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Behind every delicious pickled vegetable is a great pickling spice. And this special blend has the ability to transform everyday vegetables into tangy, zesty, crunchy morsels of pure delight. This homemade pickling spice recipe combines a gourmet variety of fabulous spices to create an extraordinary blend of flavors. Let the pickling begin!

The Magic of Pickled Vegetables

I’ve been canning and pickling for years, and my love for gardening definitely plays a role in that. Being able to bring in a fresh harvest of garden produce and transform it into something zesty, flavorful and crunchy that lasts throughout the year is incredibly satisfying.

Having a variety of pickled vegetables and condiments on hand makes cooking and entertaining all the more fun. Do you have a pasta or potato salad that needs some embellishing or are you throwing some burgers on the grill? Open up a jar of dill pickle relish, sweet pickle relish or corn relish. Laying out a cheese and charcuterie spread for a party? Grab a jar of pickled pepperoncini peppers, English pickled onions, pickled asparagus, pickled green beans, pickled okra and arrange them on the board. Making a sandwich and want some yummy flavor crunch? Open up a can of bread and butter pickles or giardiniera. Or if you simply have the munchies, open up a jar of pickled carrots or pickled beets and dig in!

This homemade pickling spice is the perfect all-purpose blend for your pickling needs!

What is Pickling Spice?

Pickling spice is a blend of spices that is used for pickling vegetables. It is added to vinegar and water to make a pickling brine. Every canner and pickler needs a good homemade pickling spice recipe and I’ve developed a gourmet pickling blend that combines some seriously fabulous spices in just the right ratios to infuse your pickled veggies with incredible flavor.

And it’s not just vegetables, this is also the pickling spice you’ll need to make your own corned beef and it will elevate your homemade corned beef to delicious flavor heights! I used this blend to make our corned beef for this past St. Patrick’s Day dinner and it was a hit. Check out the bottom of this post for info on how to use this homemade pickling spice.

What is in Pickling Spice?

There is no “one” way to make pickling spice. It can be as simple or as elaborate as you choose to make it. But you know me, I am all about FLAVOR and when I can find ways to maximize flavor I do it. No, that doesn’t mean that the recipe is any more difficult, it just means taking the time to source the additional ingredients. And I would only recommend you doing that if I felt the end result was worth it. And I am always of the opinion that you can’t have too many spices in your cabinet. Spices are the magic behind great tasting food! So let’s take a look at what goes into this gourmet pickling spice:

• Black Peppercorns
• Allspice Berries
• Yellow and Brown Mustard Seeds – you can use one or the other if you don’t have both. Yellow is the classic choice for pickling with its mild flavor, and brown adds just a bit of robust punch.
• Coriander Seeds
• Dill Seeds – dill seeds pack more flavor than dill weed and are better suited for pickling, especially long-term storage.
• Star Anise
• Cloves – use whole cloves, not ground, to avoid making the brine murky.
• Juniper Berries – the Germans and Swedes know how to incorporate these in their cooking and they’re sadly overlooked in many other countries. They contribute an old-fashioned flavor reminiscent of fruity citrus and pungent, piney spiciness almost bordering sweetness. If you don’t want to use these simply omit.
• Cardamom Seeds
• Red Pepper Flakes
• Dried Ginger Root – Avoid using ginger powder as it will make the pickling brine murky and will cause your pickled vegetables to turn color over time. You can easily make your own dried ginger root by peeling and slicing it, spreading the slices out on a lined baking sheet, and dehydrating it in the oven at 170-180 F for a few hours until it’s dried out, let it cool, and then break it up into small pieces either by hand or pulsing it in a spice grinder.
• Cinnamon Stick – avoid using ground cinnamon to prevent the brine from being murky and discoloring the vegetables.
• Bay Leaves

Homemade Pickling Spice Recipe

Let’s get started!

Break up the star anise, cinnamon stick and bay leaves into small pieces and set aside.

For maximum flavor I like to toast the spices. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the whole spices (leave out the ginger, bay leaves and pepper flakes) until very fragrant. Be careful not to let them burn. Let cool completely.

Combine all of the ingredients.

Transfer the pickling spice to an airtight jar and store it in a cool, dark place. It will keep for several months.

This makes roughly 1/2 cup of pickling spice.

How to Use Pickling Spice

Use this picking spice in any recipe that calls for it. As a general guideline for making pickled vegetables, follow this procedure:

• To make the brine, use equal parts water and vinegar.
• Depending on the recipe add sugar and salt for flavor and balance.
• Combine the water, vinegar, salt and sugar in a pot and boil until the salt and sugar are dissolved.
• Use 1 tablespoon of pickling spice for every quart of pickling brine. You can place a tablespoon of pickling spice in each quart jar, add the vegetables to be pickled, and pour the hot brine over them. Seal the jars and follow the recipe instructions for canning.

This homemade pickling spice blend pairs wonderfully with any of the following vegetables: cucumbers, asparagus, carrots, beets, cauliflower, green beans, peppers, radishes, okra, zucchini, cabbage, beets, onions, and more.

Pickling Spice for Corned Beef

This homemake pickling spice makes an absolutely phenomenal corned beef! For a standard 5-pound brisket you’ll need 1/4 cup of pickling spice for the brine and then an additional tablespoon to add to the water when you cook the brisket.

Enjoy!

For more delicious homemade spice blends try my: