Old Bay Is The Classic Ingredient That Will Give Your Pickles A Kick

A champion among condiments, the pickle offers briny relief to food that is either too spicy, too sweet, or too bland to enjoy. While it can be a joy to make your own pickles, it's just as delightful to doctor up a jar of the store-bought stuff. With just a tablespoon of spices, you can transform something generic into something truly unique. One wonderful way to add flavor to a standard bunch of pickles is to add in some Old Bay seasoning.

Mildly sweet with just enough heat to keep it interesting, Old Bay can supercharge any average pickle with its signature flavor. Why does this classic spice blend complement a pickled vegetable so well? Much of it has to do with the specific spices packed into the mix, many of which are traditional pickling spices. Allspice, cloves, mustard, cinnamon, and ginger are ingredients not only found in a pickling spice blend but also in Old Bay. So, while it's often considered a partner to Chesapeake bay seafood, Old Bay can make pickles the perfect snack or side.

There are two ways to make Old Bay seasoned pickles. First, decide if you want to go the fresh route or the store-bought one. If you want to make your pickles fresh, you'll need cucumbers, white vinegar, and sterilized jars. When you've completed the fundamental pickle-making process (i.e. pouring hot vinegar over the cucumbers), you can add in your spices. For a jar of pickles, consider adding 1 tablespoon of Old Bay seasoning. You can also throw in a few sprigs of fresh dill and a couple cloves of garlic. You'll then let the flavors meld together for at least a day, but they'll really hit their stride in a week's time.

For store-bought, most of your work is already done for you. Try buying a plain batch of pickles, with as little seasoning as possible. To this batch, add 1 tablespoon of Old Bay, shaking the jar to ensure it mixes thoroughly. Let it sit for a day, and know that it'll get better with time. You may find that fresh Old Bay pickles will pack a stronger flavor than store-bought, but it just comes down to how much time and energy you have to spare. Either route you go, you'll end up with crave-worthy pickles.