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What Can I Do With Leftover Pickle Juice?
Good Question

2009_07_06-Pickle.jpgHere's a great question from Lauren, who asks:

NYC has a love of good, fresh pickles and I got some recently. The pickles are flavored with fresh garlic and there are some nice little pieces of fresh pepper and other spices in the pickle juice. So, I'm wondering, can you do anything with pickle juice within a dish of some kind? The only thought I've had was using when boiling rice but I'm not sure how the flavor would turn out.

 
 

Honestly, the only thing we've ever reused pickle brine in is this Pickletini:

Recipe: Pickletini

It's very good, but perhaps isn't quite what you're looking for. Readers, do you have any good uses for yummy leftover pickle brine?

Related: DIY Tip: How To Make Dill Pickles

(Image: Flickr member saltyseadog licensed for use under Creative Commons)

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Good Questions, Condiments & Dressings, pickle, reusable, pickle brine, pickle juice

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Comments (31)

I use it for making pickled eggs.

posted by ShellyIN on July 6th 2009 at 10:04am
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I use it in ...

hummus or garlic sauce for sandwiches/pita
cucumber salad

posted by kaitlin on July 6th 2009 at 10:12am
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You could re-pickle-- just cut up some cukes and let marinate in the fridge for a week or so.

posted by aleec on July 6th 2009 at 10:37am
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would be good in tuna or egg salad, i think.

posted by thinkingwoman on July 6th 2009 at 10:49am
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over the weekend i saw a recipe for potato salad by Tyler Florence that used pickle juice to flavor it.

posted by Sofia E on July 6th 2009 at 10:58am
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My grandma put pickle juice in all her mayonnaise-based salads - egg, potato, tuna, chicken, salmon. It's also great for making homemade onion dip.

posted by sillyputty on July 6th 2009 at 11:12am
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I was at a restaurant called Hoodoo's in Fairmont, BC earlier this year and their speciatly is pickle soup - the ingredients are simple - pickle brine, heavy cream, and diced pickles, served with a pickle slice for garnish.

It was, believe it or not, surprisingly delicious.

posted by darrylp on July 6th 2009 at 11:19am
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You can poach whitefish filets in it - yummy!

posted by akhmatova on July 6th 2009 at 11:42am
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Ditto on putting it in all mayo-based salads. Its my secret ingredient.

posted by mh330 on July 6th 2009 at 11:44am
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I am obsessed with McClure's Spicy Pickles thanks to a coworker who pointed them out at American Spoon. My only issue is that $11 a jar, they're a pricey habit to keep stocked. Her tip? Finish the pickles then blanch some asparagus and soak THAT in the juice for a day or two. A jar that used to last a week can now go for two. Yum.

posted by TKTC on July 6th 2009 at 11:48am
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I always put julienned carrots or baby carrots in the leftover pickle juice in the fridge. A few days later you have pickled carrots which are great for snacking.

posted by chyngting on July 6th 2009 at 12:32pm
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use it in a bloody mary or dirty martini. i'm also a big fan of re-pickling. and i've been known to drink the brine straight : )

posted by vanessa.vichitvadakan on July 6th 2009 at 12:33pm
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I think it might be tasty to add to shredded carrots--the sweetness of the carrots with the tangy vinegar of the pickle juice. Throw in some chopped onions and parsley for a nice, simple salad.

posted by moema on July 6th 2009 at 12:41pm
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To add to moema's great idea, you could add cilantro instead of the parsley and use the pickled carrots & onions as a topper for fajitas or tacos.

posted by hobsy on July 6th 2009 at 1:02pm
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I use pickle juice in salad dressings. Adds a nice kick to your vinegarette.

posted by jbhansen on July 6th 2009 at 1:14pm
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a quick cucumber salad.

posted by annerosenbaum on July 6th 2009 at 2:15pm
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I made a King Arthur recipe for rye bread that used pickle juice. Scientifically speaking, there's good logic behind it, and you don't taste it in the bread:
http://www.abreadaday.com/?p=346

Also, I second the "re-pickling" idea. Any vegetable, left long enough, will turn into lovely pickles. Try pickled cauliflower!

http://www.abreadaday.com

posted by eprewitt on July 6th 2009 at 2:37pm
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We re-used it to pickle other foods but my mother also made killer potato salad and noone could figure out how (yup, pickle juice!). The rest of her ingredients were boiled or roast potatoes, quartered and sliced hardboiled eggs, whole grain mustard, mayo, minced sweet pickles, chopped fresh parsley, minced onions or shallots or chives, salt, freshly ground pepper.

posted by Rucy on July 6th 2009 at 4:47pm
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Another one for mayo based salads with pickle juice. My secret ingredient is Tony Packo's Sweet Hot pickles, and their juice. A hint of spice makes for awesome potato, egg, and tuna salads.

http://www.tonypackos.com/index.php

Also, as someone with chronic low blood pressure, I may drink a little of the juice on occassion!

posted by bobcatsteph3 on July 6th 2009 at 6:07pm
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pickle soup ftw! In poland its called 'zupa orgakowa' I think.

posted by juice on July 6th 2009 at 7:48pm
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there is a mexican cabbage salad (aka coleslaw in the usa!) that uses lime on shredded cabbage and carrots - why not use pickle juice and a little mayo if you like mayo and make a pickle coleslaw...i think it would be really good on a big bowl of shredded red and green cabbage and carrots.

posted by Joan in SB on July 7th 2009 at 1:38am
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I second the bread-making for it.

There is a recipe in The Handmade Loaf by Dan Lepard that uses pickle juice.

posted by CallieKoch on July 7th 2009 at 10:27am
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Make pickled eggs! Hard-boil some eggs and put them in the jar with the juice in the refrigerator for a week or two. They will be fantastic! Eat them on salads or just plain.

posted by ClaraE on July 7th 2009 at 1:14pm
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I drink it straight up. Also, I have but it in Bloody Mary's which is also delicious.

posted by thepictures on July 8th 2009 at 12:04pm
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I like to re-pickle with it- especially with julienned carrot and daikon radish.

posted by fade on violet on July 8th 2009 at 10:07pm
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I use it in cold soups like this one that I blogged about:
http://smilesarethesoulskisses.blogspot.com/2009/05/refreshingly-cool-beet-and-cucumber.html

My mom often uses it in hot soups when they need a pick me up ...

posted by chicdecor on July 9th 2009 at 8:30am
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At Fatty Crab in NYC (the downtown branch) they had (maybe still have?) a drink deal called the 'recession special': a shot of bourbon, a chaser shot of pickle brine, and a can of PBR. surprisingly delicious.

posted by mrguy on July 9th 2009 at 2:33pm
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i'd just like to point out that you did cover another re-use before (vinaigrette):
http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/tips-techniques/quick-tip-use-leftover-pickling-brine-to-make-vinaigrette-062623

i remember because i searched for a solution here when i had a similar question, only to have that post show up the next day :) i did make end up making a nice spicy vinaigrette dressing with the leftover brine!

posted by bokeh on July 12th 2009 at 11:44pm
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I love AT readers & commenters. I've always tossed it, and can't wait to try many of these things. Thanks all!

posted by dupreeblue on July 14th 2009 at 8:48pm
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I use it in a pasta salad along with Catalina dressing and mayo/Italian dressing. It gives just the right kick.

posted by mabaihua on October 29th 2009 at 2:15pm
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We always save our pickle juice and use it as a marinate for chicken breast. We soak them over night in a big zip lock bag and then cook them on the grill with some cherrywood chunks for smoke. Delicious! I got this idea years ago from something I read. The article hinted that Chick Filet used pickle juice and some other herbs for their chicken. Once you have soaked the chicken in the juice it can not be reused. Toss it after you marinate. Try it you will like it!

posted by Flarekicker on October 29th 2009 at 10:09pm
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