Pickles! (Live From The Minnesota State Fair!)

Pickles are a polarizing subject. Some people want a cold, crunchy dill straight from the fridge, while others swear by a sour pickle or a sweet, spicy relish. And if you've ever wondered whether you can make better pickles at home, there's a whole world of canning and fermentation to explore.
 

In this episode recorded live at the Minnesota State Fair, Wirecutter kitchen writer Maki Yazawa starts by explaining how Wirecutter’s team tested 47 store-bought pickles and what they were looking for. Then,  Minnesota State Fair pickle judge Mary Bartz, and last year’s overall canning winner Teresa Craig, talk about what makes a prize-winning pickle. They discuss how to safely can and ferment pickles at home, and the resources Mary recommends for getting started, including the National Center for Food Preservation and the book So Easy to Preserve. Plus, they tell us some of the most unusual pickled creations they’ve ever encountered. 

This episode covers: 

• How to choose the right pickle for what you're eating. The shape and style matter: Maki recommends crinkle-cut chips for burgers, slender pickles for subs, and sour pickles for snacking on a hot day.
• Why fresh produce is the key to crunchy homemade pickles. Teresa says the fresher your cucumbers and other vegetables are, the better the texture of the finished product.
• How to safely make pickles at home. Mary explains why acidity, processing time and temperature, proper headspace, clean jars, and a reliable seal all matter for preventing dangerous bacterial growth.
• The difference between water-bath and pressure canning. Water-bath canning works for acidic foods like pickles, while pressure canning is necessary for lower-acid foods such as corn and green beans because it reaches a higher temperature.

Products we recommend: 

• Teresa likes: The Ball Electric Water-Bath Canner and Easy Fermenter Lids

Additional reading:

• The Best Pickles
• You Had Thoughts About Our Pickle Picks. So We Tasted More Pickles.

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The Wirecutter Show is executive produced by Rosie Guerin and produced by Abigail Keel.Engineering support from Maddy Masiello and Nick Pitman. Episodes are mixed by Catherine Anderson, Efim Shapiro, Rowan Niemisto, Sophia Lanman, and Sonia Herrero. Original music by Dan Powell, Marion Lozano, Elisheba Ittoop, and Diane Wong. Wirecutter’s deputy publisher and general manager is Cliff Levy. Ben Frumin is Wirecutter’s editor-in-chief. Hosted by Rosie Guerin, Caira Blackwell and Christine Cyr Clisset.

Find edited transcripts for each episode here: The Wirecutter Show Podcast