Make: Like The Pioneers

Chapter 9. Pickle Grapes and Beets at Home

Quick and tasty, vinegar pickling is great for preserving a surprising variety of fruits and veggies.

By Kelly McVicker

When you hear the word pickle, what comes to mind? A salty brined cucumber, slices of mango preserved in oil, or maybe a bowl of pungent kimchi? Pickling is a tradition found in virtually every culture on Earth. Mango pickles from India taste nothing like German sauerkraut, but the underlying process is the same.

Pickling transforms flavor and preserves food by raising the acidity to prohibit the growth of microorganisms that cause spoilage. The acid can be added in two ways:

Fermenting ...