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There are several factors involved in the ancient art of pickling – the bright summer sunshine, dry weather, copious quantities of golden-yellow cold-pressed Mustard Oil, and tried and tested recipes handed down across generations. However, one factor that sometimes gets overlooked is the Pickling Jar. The selection of a suitable pickling jar is vital because using the wrong jar could ruin your pickles.
So here’s a simple guide to help you choose the right pickling jar.
1. Material: Pickling jars are usually made of glass or porcelain. The material should be one that you can sterilize with steam or hot water. Moreover, it should not react with the contents of the jar – that’s why clay or metal jars are not used. Porcelain is excellent for storage but glass is the preferred choice because it lets the pickle mature in the sunshine. These days many people are using PET jars; that’s fine too, but PET is a bit difficult to sterilize.
2. Mouth: A pickling jar should have a wide mouth. The pickling process involves covering the mouth of the jar with a clean muslin cloth and tying it in place with a cord. This lets the pickle “breathe” as it slowly matures. A narrow mouth would block this maturing process.
3. Moisture: The pickling jar should not contain any moisture. Moisture is the bane of pickling. That’s why clay or earthen jars are not used for pickling – their surfaces can absorb and hold on to moisture. Moreover, your pickling jar should have a cap that seals the jar in an airtight manner so that no moisture can seep in.
A common mistake made by novice pickle enthusiasts is to use any container they can find at hand. Some use a bowl with a plate to cover it. Others use common kitchen utensils. These are wrong choices. Remember to follow the 3Ms mentioned above to select a pickling jar that is ideally suited to the pickling process. Happy pickling!
For more such pickle recipes, please visit https://www.purioilmills.com/pickles/
