Pickling Spice
A ready-mixed blend of ten whole spices that does all the measuring for you, built for brines but useful far beyond the pickle jar.
What It Is
Pickling spice is a whole-spice blend that dates back to when home cooks preserved vegetables by the bushel. This version is salt free, which means you control the salt in your brine and can use the blend anywhere without worrying about throwing off the seasoning.
The mix here leans aromatic: dill seed and mustard for the classic pickle backbone, coriander and bay for depth, cinnamon and allspice for warmth, cloves and ginger for a little edge. Together they smell like a well-stocked kitchen and taste like something your grandmother knew how to use.
What To Do
For a basic pickle brine, bring water, vinegar, and salt to a boil with about one tablespoon of pickling spice per quart of liquid, pour it over your vegetables, and let it cool before refrigerating. Cucumbers are the obvious move, but green beans, beets, carrots, and red onions all take beautifully to this brine.
Beyond pickling, toss a spoonful into the pot when you braise pot roast or corned beef, or drop a tablespoon into the water when you boil shrimp. Store the blend in a sealed container away from heat and light and it will stay fragrant for about a year.
