We know that you all know that most fresh produce can be pickled easily. We also know that sometimes you just want to reach for a jar from the experts. So we’ve rounded up our our top choices of “dillicious” pickles for you. Any of these crisp delights made by passionate picklers will make the perfect pairing with whatever you’re grilling this Labor Day!
We’ve found salty, spicy, sweet, sharp and mild pickles for every taste. And we’re amazed at the array of vegetables being brined. Beyond the classic pickled cucumbers we’re raving about pickled green tomatoes, carrots, beets, cabbage, beans, okra and onions.
Has anyone tasted pickled watermelon? We haven’t found it jarred yet but Liz’s father-in-law used to make it by the half gallon when watermelons flood the Israeli markets each summer. She vows that it’s uniquely crisp and surprisingly refreshing.
Adamah grows, pickles, and packages their certified Kosher, Organic pickles (and lots of other vegetables) using “lacto-fermentation” (versus with vinegar) to enhance their natural health benefits. Rebecca of Adamah says that, “A pickle a day keeps the doctor away!” True to KosherLikeMe beliefs, they aim to empower young Jews of every age “to connect to the source of their food, to the natural world, and to the magical process of lacto-fermentation.” With Adamah, you get to enjoy the summer harvest even longer and reap the super health benefits as well!
What else to try: Also check out their Sauerkraut, Horseradish and Pickled Green Tomatoes!
It’s no wonder they have a Woodstock-like fan following for their pickles. Their classic varieties are made with absolutely no artificial colors and offer the perfectly natural crunch and flavor you’re craving. What’s more – Woodstock is whole-heartedly committed to providing delicious, pure food from “sources you can trust.” They even started their own “Team Non-GMO”! Be sure to check out their website to learn more (and snag some fantastic recipes while you’re there).
What to try: Their 5 varieties of Kosher Pickles and Sauerkraut and Relish, too!
Handcrafted, Certified Kosher, Brooklyn-made unique pickles? Yes, please! Brooklyn Brine’s pickles – and impressive assortment of other pickled veggies – are right up our alley (actually, right over the bridge in Sunset Park) and are made with “responsibly” sourced ingredients, even down to their glassware.
With fourteen creative and delectable varieties of pickles (savory, sweet and spicy), Rick’s Picks are a must-try. Made with ingredients sourced from local farmers and jarred in NYC’s Lower Eastside using traditional home-canning methods, their seasonal Kosher pickles include the Passover Pickle, which is only made once a year (yep, that means once they run out, you’re going to have to wait ‘til next year). Find those at Whole Foods now! But don’t worry if you miss them; they also offer the K.O. Pickle (K.O = Kosher and Organic) which you can get year-round in stores throughout the country. Rick offers recipes, serving suggestions and even nutritional benefits on his website.
Made with a decades-old family recipe, Wickles Pickles are made with the perfect combo of dill and garlic to create a wickedly delicious (sorry, we couldn’t help it!), sweet and spicy pickle. Check out their website for even more pickled veggies plus lots of creative recipes.
This small, locally-owned cooperative makes their products with certified organic vegetables from New England farms out of their Massachusetts based, solar-powered facility. These guys are true locavores and are dedicated to making efforts toward a “regional food system.” They work hard to make the highest quality, naturally fermented pickles. They source and sell their pickles only in the Northeast! Check out their website for more info on the health benefits of their pickles, plus lots of great recipes.
Refresh your body with some of Rejuenative’s uber-healthy, live-cultured, probiotic pickles. High in fiber, super nutritious and made with the healing properties of dill, caraway and garlic, they are some of the best live pickles out there and are never made with vinegar or heated.
Denver-based Founder Justin Park of the Real Dill says that they “make an effort not to do anything that has already been done before…[they] approach everything with a creative, culinary mindset and try to make inspired products that stand out.” Mission accomplished. Check out their website for some mouthwatering, unique recipes!
What else to try: Habanero Horseradish Dills, Creole Spiced Okra, Spicy Caribbeans and much more!
“Epic pickles was born in 2011 from a passion for fabulous food,” Founder Rob Seufert says. Rob makes these epic pickles (yes, they are indeed epic) in small batches by hand with the freshest ingredients, in York, PA. These bold, crisp beauties are perfect in a spicy Bloody Mary (check out his recipe on the website).
Did we leave out your favorite brand? Have a tip about pickle pairings? Do you pickle anything as unusual as watermelon? We want to know!
this is amazing coverage of the pickle pickins!
i personally love the SPICY LEMON PICKLES from Adamah!
thanks for a great post about one of my favorite foods!
We love everything Adamah is up to and highly recommend that readers take a look at their jarred products and opportunities to enjoy programming at their CT. retreat center. Anyone else up for a pickle party? It would be so much fun to place all of our favorites side by side and taste them!
Jane, we are thrilled to share your info with all of our readers, especially those here in CT! Those SPICED PEACHES you sell at the Westport Farmers’ Market are my new addiction! Can’t wait to taste what you’ll be pickling as the season changes.
Yay, so glad to see Bubbies on the list! I think they’re pretty special too! I almost always have a jar in my fridge- but it never lasts long!
Of course! We love Bubbies!
Gotta love pickles! You should try out Cook’s Pantry, they’re pretty new, but they’re made with simple ingredients and no added nonsense. And organic! Thanks for sharing this list though, definitely some brands on here I want to try!