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Highlights
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To pickle something is to submerge it in an acidic solution or a solution that will become acidic
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Food preservation works by erecting chemical and physical barriers to pathogen growth
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A simple digital pH meter does the job nicely. They can be found at home brew stores or online. I like and recommend the Hanna Checker Plus at Amazon; it’s relatively inexpensive and reads to the hundredth decimal point. Let’s be clear: You don’t need a pH meter to make pickles, but having one is extremely helpful for adventurous and experimental pickle makers, as it gives you the information you need to make sure your pickles are in the safe zone
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Acetic (or ethanoic) acid is the key component of vinegar; its pH measurement is approximately 2.4 at the 5% concentration found in most vinegars
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acetic acid is the most useful to us when acidifying foods.
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your jug of distilled white vinegar is 95% water and 5% acetic acid, with a pH measurement of approximately 2.4.
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It’s best to use “pure” salt also. Canning salt, sea salt, pink salt, kosher salt—it doesn’t matter as long as the label says it’s pure salt. Table salt can be problematic as it’s fortified with iodine and has additives to keep it from caking, both of which can cause clouding of the brine and discoloration of the pickles. This doesn’t affect the ultimate safety of the pickles, but it makes them look unappetizing, which is not our goal.