The combination of vinegar, sugar and salt is the common denominator of the pickling process, called brining. While in Grandma’s day pickles were “put up” in sterile glass jars to be enjoyed all year, there’s no reason to go to that length. The vegetables can be quickly brined by cooking them, and then enjoyed from the refrigerator for two weeks, which is far longer than if they had not been pickled.
Some scientists also believe that pickling makes vegetables more nutritious, as well as prolonging their life. Salting draws some of the water out of the food, which concentrates the fat-soluble vitamins. A Korean study showed that kimchi had twice the concentration of B vitamins as unfermented cabbage. But I’m not advocating homemade pickles as a road to health. They’re just so darned good that once you see how easy and inexpensive they are to make, you’ll always want to keep some around.
Read more & get 3 recipes here: http://www.providencejournal.com/features/food/recipes/20140730-cost-buster-cooking-making-perfect-pickles.ece
