Pickling & fermenting are two ways of food preservation that bring out even the most delicate tastes. Pickled and fermented foods are often confused because they are bright, tangy, and full of tang. Pickled and fermented foods are prepared differently, despite certain similarities. Pickling vs. fermenting are discussed in detail below, as well as each preservation process. Pickling and fermenting are two of the earliest known techniques of food preservation, yet they are commonly confused. Even though the processes are independent of one another, there is some overlap. They’re also fantastic on their own.
What exactly is pickling?
Pickling is the process of preserving food using an acidic brine. Pickled cucumbers were recorded in India in the early 2000s BCE, indicating that this technique of food preservation stretches back thousands of years. Pickling is a pretty simple process. The pickling process may begin when an acidic liquid is added to a meal. This procedure alters the flavor of the meal, often making it sourer. Pickling alters the texture of the meal, making it softer in most cases.
Pickling may be done quickly and easily at home. This is when you bring a combination of vinegar, sugar, salt, and water to a boil, then pour it over veggies and let them rest for a few days. Spices, such as a pickling spice combination, are sometimes added to the boiling brine. This procedure uses heat to kill bacteria and other microbes.
Pickling is the preservation of foods in an acidic liquid. Water, vinegar, pickling salt, and optional pickling spices or aromatics (fresh herbs, citrus rinds, and garlic) to give your pickled goods additional taste are the essential elements of rapid pickling. If you’re utilizing the Lactic Acid Fermentation technique, your brine should be free of acids and simply include water, salt, and any other flavorings you choose.
Pickled Foods
Medallions of banana peppers, cauliflower, and carrots in a square white porcelain bowl. Because pickling is such a great method to consume food, many different kinds of food have been pickled. Pickled foods include the following:
Pickled veggies are the most frequent food to pickle. You can pickle practically any vegetable, but hard vegetables like cucumbers, beets, carrots, cauliflower, scallions, and onions are the best. Pickling time is determined by the size of the vegetable, so keep that in mind when planning your time. Leafy vegetables like spinach and kale should be avoided while pickling. You can also prepare giardiniera, which is a pickled vegetable mixture made with red chilis, carrots, celery, and cauliflower.
Fruits – Using pickled fruit to add a sour and sweet aspect to a meal is a terrific method to do so. Because of their hard structure, mangoes, strawberries, cherries, plums, peaches, pears, apples, and grapes are excellent pickling fruits. The acidic brine helps to break down the hard structure of the fruit, resulting in a softer, brighter fruit. Add aromatics like mint and citrus rinds to balance out the sweetness of the fruits. You may also pickle several varieties of tropical fruit to extend the life of your delights.
Eggs – In certain parts of the globe, the technique of pickling eggs is highly common. In a glass jar, hard-boiled eggs are covered with pickling juice, herbs, and garlic. Beet juice, which gives the eggs a brilliant pinkish-purple hue and tart beet taste, is another favorite pickled egg ingredient.
Meat – Pickling meat is a great technique to keep specialty meats fresh and give them a new taste. Sausages, knockwursts, bologna, kielbasa, beef, and ham are all good pickling meats.
Fish – In nations with chilly climates, pickled fish is a delicacy. Pickled herring is the most popular pickled fish, although other practical fish possibilities include perch, walleye, and other hard white fish.
What exactly is fermentation?
Fermentation is a straightforward procedure with a history that predates pickling. It all began in China, with records of fermenting dating back to 7000 BCE. Fermentation gained prominence in pre-Hispanic Mexico approximately 2,000 BCE, and it spread slowly but gradually over the globe. Fermentation is the process of converting carbohydrates to alcohol using microorganisms such as bacteria or yeast. This technique is also often carried out in a brine, however this brine contains no acidic components.
Fermentation is the chemical breakdown of living organisms present in carbohydrates and glucose (such as starch and sugar) to produce alcohol or acids. Fermentation is an anaerobic process, which means there is little to no oxygen available throughout the fermentation process. Fermentation produces a desired alteration in the structure and taste of the food, as well as lots of good bacteria.
Three Fermentation Methods
The three forms of fermentation that your meals might go through are listed below:
Lactic Acid Fermentation – Lactic acid-producing bacteria break down and ferment the food in this kind of fermentation. To turn starches and sugars into acid, all you need is water, salt, and naturally existing sugars in the diet. Kimchi, sauerkraut, yogurt, and pickles are all made using the lactic acid fermentation technique (as long as vinegar is not added).
Alcoholic Fermentation begins with grains and carbohydrates that are broken down by yeast or bacteria, resulting in carbon dioxide and alcohol molecules. The yeast might be either naturally occurring yeast found on fruit skins or in cellars, or cultured yeast to jumpstart the fermentation process right away. Beer, wine, cider, mead, and sake are all made using the alcoholic fermentation process.
Acetic acid fermentation, also known as natural fermentation, generally necessitates the use of a SCOBY (symbiotic mixture of bacteria and yeast) or another live creature starting culture. Kombucha, sourdough, kefir, ginger beer, apple cider vinegar, and red or white wine vinegar are all made using the acetic acid fermentation process.
The Difference Between Fermenting and Pickling
While pickling and fermenting generate distinct effects, there are certain areas of overlap that may easily lead to misunderstanding. Here’s what you should keep in mind: Pickling involves soaking foods in an acidic liquid to generate a sour taste; when foods are fermented, the sour flavor is achieved by a chemical reaction between the sugars in the food and naturally occurring bacteria and no additional acid is necessary.
More on Pickling
Pickling is a food preservation process that involves submerging items in an acidic solution, such as vinegar, which alters the flavor and texture of the meal. It also requires the use of heat, which kills and inhibits the development of germs. Quick pickling is the quickest and simplest method, in which vinegar, sugar, salt, and occasionally other herbs or spices are heated to a boil and then poured over fruits or vegetables that have been soaked for a brief time.
Pickled foods are not fermented by default, even though vinegar is a result of fermentation, since they do not generate the same probiotic and enzymatic properties as fermented foods.
More on Fermentation
Fermentation, on the other hand, does not need the addition of an acidic liquid or heat, and may be done with only a container and salt (although more typically goes into it). It’s one of the simplest and oldest methods of food preservation. The procedure takes longer than pickling and changes the color, taste, and texture of the item.
Natural bacteria found in fruits and vegetables may restrict and limit the development of other germs that cause deterioration when exposed to air. These natural bacteria transform the carbohydrates and sugars in entire foods, such as vegetables or even milk, into an acid, which then provides the optimum habitat for preserving that meal. Lacto-fermentation, which is triggered by the presence of lactobacillus, not only imparts a tangy and sour flavor to fermented foods and beverages, but also produces probiotics that improve digestion.
Homemade fermented foods may be classified as pickled or fermented if they include an acid produced during the fermentation process. Sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, coconut yogurt, miso, and tempeh are examples of fermented foods and beverages.
Conclusion
The basic truth is that not all fermented foods are pickled, and not all fermented foods are pickled. Because the methods are so similar, it’s simple to swap the names, but each has its own characteristics that affect the flavor and possible health advantages of the final product.
Despite their similarities, it’s simple to recognize that pickling requires immersing food in an acidic brine to generate a sour taste, while fermenting produces a sour flavor without any additional acid.
In terms of these two items, pickling is often the least healthful option. Despite the high expense of pickled and fermented foods, you can typically manufacture identical goods at home for a fraction of the price, and homemade food is frequently healthier than store-bought.