Full-Strength Vinegar Pickles Store Well Without Canning

“Although pickles made with diluted vinegar require canning or refrigeration for long-term storage, those made with undiluted vinegar can be stored at room temperature without canning,” says writer Leda Meredith in her “Off-Grid Food Preservation” article in the current issue of Mother Earth News. “Be sure to use vinegar with 5 per cent acetic acid or higher,” she adds, “Check the label of any commercial vinegars to verify their acidity.”

For making full-strength vinegar pickles, Meredith recommends “filling a clean glass jar with vegetables which you have either pierced with the tip of a paring knife or sliced. Cover the food completely with 5 per cent-acidity vinegar and screw on the lid. Don’t dilute the vinegar with water.”

Meredith notes, “This method will result in a sour pickle, and not all foods are tasty when preserved this way. But some full-strength vinegar pickles are delicious, including cornichons (small cucumber pickles) and hot chili peppers. You can also make aromatic vinegars by steeping herbs in undiluted vinegar.”