How Dry Weather Could Ruin Your Homemade Pickles

Making a few jars of homemade pickles is a great way to reap the reward of your summertime gardening efforts. From classic dill pickles to bread and butter pickles, there are endless ways to turn plain cucumbers into a healthy snack to be enjoyed for months to come. However, pickling always comes with its challenges, and one of those challenges may come from the weather. During dry summers, cucumbers can lose their much-needed moisture, causing them to shrivel up and turn into bitter, not-so-great pickles.

It's no surprise that cucumbers thrive in wet conditions: they're mainly made up of water, which means they're a great source of hydration, both at the spa and in the kitchen. But when mother nature doesn't cooperate, the heat and lack of precipitation can greatly affect their taste, both on their own and after pickling. This is due to cucurbitacin, a bitter compound naturally present in cucumbers that can be agitated by abnormal weather conditions like drought.

If your cucumber patch is struggling, there are some things you can do to mitigate the risk of poor-tasting pickles. Make sure to water them plenty during dry periods, and use a good quality mulch. If you're buying your cukes from the store, keeping cucumbers in a humid environment before pickling might prevent further shriveling. And while a skinless pickle isn't ideal, cutting off the ends and removing the cucumber's skin might help, as that's where the cucurbitacin's bitterness lives. 

If the weather is too dry to redeem your cucumbers for pickling, there are plenty of other vegetables to pickle that don't suffer as much from lack of moisture. Even if they need consistent water to grow, these veggies don't contain cucurbitacin and aren't likely to taste bitter like a cucumber might. Plus, they'll bring variety to your diet while providing the same vinegary taste.

Carrots are a popular and delicious pickled vegetable. Try them Mexican-style with spices and jalapeño chiles, or with a ginger and garlic brine for a more subtle kick. Carrots can also be used in a classic Chicago-style giardiniera mix of pickled vegetables alongside cauliflower and peppers. Asparagus is another drought-tolerant vegetable that tastes even crispier when pickled. And of course, red onions are a classic, colorful staple for pickle-lovers. They are versatile and taste great over tacos, in sandwiches, or, like most pickled vegetables, just plain — straight out of the jar.