Pickles are a tangy and spicy delicacy popular around the world. Although you can only find an authentic pickle in an Indian household, it has gained worldwide fame because of its juicy snap and mouth-watering flavor. It is available in so much variety that any foreign man would be stunned. You can make a pickle out of any edible from mangoes to carrots, lemon, green chili, garlic, onion, or chickpea.

This edible raises your overall taste and makes the recipe even better. In other words, it is no less than a culinary boon from our ancestors. However, as delicious as they taste, they demand a lot of care as well. If not preserved in the suitable vessel and surroundings, they may rot.

So, in what kind of container should you store them?

Advantages of Using Glass Vessels for Storing Pickles:

For making your pickles live a long life, preserve them in a glass jar and other nature-friendly materials. However, glass has been a popular choice for a long time because it is found in various shapes, sizes, and colors. There are other advantages of using glass for storing pickles:

Easy to Clean

You must know that glass is a non-porous substance. That’s why it can easily resist dirt and is very easy to clean. Also, its transparent look makes it easy to determine if it needs cleaning or not. If you use it for storing pickles, make sure it is clean, and you don’t have to worry afterward because it dries up quickly.

Does Not Produce Waste

Storing pickles in glass jars is not helpful just for easy cleaning, but also for it not going to waste. As you can see the state of this food through the glass walls, you can quickly put it to use by consuming immediately or in a few days if you conjecture that it will go bad soon.

Environment Friendly

For all the environmentally-conscious people out there, using glass containers for storing edible is a wise choice. It is because glass items can be recycled and used over and over again for different purposes. When you’re done consuming the pickles, use the container as a vase or for storing oil, candies, or growing a plant in it. It is also highly affordable.

Good for Health

It is a well-known fact that the glass surface does not produce or contain any toxic element. So, no matter what you put inside it, its nutritional level will not get hampered and will remain the same for a long time. Whether it is chocolates or sweets, you can put anything inside it without worrying and even use decorative bottles ideas to enhance its overall look.

Keeps the Food Fresh

Compared to any other food product, pickles remain fresh in a glass container for a very long time. You must have noticed your mothers using the same box for storing these edibles since the 1860s.

Simple Tricks for Preserving Your Favorite Treat at Home:

Now that we’ve learned the perks of storing pickles in glass containers, let’s get on to properly storing them. Follow the below procedure step-by-step to store your favorite treat:

Shelf Life

• Refrigerator Pickles are made using vinegar and sometimes salt and sugar as well. They are stored in the refrigerator and last 2 to 4 weeks.
• Canned Vinegar Pickles are made using high proportions of salt, sugar, and vinegar. Their containers are stored and processed in a hot water bath, making them shelf-stable from 6 months to one year.
• Lacto Ferment Pickles are made using salt or brine, or water. The bacteria in the jar ferment the vegetables or fruits to produce lactic acid at room temperature for a week or two. After that, you can put the container in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 months.
• Chutney or Relishes are similar to vinegar pickles, contain sugar, and are processed in a boiling water bath. The shelf-life of these pickles ranges from a couple of months up to a year or more.

There are a wide variety of pickles out there, made using vinegar, sugar, and salt, all containing preservative qualities. How much of the above content is present in a pickle will tell how long it will last. It is essential to know that all pickles are preserved with some acidity. To make them last for a long time, you can use the hot water bathing canning method.

Canning Pickles

Hot water bath canning is a method used in the pickle packaging process to last for a long time. To prevent the pickle from spoilage, acidity is the first measure. Under this method, the pickle is packed in jars. Then the jars are submerged in boiling water for 10-20 minutes to process the containers and ingredients, thus killing any bacteria and inhibiting the enzymes.

Storing in the Fridge

Pickles stored in the refrigerator contain less vinegar, salt, as well as sugar. That’s why storing them in a cold environment ensures they last for weeks or without going bad. Once a pickle jar is opened, it should be stored in the fridge and consumed in a short span of time.

A sealed jar is effectively a bacteria-free environment with the exceptions of ferments. Once you seal it open, you expose the edible to spoilage organisms. Although keeping the pickles below the surface of vinegar might help, they are best consumed within a few weeks once opened. But make sure you do not consume them if they look bad and smell peculiar.