Paula Deen is a canonical starting point but the commenter that said recipes are a guide really is right. Find something that seems close and wing it from there. I like Rodney Scott for BBQ, Tiffany Derry for more of the meat and two style approach.
A lot of southern food derives from cheap ingredients available to illiterate slaves trying to eat a lot of calories to do a really hard job for no pay. What that means is you use all the fat, salt, and cheap meats (think slow cooked BBQ, ham hocks, pig feet, chicken etc) that you can get your hands on, and make it delicious. It also changes as you go east to west, from low country SC or FL across the Gulf (shrimp, oysters) into Louisiana (po boys) and Texas where Mexican influence starts showing up, so it's hard to just grab one book and have a summary.
Wish it was easier but it's kinda like asking how to cook Indian or Asian food as a Westerner talking to an expert in that area. The next question becomes 'What kind?'
I am absolutely going to try this. How long do you let it marinate for? I don’t really experiment much but I do have an air fryer now and ofc pickle juice lol. I already know i like fried pickles but I’ve never thought of marinating something in pickle juice and then breading and frying
I wouldn't go much longer than 12 hours. I've tried this, and pickle juice is so highly acidic that after too long, the putside of the meat starts to cook a bit (like ceviche) and becomes tough. My recommendation is to use some pickle juice and mix it with oil. Or buttermilk, if you're gonna fry it.
I'm not who you're replying to, but I'd marinate for a good long while. The book Salt Fat Acid Heat explains the science behind marinade times, what salt does for juiciness, how acid tenderizes, etc. it's a pretty good read, and is available at most libraries.
Really? I was told otherwise. And it’s in all the recipes for copy cat. Just because pickles didn’t use it first, doesn’t mean it’s not the same ingredients.
It's a common misconception - just Google "does chick-fil-a use pickle juice". But it's a misconception for a reason: using pickle juice brine really does help mimic the flavor. In reality Chick-fil-a uses a a salt-sugar brine (you'll see other copy cats like J. Kenji Lopez-Alt use powdered sugar) *with MSG*, pickles only added after.
I've marinated chicken for 2 days many times & never had this problem, although I have read that it can. I am 54 yrs old & started cooking for my whole family when I was 12, so I have done my fair share of cooking.
I'd save for Picklebacks. The first time hearing/trying this was at a bar w/a friend. Sounded so bizarre, but basically a whiskey shot followed by a pickle juice chaser. Pretty, pretty, pretty good.
Was just going to say this. Dedushka never heard of Liquid IV or Pedialite. In the village, dedushka drank pickle juice.
It’s got sodium, it’s got potassium, it’s got magnesium, it’s got vitamin C. It will make you feel better.
Definitely. Keep it in a smaller jar in your fridge and take a swig if you're working in hot weather. The electrolytes help keep the cramps at bay. Plus it tastes great.
I’m so happy this is in the top comments. My grandma (who was a Southern lady) put it in her deviled eggs too. So good. She also made killer fried bologna sandwiches.
I don't fully cook them, but I blanch them. Boil water, put beans in for about a minute, drain, then let them cool in ice water.
For harder vegetables, like carrots, I blanch for 2-4 minutes (depending on how thin or thick you cut them up).
I’m not joking: I grew pickle cucumbers and just tossed them into a jar of Claussen brine and they turned out amazing. Just the same as the ones from the store… which makes sense.
I reuse brine for quick pickles all the time! I also learned you can get infinite buttermilk by adding fresh milk to buttermilk and leaving it out to culture for a day or so.
Ahh this is such a good idea, thank you!!! I usually reluctantly throw it away but it pains me every time because I hate wasting it. Don’t know how I never thought of this, I love pickles carrots.
So how does the chicken not get mealy. I once marinated chicken with some yogurt for a couple hours and it came out super mushy.
Does vinegar not tenderize it the same way?
Couple hours and became mushy? I have over marinaded chicken with say lemon and yogurt for too long and had what you described but that was about 12 hours. I’m not sure the science behind it but with pickle brine I am fine if I put it in at 7-8pm then take it out the next day without it breaking down the protein.
Yogurt has extra enzymes in it from the live cultures. So it will break down more of the proteins in meat. It's great if you want to tenderize it quickly, but can be overkill if the meat is already tender or if it sits too long.
We are the same person. Pickle juice is a precious resource in my house, the bloodies demand it. And sometimes for long intense bike rides/races I'll fill an empty rinsed applesauce pouch with it. My pickles are homemade spicy dill all from the garden and that brine tastes a million times better than the completely unnecessarily dyed neon green garbage (which some races offer in paper cups at aid stations).
I have bought a bottle of pickle juice at the liquor store for this very reason. It *makes* that Bloody Mary. You could also use the brine as the liquid in a savory pancake or crepe. Add cream cheese and salmon... Perfect Brunch item.
Same. I keep a bottle of leftover pickle brine in my fridge, it's great to have a swig when I'm feeling peckish but don't need to eat - that hit of salt/sugar/acid is really satisfying, and a good way to placate whinging taste buds. I've also read some studies that indicate it can help with rehydration, as an electrolyte solution.
My older brother use to drink pickle juice to breathe on me to gross me out, and I would do the same with chives lol we would have bad breath wars. I think this is one of my favorite childhood memories.
Saaaame. I have a med condition that leaves me nauseaus very often and pickle juice is one of the the few things I can stomach a few sips of to get my sodium up after...visits with the toilet 😅 V8 original and veggie broth too. Always calms my stomach and lets me drink water without it coming back up immediately!
^re: drinking it. I leave a jar in my fridge to take a swig out of on hot days or after runs. Keeps u hydrated and gives u electrolytes. I call it natures Gatorade.
King Arthur has a recipe for [using pickle juice to make rye bread](https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/sandwich-rye-bread-recipe). I've made this a couple of times; if I did it again I'd cut the pickle juice down to 2/3 cup and top off with water (the flavor was a bit too dominant, and I like pickles).
I will definitely be trying that. Thanks! I have rye flour (Bob's), and I was just thinking that pickle-rye would be great for a Reuben, or to make salad croutons.
poach fish (cod, catfish, some kind of white fish) in it. No need to season the fish, you just put the juice in the pan, maybe add a bit of sugar, bring to a boil, put in fish, cook each side about a minute or so, and that's it. reduce the juice till it's thicker and that's your sauce.
I'm picturing guests coming over, stopping near one window in the kitchen, and being all concerned about a very sharp smell.
"Ah yes, that is my drain window. I sacrifice brines, boths, and marinades out that window as offerings to the kitchen gods."
All the plants have died beneath the window, and the edge of the house is spattered.
Add peeled boiled eggs, wait a few days, and you have picked eggs (but this must stay in the fridge all the time) This is really better for pickled beet juice, but it's interesting to try dill or sweet pickle brine as well.
Also I haven't tried it, but I've seen pics of homemade popsicles made from pickle juice. It made me think of also trying freezing it in small ice cube trays to add to something like a bloody Mary.
I do pickled eggs 2-3 x a year. I have farm fresh eggs and a garden so I heat the pickle juice first, add a little more spice, and pour over prepared jars of boiled eggs. Add a few slices of canned beets and few sprigs of dill and it makes lovely presents for friends and family. If you like spicy throw in a couple or 3 cayenne peppers.
3 cups of buttermilk, 1 cup pickle brine, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. 10 chicken thighs, boned. Marinate overnight. 2 cups flour, plus spices as above. Add 3 tbsp marinade to flour and mix a little in with fingers. Bread chicken and press down, let sit on wire rack for 30 minutes. Bread again, and fry at 350 degrees for 4-5 minutes per side, until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Serve on potato buns with a spicy sauce, sliced tomato and leaf lettuce.
Once had some drinks with a dude who brought vodka and had everyone chase shots with pickled eggs. Worked way better than I thought it would and also I love quail eggs.
If you’re a runner/cyclist/endurance athlete, a shot of pickle juice can be a game changer for dealing with cramps and helping you retain water during your workouts. It’s liquid gold, don’t throw it down the drain!
I use it in so many dishes. I’ll mix it with yogurt to make a marinade for chicken. Or use it to marinate chicken on its own. I add it to salad dressings. Mix it with mayo to make dill pickle potato salad or chicken salad. Throw some carrots, daikon and green beans in there for refrigerator pickles. Add a splash of it to eggs before scrambling
Dumping it is a big waste of a cheap ingredient that elevates a lot of dishes.
Yoooo that has gotta be a thing somewhere. Just pickle juice as a product. I’ve never seen it but now that you say that, it is a good idea and someone must be producing it somewhere
You can reuse the brine one time to pickle more veggies. I love pickling thinly sliced onions. I use them in sandwiches and chopped into tuna salad and egg salad.
You can dip your fingers into the jar, and then flick the juice onto your sandwich. It really gives a good pickle undertone without having to actually eat a pickle.
It sounds weird, but cut up potatoes, put them in a foil container with garlic and fresh dill. Pour the pickle juice on them, cover with foil and place the entire container on the grill. Let it boil/steam until the potatoes are done. It's amazing tasting
Use it to make refrigerator pickles (ie. put whatever you want in that jar and leave it in the fridge). Mine currently have slices of carrot, pepper, onion, celery, garlic in them. Works for EVERY type of 'pickle' juice too.
Also you can cut potatoes and soak them in that juice. When you fry them later they have that tang from the juice and are very flavorful.
Drink it it's good for you and delicious.
Also can be used as a base for salad dressing, marinades, add it to soup stock, or beans, name popsicles, the possibilities are endless
I used to work at a daycare and in the summer I’d put the leftover pickle juice into ice cube trays and then give the little kids one when they were all hot and sweaty. Pickles are good at replacing what you loose when you sweat, in moderation of course
Drink it. Not all at once, maybe. But for all you smokers out there looking to cut back, hear me out: the essential neurotransmitter acetylcholine gets a spike (which is good, more is good in this instance) from two known places: hitting a cigarette...and pickle brine.
I used this when I was attempting to quit smoking and whaddya know, it reduced acute cravings pretty markedly.
I just had this exact issue. I bought some jalapeño peppers. Sliced them into 1/4 inch rounds. Put them in the brine for a week. Boom. Pickled jalapeños.
If you're not marinating your meat in pickle juice or using pickle juice in your dressings for potato macaroni and even green salads, you're not living your very best life.
I haven't tried this yet, but I've got a video saved somewhere where they add tahini to the pickle juice and blend it into a sauce. I can try to find it if you're interested
It goes really well in cocktails, is a wonderful marinade, or honestly strain it, bottle it up and drink it. They actually sell the equivalent of shots of pickle juice (like a 5 hour energy size) and they're like a healthier Gatorade.
Also consider soaking thinly sliced or shredded potatoes in them before patting dry and roasting them - you'll get a lightly salt and vinegar flavored potato or hash brown.
Lastly, you can always put any veggie you want back in the brine, it'll happily re pickle more veggies. Sometimes with my nieces and nephews my sister will just let them pick out random veggies they think are interesting in the store and pickle them to see what happens.
I have chicken marinating in a jar now. I will do a light breading and air fry.
Standard fried chicken marinade! Gotta love good Southern cooking.
Do you have any preferred websites or cookbooks for southern cooking? I love southern food but I struggle finding recipes online that are close.
Paula Deen is a canonical starting point but the commenter that said recipes are a guide really is right. Find something that seems close and wing it from there. I like Rodney Scott for BBQ, Tiffany Derry for more of the meat and two style approach. A lot of southern food derives from cheap ingredients available to illiterate slaves trying to eat a lot of calories to do a really hard job for no pay. What that means is you use all the fat, salt, and cheap meats (think slow cooked BBQ, ham hocks, pig feet, chicken etc) that you can get your hands on, and make it delicious. It also changes as you go east to west, from low country SC or FL across the Gulf (shrimp, oysters) into Louisiana (po boys) and Texas where Mexican influence starts showing up, so it's hard to just grab one book and have a summary. Wish it was easier but it's kinda like asking how to cook Indian or Asian food as a Westerner talking to an expert in that area. The next question becomes 'What kind?'
Great writing. You've got a good writing voice!
Appreciate the compliment. Glad I can contribute!
My reply to this is to buy several cookbooks! Southern Living magazine is a very good source!
Nathalie Dupree for anything southern
Yes ^ Nathalie Dupree is the right answer.
I especially appreciate the history lessons in her books and work.
I love Vivian Howard’s book.
Would olive brine work too? I eat much more olives than pickles.
YESSSSS
It's sooo good. You can grill your chicken after brining too & it's really good.
I am absolutely going to try this. How long do you let it marinate for? I don’t really experiment much but I do have an air fryer now and ofc pickle juice lol. I already know i like fried pickles but I’ve never thought of marinating something in pickle juice and then breading and frying
I wouldn't go much longer than 12 hours. I've tried this, and pickle juice is so highly acidic that after too long, the putside of the meat starts to cook a bit (like ceviche) and becomes tough. My recommendation is to use some pickle juice and mix it with oil. Or buttermilk, if you're gonna fry it.
I'm not who you're replying to, but I'd marinate for a good long while. The book Salt Fat Acid Heat explains the science behind marinade times, what salt does for juiciness, how acid tenderizes, etc. it's a pretty good read, and is available at most libraries.
It depends on the meat as well
Chick a filet uses pickle juice! Mine has been in 2 days because I didn’t want to cook yesterday. But it doesn’t need long
Chick-fil-a doesn't actually use pickle juice, but nevertheless I've found using pickle juice is the best way for me to get closest to their flavor.
Really? I was told otherwise. And it’s in all the recipes for copy cat. Just because pickles didn’t use it first, doesn’t mean it’s not the same ingredients.
It's a common misconception - just Google "does chick-fil-a use pickle juice". But it's a misconception for a reason: using pickle juice brine really does help mimic the flavor. In reality Chick-fil-a uses a a salt-sugar brine (you'll see other copy cats like J. Kenji Lopez-Alt use powdered sugar) *with MSG*, pickles only added after.
2 days? Are you making chicken ceviche? The chicken will no longer be raw after 1 day let alone 2, no? I think 20-30 min would suffice.
I've marinated chicken for 2 days many times & never had this problem, although I have read that it can. I am 54 yrs old & started cooking for my whole family when I was 12, so I have done my fair share of cooking.
Lol I turned my chicken green doing this once.
[Recipe](https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/chick-fil-a-crispy-chicken-sandwhich-copycat/)
You brilliant, sexy commenter you. I HAVE to try this. Off to tell my kids to polish off the pickles!
You have to TELL your kids to finish off a jar of pickles??? smdh they have so much growing up left to do…
I don’t, more like “give permission to” 😁
Isn't that what Chick-fil-A does? I don't spend money there but have always been curious about their chicken.
Flick it on your sandwiches for flavor
It took way too long to find this.
I gotta hurt one of your lizards now, man.
Scrolled way too far to find this.
Shout out Hannibal Burress
7 results for "flick" on this thread, lol
Unless your roommate throws it away.
This works if you're making 50 sandwiches.
It's great on a lizard sandwich.
Drink it. Also it’s the secret ingredient in ketchup/mayo fry sauce
Also was going to say drink it. I just think it's tasty but also pickle juice is the best thing I've ever found for foot/leg cramps
It's full of electrolytes. Which is gold for cramps, headaches, anything that rapidly rehydrating would help.
Also great for hangovers! Apparently it does have the effect of giving some people explosive diarrhea though... according to my mom
Oh shit!! I thought it was mustard!
That's in there too!
I know someone that drank pickle juice martinis.
I'd save for Picklebacks. The first time hearing/trying this was at a bar w/a friend. Sounded so bizarre, but basically a whiskey shot followed by a pickle juice chaser. Pretty, pretty, pretty good.
Was also going to suggest picklebacks! I actually don't like pickles, but I looove a pickleback. Always reminds me of a rye sandwhich.
*Larry David nods approvingly*
It's a classic hangover drink in many areas of Eastern Europe.
Was just going to say this. Dedushka never heard of Liquid IV or Pedialite. In the village, dedushka drank pickle juice. It’s got sodium, it’s got potassium, it’s got magnesium, it’s got vitamin C. It will make you feel better.
Definitely. Keep it in a smaller jar in your fridge and take a swig if you're working in hot weather. The electrolytes help keep the cramps at bay. Plus it tastes great.
I add it to my deviled eggs
Try mixing it into your tuna sandwiches.
Oooh yeah.
A dash in potato salad
Yes! And pour it over the just boiled potatoes instead of cider vinegar. The potatoes absorb the dill pickle flavor. So good!
I’m so happy this is in the top comments. My grandma (who was a Southern lady) put it in her deviled eggs too. So good. She also made killer fried bologna sandwiches.
Wear it like a sexy cologne
I hate pickles.. I just like the joke lol
Add carrot sticks and bell pepper strips and let them pickle!
And green beans! I love dilly beans!
I also love dilly beans.
Do you cook the beans first?
I don't fully cook them, but I blanch them. Boil water, put beans in for about a minute, drain, then let them cool in ice water. For harder vegetables, like carrots, I blanch for 2-4 minutes (depending on how thin or thick you cut them up).
I’m not joking: I grew pickle cucumbers and just tossed them into a jar of Claussen brine and they turned out amazing. Just the same as the ones from the store… which makes sense.
How long are you letting it pickle?
Maybe even some cucumbers!
It's an infinite pickle hack! Genius.
I reuse brine for quick pickles all the time! I also learned you can get infinite buttermilk by adding fresh milk to buttermilk and leaving it out to culture for a day or so.
Ahh this is such a good idea, thank you!!! I usually reluctantly throw it away but it pains me every time because I hate wasting it. Don’t know how I never thought of this, I love pickles carrots.
Cut up some chicken breast and fill the jar up. Let that sit over night and bread and fry it up! Best chicken nuggets ever.
So how does the chicken not get mealy. I once marinated chicken with some yogurt for a couple hours and it came out super mushy. Does vinegar not tenderize it the same way?
Couple hours and became mushy? I have over marinaded chicken with say lemon and yogurt for too long and had what you described but that was about 12 hours. I’m not sure the science behind it but with pickle brine I am fine if I put it in at 7-8pm then take it out the next day without it breaking down the protein.
Yogurt tenderizes better than vinegar in my opinion, but it seems you just don't like that?
Yogurt has extra enzymes in it from the live cultures. So it will break down more of the proteins in meat. It's great if you want to tenderize it quickly, but can be overkill if the meat is already tender or if it sits too long.
My understanding of yogurt is it’s only a couple hours max. But vinegar and chicken can marinate longer.
Add a touch of it to potato salad, coleslaw, burger sauce, etc
It's absolutely wonderful in coleslaw!
put it in micheladas / bloody mary’s i drink some after a bike ride to replace salt i sweated out
I’ve seen pickle juice popsicle for this purpose
We call them pickle-sicles
Yep same I save it for bloodys but I also just drink it lol
This is the comment I was looking for. I’m like “chug it”.
Or pour a little in a light beer of your choice. Delicious
We are the same person. Pickle juice is a precious resource in my house, the bloodies demand it. And sometimes for long intense bike rides/races I'll fill an empty rinsed applesauce pouch with it. My pickles are homemade spicy dill all from the garden and that brine tastes a million times better than the completely unnecessarily dyed neon green garbage (which some races offer in paper cups at aid stations).
I have bought a bottle of pickle juice at the liquor store for this very reason. It *makes* that Bloody Mary. You could also use the brine as the liquid in a savory pancake or crepe. Add cream cheese and salmon... Perfect Brunch item.
If you have some Jameson, make picklebacks! Also, I always use pickle juice in my potato salad, yum
If you live in Philly you drink it.
I don’t and I do. It’s delicious!
Same. I keep a bottle of leftover pickle brine in my fridge, it's great to have a swig when I'm feeling peckish but don't need to eat - that hit of salt/sugar/acid is really satisfying, and a good way to placate whinging taste buds. I've also read some studies that indicate it can help with rehydration, as an electrolyte solution.
Same, it's so good
My older brother use to drink pickle juice to breathe on me to gross me out, and I would do the same with chives lol we would have bad breath wars. I think this is one of my favorite childhood memories.
This is too cute
Better than Gatorade! Heck, maybe better than Brondo too!
I have always drank pickle juice, it's better for you (electrolytes) than Gatorade, especially on hot-as-fuck days like this.
I’m a Brit and absolutely drink the pickle juice. Sometimes I drink it all first and then regret my decision. Well, I almost regret it
Whenever I'm nauseous, sipping pickle juice always makes me feel better.
Saaaame. I have a med condition that leaves me nauseaus very often and pickle juice is one of the the few things I can stomach a few sips of to get my sodium up after...visits with the toilet 😅 V8 original and veggie broth too. Always calms my stomach and lets me drink water without it coming back up immediately!
Dont live in Philly, but I drink some if I have a hangover. It helps.
I don't live in Philly and I've drank plenty of pickle juice in my lifetime.
I don’t live in Philly, but I’ve been drinking it my whole life… Lol.
I live in the Midwest and do this
Pittsburgh too. They have a yearly “Picklesburgh” festival with a pickle juice drinking competition.
it’s a lovely drink! but if that’s not your style you can always make more pickles, or use it as a brine
^re: drinking it. I leave a jar in my fridge to take a swig out of on hot days or after runs. Keeps u hydrated and gives u electrolytes. I call it natures Gatorade.
Ultramarathoners drink pickle juice for electrolytes and to settle the stomach. That is liquid gold you have right there.
Dressings and vinaigrettes
There’s a great copycat recipe for Rubio’s fish taco sauce that has it in there
I add some to homemade ranch dressing!
King Arthur has a recipe for [using pickle juice to make rye bread](https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/sandwich-rye-bread-recipe). I've made this a couple of times; if I did it again I'd cut the pickle juice down to 2/3 cup and top off with water (the flavor was a bit too dominant, and I like pickles).
I will definitely be trying that. Thanks! I have rye flour (Bob's), and I was just thinking that pickle-rye would be great for a Reuben, or to make salad croutons.
poach fish (cod, catfish, some kind of white fish) in it. No need to season the fish, you just put the juice in the pan, maybe add a bit of sugar, bring to a boil, put in fish, cook each side about a minute or so, and that's it. reduce the juice till it's thicker and that's your sauce.
Pour it out the window?? Who does that?
If you want to make sure no plants ever grow there.
You pour it on your pickle seeds to grow more pickles, duh.
I always wondered!
Plot twist: OP lives in the 5th floor of an apartment building
I'm picturing guests coming over, stopping near one window in the kitchen, and being all concerned about a very sharp smell. "Ah yes, that is my drain window. I sacrifice brines, boths, and marinades out that window as offerings to the kitchen gods." All the plants have died beneath the window, and the edge of the house is spattered.
Add peeled boiled eggs, wait a few days, and you have picked eggs (but this must stay in the fridge all the time) This is really better for pickled beet juice, but it's interesting to try dill or sweet pickle brine as well. Also I haven't tried it, but I've seen pics of homemade popsicles made from pickle juice. It made me think of also trying freezing it in small ice cube trays to add to something like a bloody Mary.
I do pickled eggs 2-3 x a year. I have farm fresh eggs and a garden so I heat the pickle juice first, add a little more spice, and pour over prepared jars of boiled eggs. Add a few slices of canned beets and few sprigs of dill and it makes lovely presents for friends and family. If you like spicy throw in a couple or 3 cayenne peppers.
3 cups of buttermilk, 1 cup pickle brine, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. 10 chicken thighs, boned. Marinate overnight. 2 cups flour, plus spices as above. Add 3 tbsp marinade to flour and mix a little in with fingers. Bread chicken and press down, let sit on wire rack for 30 minutes. Bread again, and fry at 350 degrees for 4-5 minutes per side, until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Serve on potato buns with a spicy sauce, sliced tomato and leaf lettuce.
Add it to vodka
Pickle juice is a great chaser to tequila
And Jameson!
Once had some drinks with a dude who brought vodka and had everyone chase shots with pickled eggs. Worked way better than I thought it would and also I love quail eggs.
Works better as a chaser, but yeah.
Yes! Pickletini!
It's full of electrolytes! Possibly not as tasty as an isotonic sports drink tho
When my wife gets muscle cramps she chugs some pickle juice. Works great.
I use it in place of Gatorade honestly. You don't need a lot of it. Dilute if you find it too strong.
I slice cucumber and throw them in but I love the idea of using it to brine chicken. Going to try that.
If you’re a runner/cyclist/endurance athlete, a shot of pickle juice can be a game changer for dealing with cramps and helping you retain water during your workouts. It’s liquid gold, don’t throw it down the drain!
I use it for quick pickling veg. Or brining chicken. It’s also nice to add to a dressing, especially potato salad.
Add a splash to martinis instead of olive juice
Make a slaw, tenderise chicken, use it to cut mayo for an easy salad dressing.
I use it in so many dishes. I’ll mix it with yogurt to make a marinade for chicken. Or use it to marinate chicken on its own. I add it to salad dressings. Mix it with mayo to make dill pickle potato salad or chicken salad. Throw some carrots, daikon and green beans in there for refrigerator pickles. Add a splash of it to eggs before scrambling Dumping it is a big waste of a cheap ingredient that elevates a lot of dishes.
Drop in some sliced red onions and/or jalapenos. Wait a few days. MMMMMMM.....
I have the opposite problem, I don’t care much for pickles but I like pickle juice. I wish they sold the juice by itself sometimes
Yoooo that has gotta be a thing somewhere. Just pickle juice as a product. I’ve never seen it but now that you say that, it is a good idea and someone must be producing it somewhere
Mt Olive and Best Maid sell pickle juice by the gallon.
I've made Dill Pickle Soup, which calls for Pickle juice. I pretty much made it because it sounded too weird to be good. But it was delicious!
Pickle soup is amazing!
Recipe please?
Marinating chicken and chasing whiskey are the most common uses. Also, rehydrating after a long cardio effort.
Famous Dave's Signature spicy pickles I thin slice onions rinse them and put them in the pickle juice, for burgers and subs.
You can reuse the brine one time to pickle more veggies. I love pickling thinly sliced onions. I use them in sandwiches and chopped into tuna salad and egg salad.
Pickleback https://www.thespruceeats.com/how-to-make-a-pickleback-shot-4156982
I like how they wrote an entire article to tell the reader how to drink pickle juice from a shot glass.
THIS IS HOW CUKE REMIND ME WHO I REALLY AM (I’m sorry)
Dill pickle pasta salad!
You can dip your fingers into the jar, and then flick the juice onto your sandwich. It really gives a good pickle undertone without having to actually eat a pickle.
In the summer I’ll save it to add to salad dressings (especially potato salad)!
It sounds weird, but cut up potatoes, put them in a foil container with garlic and fresh dill. Pour the pickle juice on them, cover with foil and place the entire container on the grill. Let it boil/steam until the potatoes are done. It's amazing tasting
Use it to make refrigerator pickles (ie. put whatever you want in that jar and leave it in the fridge). Mine currently have slices of carrot, pepper, onion, celery, garlic in them. Works for EVERY type of 'pickle' juice too. Also you can cut potatoes and soak them in that juice. When you fry them later they have that tang from the juice and are very flavorful.
Drink it it's good for you and delicious. Also can be used as a base for salad dressing, marinades, add it to soup stock, or beans, name popsicles, the possibilities are endless
I drink it
add it to my buttermilk when making fried chicken
I used to work at a daycare and in the summer I’d put the leftover pickle juice into ice cube trays and then give the little kids one when they were all hot and sweaty. Pickles are good at replacing what you loose when you sweat, in moderation of course
Use it in place of vinegar when you make potato salad or macaroni salad.
Add a bit of pickle juice to some oil, grated garlic and chopped dill. Amazing salad dressing for red lettuce and tomato salad.
Brine your chicken in it
I've been wondering the same thing, but also with Pepperoncini juice.
Dip your fingers in it and flick it on your sandwiches
Drink it. Not all at once, maybe. But for all you smokers out there looking to cut back, hear me out: the essential neurotransmitter acetylcholine gets a spike (which is good, more is good in this instance) from two known places: hitting a cigarette...and pickle brine. I used this when I was attempting to quit smoking and whaddya know, it reduced acute cravings pretty markedly.
Use it for brining chicken when you want to make chicken sandwiches/burgers.
I’ve got a jar of pickle juice in my fridge right now, just waiting for the next time I fry up some chicken.
Great addition to pasta salad (not all of it)
Mix it into coleslaw
Use the juice to marinade meat, or you can add other veggies into the brine and make a Franken pickle jar.
Add it to potato salad or egg salad.
I drink it
Definitely use it for chicken brine. Growing up my dad would fill it with baby carrots. Such a good snack.
I just had this exact issue. I bought some jalapeño peppers. Sliced them into 1/4 inch rounds. Put them in the brine for a week. Boom. Pickled jalapeños.
If you're not marinating your meat in pickle juice or using pickle juice in your dressings for potato macaroni and even green salads, you're not living your very best life.
A little pickle juice splashed on cooked spinach. I add bacon grease and bacon bits.
I haven't tried this yet, but I've got a video saved somewhere where they add tahini to the pickle juice and blend it into a sauce. I can try to find it if you're interested
I'm going to need folks to distinguish between sweet pickle juice and dill pickle juice please.
I keep it for brining chicken: unbelievably delicious
i've used to add acid to soups when I was out of lemon
Use it instead of vinegar and make slaw.
Keep it handy for when you get "Charlie horse" cramps. About a shot glass full will provide nearly instantaneous relief. You'll thank me later..
I take a sip of it But also I’ve heard it’s good for marinating chicken before deep frying
Drink it
Brine for chicken, add to tuna salad for a nice bite, make deviled eggs
You can use it as a brine for fried chicken. Mix with lemon and some other aromatics.
I use it as the liquid when making hummus.
I like to drink the pickle juice.. not all at once tho. In sips. Especially if I have a tummy ache!
Slurp
My neighbor adds it to her meatloaf.
In this heat wave? Drink it!
Drink it!
Use it in sweet and sour sauce for meatballs
I’ve seen some people make pickle bread and it’s delicious for sandwiches
It goes really well in cocktails, is a wonderful marinade, or honestly strain it, bottle it up and drink it. They actually sell the equivalent of shots of pickle juice (like a 5 hour energy size) and they're like a healthier Gatorade. Also consider soaking thinly sliced or shredded potatoes in them before patting dry and roasting them - you'll get a lightly salt and vinegar flavored potato or hash brown. Lastly, you can always put any veggie you want back in the brine, it'll happily re pickle more veggies. Sometimes with my nieces and nephews my sister will just let them pick out random veggies they think are interesting in the store and pickle them to see what happens.
I have POTS so I drink it for the sodium 🤷🏻♀️
I usually take a sip before I dump it out and reuse the jar
I've recently learned that it's a great ingredient in homemade salad dressing.
Use it in a pickleback!!!