. Do a google and a lot of recipes come up.

Prairie Cat said...

I am notorious for just drinking it right out of the jar!

Stephen said...

I'm like Prairie Cat, I take a big gulp every night...it's awful good for your system.

CaliforniaGrammy said...

What an interesting question. I also feel badly as I pour the pickle juice down the sink. I've used it in potato salad and a bit while making deviled eggs but other than that have thought nothing of it, other than dumping it. I now have lots of ideas to try. Thanks Leigh!

North said...

Assuming about 8 oz (1 cup) pickle liquid.

Finely dice a quarter to whole yellow onion. Add it to the pickle juice. The onion will get 'pickled' and lose the strong onion flavor in a matter of minutes.

Add 1 tbsp 'fancy' mustard, 1 tbsp honey. Season with pepper (perhaps 1/8 tsp) Mix.

Pickle juice isn't pure vinegar, so the usual 2-3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar will not apply. It will be much less oil as the juice is watery. You will have to experiment and taste test.

You can use this mix as a light coating for a tray of crudites.

North said...

Leigh: Forgot to mention that my recipe above can also be used as an accent to a poached fish - tilapia is a good candidate.

North said...

Oh and um... Olive oil is the oil type I forgot to mention. You make an emulsion bu rapidly whisking the liquids together. Again, add a bit of olive oil and test taste as this vinaigrette's oil/vinegar ratio will be affected by the water in the pickle juice.

Leigh said...

Donna it's excellent in coleslaw! I really need to try it in potato salad, and in pasta salad sounds yummy too.

Geodyne, now that's another good idea, thanks!

Poppy, green beans sounds like a great thing to try, thanks!

Paula, it's funny but I've really developed a taste for sour. A tangy soup sounds good about now.

Prairie Cat and Stephen, hmm. Especially if made with apple cider vinegar, right? I still might have to add mine to water though. :)

Janice, that's me too! In fact, since I can't make myself throw it out, I have about half a dozen pint jars with no more pickles but plenty of pickle juice!

North, thank you! Recipe most welcome and it sounds divine on tilapia.

Groundhog said...

Believe it or not I once made a "glaze" for a ham with pickle juice and peanut butter. Found a recipe on the net for it. I thought it was pretty good and the rest of my family never forgot it :)

Anonymous said...

I drink it. I confess to acquiring this addiction 60 years ago and drinking pickle juice right from the jar out of the refrigerator (actually we had an ice box). I later included olive juice from bottled olives. Gotta go, my mouth is watering and I think there is abottle of olives in the fridge...

Anonymous said...

I reuse it again to pickle more veggies, like 3 minute blanched and drained florets of cauliflower, broccoli, and carrot slices with some added garlic cloves thrown in.

Also, it can be reused for flavorful beet and onion salad. Blanch the beets for 7 minutes, slice or even wedge them up, and add thinly sliced onion.

I have reused it for making a sweet-sour sauerkraut/corn relish. Add 1 cup of prepared mustard and 1 cup sugar, 1 cup of sweet pickle relish, with a little of the pickle juice, stir well until sugar is dissolved, add 1 finely chopped green pepper and 1/2 cup fine chopped onion, 1/2 cup finely chopped pimentos, then add very finely shredded cabbage, 1 small bag frozen corn kernels, and mix all well, add pickle juice a little at a time, to the bowl mixture and keep tossing well to coat all the cabbage, then re-fill to the top of the jar. Allow to pickle/ferment in the refrigerator for two weeks before begin using.
It's great with brats or even on hotdogs!

Leigh said...

Groundhog, that definitely sounds different, but I confess to liking peanut butter and pickle sandwiches! I think your glaze would be right tasty.

Anonymous, LOL. I'll add pickle juice to water, but my husband loves that olive juice.

Thank you for the ideas and recipes! Just what I was looking for. :)

Flier389 said...

I'm with every body else. It can be used for just about anything. I've even heard of using the juice for window cleaning.

I like to use it for soaking meat, before putting it in my smoker. YUM!

Leigh said...

Flier, oh gosh, my DH really wants a smoker. Thanks for the tips on the pickle juice! Sounds really tasty as a marinade.

Amanda said...

I recently came across a recipe for dilled rye bread that uses a couple of tablespoons.

Leigh said...

Amanda, I'm definitely going to have to try that. :)

Kids and Canning Jars said...

I skipped reading all the commets so if the is repetitive..... Favorite thing is to use it ti pickle hard boiled eggs. I have also added it to canning garden vegies.... flavoring in potato salad, egg salad and you could put it into the compost.....

Leigh said...

Thank Melissa! Seems pickled hard boiled eggs are quite the favorite.

The only reason I'm reluctant to compost it is because of the acid content. I realize the salt migrates into the cucumber, though I'm sure there's still some. The vinegar though, is still a question in my mind.

100 Thoughts of Love said...

brine chicken breasts in it...gives it a wonderful flavor! and make pickled onions!

Leigh said...

I'm gonna try that the next time I cook chicken! Pickled onions sound good too. :)

Anonymous said...

If you have a dishwasher, you can strain it and use it in place of the rinse agent.

FWIW, citric acid and salt can replace your dishwasher soap as well...

Leigh said...

No dishwasher here but a lot of readers do! Thanks for adding these tips to the comments. Combined, they make a great resource.