The kit
What you actually need
Spoiler: not much. Pickling needs a saucepan, a jar, and about twenty minutes of your afternoon. Start with the essentials, then add the rest only when a recipe calls for it.
Some links on this page may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
Chapter 1 · Getting Started
The essentials
You don't need a lab full of gadgets to get started. Most of what you need is already hiding in your cupboards.
Glass jars and lids
Your pickles' new home. Glass only; plastic won't cut it. Think of these as luxury apartments for your cucumbers.
Large pot
For boiling your jars. A spa treatment, basically, and it sterilises them to perfection.
Tongs
For fishing out hot jars without turning this into a first-aid tutorial.
Glass weights
Keep your veggies submerged under the brine, sunbathers-under-SPF-50 style.
Funnel
Unless you have the steady hands of a brain surgeon, this saves your countertops from a brine makeover.
Chapter 9 · Preserving and Storing Pickles
For water-bath canning
For jars that live in the cupboard rather than the fridge, a few upgrades make the boiling water bath safer and easier.
Canning jars with two-piece lids
Mason jars with a separate lid and band are ideal for canning. A properly sealed lid is concave and won’t flex when pressed.
Deep pot
Deep enough to fully submerge your jars, with the water at a full rolling boil.
Jar lifter
For safely lifting hot jars out of boiling water. Tongs are a poor substitute.
Chapter 4 · Fermented Pickles
For fermenting
Sauerkraut and kimchi need very little: something to keep the veg under the brine, and a way to let the gases out.
Fermentation weight
Keeps everything submerged, which is what prevents mould. A small jar filled with water does the same job.
Fermentation lid
Lets gases escape while the jar ferments at room temperature. A cloth cover works too.
Mandoline slicer
For finely shredding cabbage and slicing veg uniformly, so everything brines evenly. A sharp knife also works.
Chapter 8 · Pickling with Limited Space
For small kitchens
Short on cupboard space? Go small, go compact, and favour kit that earns its keep beyond pickling.
Small jars (250 ml / 8 oz)
Take up less space and suit small batches, so you can try several recipes at once.
Mini funnel and compact jar lifter
Compact versions of the essential tools - also the basis of a portable pickling kit.
Kitchen scale
Pickling rewards precision. Weigh your veg and the ratios look after themselves.
Glass measuring cups with pour spout
Measure the vinegar and water, then pour the brine straight from the jug.
Fine-mesh strainer
For rinsing and draining salted veg, and plenty else besides.
Collapsible colander
Does the draining, then folds flat and disappears into a drawer.
Chapter 10 · Pickling for Gifting & Occasions
For gifting
Choose simple, uncluttered glass jars - the pickle is the decoration.
Swing-top jars
A swing-top jar reads as "homemade gift," not "leftover Tupperware."
Fabric lid covers and twine
The cloth-and-string finish from the cover of the book. Instant gift.
Labels
A handwritten label with flavour, date, and a "refrigerate after opening" note goes a long way.
Chapter 1 · Getting Started
The pantry
Nothing exotic here - just a few reliable players.
Vinegar
The superhero of pickling: white, apple cider, or malt. Check the label - it must be at least 5% acidity for safe preservation.
Pickling salt
Pickling or kosher salt, not table salt. Table salt's additives cloud your brine, and nobody wants murky pickles.
Sugar
A touch sweetens the deal for some pickles. Don't overdo it; we're making pickles, not dessert.
Spices and herbs
Dill, garlic, mustard seeds, peppercorns, chilli flakes. Consider them your pickles' accessories.
Kit assembled? Grab a jar.
Every pickling expert started exactly where you are now.
Pick a first recipe