It’s a choice, though — or, better yet, an option out of the steps to take in pickling cucumbers. How to make pickles is easy when you get the hang of of it, but if you want to store your jarred pickles and have them last a long time, PROCESSING is the way to do it. The thing is you get a trade-off with processing. Processed pickles tend to lose their crunchiness a bit, but they’ll last a lot longer in the jar. Want to know how long?

Pickle Processing Will Increase the Freshness of Your Pickles by About a YEAR

That means you can jar all your pickles, store them (not fridge ’em), and they’ll be good by 2018. No joke. And it doesn’t even take that long to process them.

The trick to processing newly pickled cucumbers is to bathe them in hot water for five minutes. That alone will ensure they last for that long in the jars. However, the downside is the hot water processing you put them through will actually cook the cucumbers just a little, enough for them to get that softer texture you might be familiar with.

Ever wonder why some of those jarred grocery store pickles tend to be a bit ‘softer’ — more flaccid? That’s why. They’ve been processed, so they last longer. It might be something you want to do if you’re interested in stocking up. However, if you don’t mind just eating them within a month or so, skip the whole processing process!

All You Need to Do Is Keep Your Jarred in the Fridge

They’ll keep for about a few weeks before going bad. Should give you plenty of time to eat them (ideally with a sub or sandwich). Some people like the fact that they keep so well in a fridge, but let’s say you like having them in stock for a very long time — pickle processing might be the option for you.

Either way, you’re golden with pickles, for sure. And for more information about Golden Gate Organics, simply read our blog! That will have an unlimited shelf life; we guarantee it.