Should i refrigerate pickles

You always thought that pickles are shelf-stable, but this jar says you should keep it chilled. Either way, if you would like to learn a bit about storage and why sometimes unopened pickles require refrigeration , this article is for you. Pickles are often used as a side dish to savory meals, as a quick snack, or as an ingredient to sandwiches, salads, and burgers. The pickling process involves storing the veggies in a pickling solution, that usually consists of water, vinegar, sugar, and some spices.

Pickles are fermented veggies, and their storage is very similar to storing sauerkraut. When you buy a jar, its most important characteristic is whether or not it was pasteurized.

Most pickles you can find in the supermarket are, but if you look thoroughly, you often can find unpasteurized ones too. The pasteurized ones usually sit on the shelves at room temperature. The pasteurization process kills all of the beneficial bacteria inside the jar, so the fermentation process has been stopped.

A dark cabinet in the pantry or kitchen is a perfect choice. So to slow down the process, the jar needs to be refrigerated.

Pickling is a unique technique to preserve food for longer. Besides preservation, pickling is a popular method for taste enhancement. It gives a refreshing taste to your vegetables. The art of pickling and food preservation started in China. Historians know that the workers who built the Great Wall of China were fed sauerkraut over two thousand years ago. Salty, sour, sweet, crunchy, and thoroughly satisfying, pickles make our list of top kitchen staples. You can use pickles with curry, salads, sandwiches, burgers, and rice.

The storage depends on whether the pickles are pasteurized or not. Most pickles at grocery stores go through pasteurization and rarely need refrigeration. Their fermentation stops during the pasteurization process.

And all the good bacteria also die. So such pickles are now perfect even at room temperature. However, you must keep them away from sunlight or heat. A dark place such as the kitchen cabinets or pantry is an ideal storage place for unopened pasteurized pickles.

When opened , you can transfer them to a jar with a tight seal for refrigeration. In contrast to pasteurized pickles, you will always find unpasteurized pickles in the cold center of the store. So to slow down the fermentation, unpasteurized pickles need refrigeration.

You can also keep unpasteurized pickles at room temperature. However, the ongoing fermentation process will make the veggies sour with time. Once opened , remember to refrigerate your unpasteurized pickles in a jar with a tight seal. You can refrigerate fermented pickles, but it may not be necessary.

The refrigeration chills these pickles and slows the fermentation process. This Will Be the Amazon Coat of Does Hand Sanitizer Work? We Ask Hamptons Chicago San Francisco. Connect With Us. Are you sure you want to remove this item from your Recipe Box? Create a Password Forgot your password? Enter your registered email below! To Save to My Recipe Box. Log In Never created a password? You are not currently subscribed.

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