A simple recipe for homemade pickling spices for use in making pickles, chutney, or even mulled cider. Once you make your own pickling spice blend, you'll never go back to store-bought!
Many years ago, my mom perfected a recipe for homemade sweet gherkin pickles that called for pickling spices. For a long time, we just used store-bought, but for the last 6 years, we've been using homemade pickling spices instead!
Homemade Pickling Spices
If you've been around here long, you know that I love making things from scratch, like homemade garlic powder, and even homemade pumpkin pie spice. So why would pickling spices be any different?
Here are a few of the reasons why I love making my own pickling spices!
- Customized Flavor - Crafting your own pickling spices means you can create a unique taste that matches your preferences and yields unforgettable dishes!
- Quality - Making your own pickling spices allows you to use some homegrown ingredients, and allows you to use high-quality organic ingredients where needed.
- Fun - I mean, come on! Making your own pickling spices is just fun! And it kind of makes me feel a like an apothecary when I'm grinding them in the mortar and pestle.
What are Pickling Spices?
Pickling spices are a blend of aromatic herbs, seeds, and spices used to add depth and complexity to pickled foods. This versatile mixture typically includes a combination of mustard seeds, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, dill seeds, allspice berries, cloves, and other flavorful ingredients. The exact composition may vary based on personal preference and regional traditions.
The purpose of pickling spices is to infuse pickled fruits and vegetables with distinctive flavors that enhance their taste and contribute to the overall pickling experience. These spices work together to create a harmonious balance of tanginess, warmth, and herbal notes, resulting in pickles that are truly tantalizing to the palate.
When used in pickling, the spices release their aromatic compounds into the brine, infusing the fruits or vegetables with their unique flavors during the fermentation or pickling process. Each spice contributes its own characteristics, whether it's the pungency of mustard seeds, the citrusy undertones of coriander seeds, or the warm, earthy notes of cloves.
Pickling spices offer versatility beyond pickles, as they can also be used in other culinary creations. They can add a delightful touch to homemade sauerkraut, chutneys, relishes, and even spiced beverages like mulled cider.
While store-bought pickling spice blends are readily available, making your own allows you to customize the proportions and flavors to suit your taste preferences. By experimenting with different combinations and adjusting ingredient quantities, you can create a unique pickling spice blend that elevates your homemade pickles to new heights of flavor.
Ingredients
To make pickling spices, you can create your own blend using a combination of various aromatic spices. This is perfect to have on hand during canning season! Here's a quick look at all the spices involved in this recipe, with the full details in the printable version at the end of this post.
- Mustard Seeds: Provide a distinct, tangy flavor. You can use brown or yellow mustard seeds.
- Coriander Seeds: Add citrusy undertones and a subtle earthy flavor.
- Black Peppercorns: Offer a bold and pungent taste. Can substitute with crushed black pepper.
- Dill Seeds: Contribute a hint of fresh dill flavor.
- Red Pepper Flakes: Introduce a gentle heat and a touch of spiciness. Adjust the amount based on personal preference.
- Allspice Berries: Bring warm, sweet, and slightly peppery notes.
- Cloves: Infuse warm and aromatic flavors. Can substitute with ground or whole cloves.
- Ground Ginger: Provides a warm and slightly spicy taste.
- Bay Leaves: Offer a subtle herbal aroma and flavor.
- Cinnamon Sticks: Add a delightful warmth and sweet spiciness. Can substitute with ground cinnamon, but adjust quantity accordingly.
Step-by-Step Instructions
While you can just add all the ingredients to a bowl, mix, and store, toasting some of the spices gives a much more fragrant spice blend.
- In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the mustard seeds, coriander seeds, and black peppercorns for a few minutes until fragrant.
- Stir occasionally to prevent burning. Remove the skillet from heat and let the toasted spices cool.
- In a small bowl, combine the toasted spices with the dill seeds, crushed red pepper flakes, allspice berries, cloves, ground ginger, and cinnamon sticks.
- If desired, crush into smaller pieces in a mortar and pestle, or briefly pulse in a spice grinder.
- Store the homemade pickling spice blend in an airtight container in a cool, dark place until ready to use.
Common Questions
Absolutely! Feel free to experiment and adjust the quantities of spices in the blend to suit your personal preferences. Add more of your favorite spices or omit the ones you don't particularly enjoy.
When stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place, the pickling spice blend can retain its flavor for up to 6 months. However, for the best results, it is recommended to use it within 3-4 months to ensure maximum freshness.
Certainly! While the pickling spice blend is primarily used for pickling cucumbers and other vegetables, it can also add a delightful flavor to soups, stews, marinades, and even homemade sausages. Be adventurous and explore the versatility of this aromatic blend.
Even More Pantry Staples
If you'd like to keep the homemade fun going, here are a few more of my favorite homemade pantry staples!
Homemade Pickling Spices
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons mustard seeds
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon dill seeds
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon allspice berries
- 2 teaspoons whole cloves
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 5 bay leaves crushed
- 2 cinnamon sticks broken into 4-6 pieces each
Instructions
- In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the mustard seeds, coriander seeds, and black peppercorns for a few minutes until fragrant. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.
- Remove the skillet from heat and let the toasted spices cool.
- In a small bowl, combine the toasted spices with the dill seeds, crushed red pepper flakes, allspice berries, cloves, ground ginger, and cinnamon sticks.
- Crush into smaller pieces with a mortar and pestle or purse briefly and pulse in a spice grinder, if desired.
- Store the homemade pickling spice blend in an airtight container in a cool, dark place until ready to use.
Notes
Nutrition
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