Preserving Tips

For pickling, vinegar is necessary to properly preserve foods by inhibiting the growth of food spoilage bacteria. All Heinz® Vinegars are “pickling strength” (5 percent acidity), which means that they are at an acidity level that is recommended for successful, safe, home preservation of foods.

Below are some easy pickling and canning tips and recipes that are sure to help you make recipes that will win raves.

• Select slightly under-ripe fruits
  
  
• Use varieties of cucumbers grown especially for pickling. Do not use cucumbers with a waxy surface for pickling. For best flavor and texture, pickling cucumbers should be used within 24 hours of picking
  
  
• Avoid soaking produce
  
  
• Use pure granulated pickling salt. The iodine and additives in table salt may make the pickling liquid cloudy or cause discoloration
  
  
• Select standard canning jars, caps or lids. (Jars from commercially packed foods are not suitable.) Be sure jars and closures are free from nicks, chips or cracks.
  
  
• Never re-use canning lids. Canning jars, however, may be used again.
  
  
• Don’t use copper, brass, iron, or galvanized utensils when cooking pickles. These may react with the acid and salt in the liquid and cause undesirable changes or form hazardous compounds.