Pickling vs Fermenting — why the confusion? Certain foods, like dill pickles, include the word pickle but can actually be fermented, which might lead to confusion among some. So what’s the difference here?
The key difference is the source of acidity. In pickling, vegetables are soaked in a vinegar based brine which creates all the flavor. The tangy taste comes from the vinegar, not a biological process. Pickling is usually faster and ready within a few hours or days, however the end result is not probiotic.
Fermenting, on the other hand, preserves food through the activity of beneficial microbes and the acidity and tangy taste is created by naturally produced lactic acid. Vegetables are submerged in a saltwater brine and left to ferment at room temperature for several days or weeks. No vinegar is used because it actually kills the beneficial bacteria needed for the fermentation process. The flavor profile is more complex, they’re rich in probiotics, but the method also takes longer.
Find my recipe and all my knowledge on fermentation/pickling in my ebook: https://stan.store/kirstyk
I’ve noticed that a lot of people either don’t know or are confused about the difference between fermenting and pickling so let’s break it down the key difference here is the source of acidity in pickling vegetables are soaked in a vinegar based brine which creates all the flavor the Tangy taste comes from the vinegar not a biological process and pickling is usually faster and ready within a few hours or days however the end result is not probiotic fermenting on the other hand preserves food through the activity of beneficial microbes and the acidity and tangy taste are created by naturally produced lactic acid vegetables are merged in a saltwater Brine and left to ferment at room temperature for several days up to weeks no vinegar is used because it actually kills the beneficial bacteria needed for the fermentation process the flavor profile is more complex they’re rich in probiotics but the method also takes longer the confusion comes because some foods like dill pickles include the word pickle but can actually be fermented so there’s actually a big difference between fermented and regular dill pickles both methods heal delicious pickles but only the fermented ones have life cultures and contain probiotics beneficial for our gut
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All my probiotic-rich drinks/foods, recipes and detailed instructions can be found inside my new ebook to set you up for a successful fermentation journey!
If you're interested you can check it out here: https://stan.store/kirstyk
Remember how our grandparents used to make pickles when vinegar didn't even exist in the market?
Many people incorrectly call all pickles "probiotic", but the truth is: only fermented pickles (not vinegar-based ones) are probiotic.
Why the confusion happens:
1. Marketing Misuse:
Brands often label vinegar pickles as "gut-friendly" or "probiotic" to attract health-conscious buyers — even if they’ve been pasteurized or made with vinegar (which kills probiotics).
This creates a false impression that all pickles = probiotics.
2. Cultural Generalization:
In many cultures, traditional pickles (like kimchi, sauerkraut, or Indian achaar) are naturally fermented, so people associate the word "pickle" with probiotics.
But modern quick-pickling (especially in the West) uses vinegar, which doesn't involve fermentation.
3. Lack of Awareness:
Most people don’t realize that probiotics are live microbes, and vinegar or pasteurization kills them.
They assume that anything "sour" or "preserved" must be probiotic.
How to Tell If It’s Truly Probiotic:
Ingredients: No vinegar, just salt and water.
Label says: “Live cultures,” “raw,” or “unpasteurized.”
Cloudy brine: A sign of microbial activity.
Stored in fridge (not shelf-stable).
Bottom line:
Most store-bought pickles are not probiotic. Only naturally fermented, unpasteurized, vinegar-free pickles contain live beneficial bacteria.
In india we dont used water instead of that we add spices , salt, oil
Most of the times we should eat germs.
The difference is huge if you consider herring. If you ferment it, you get surströmming which may be the smelliest dish imaginable. Pickled herring is completely different, it doesn’t smell at all.
Thank you!! ❤
Meanwhile: Asian people whole summer😂😂😂😂
Thank you!
I saw some other short of some dude who doesn't know the difference and is fear mongering pickling
You talk so fast i couldnt understand you
I didn’t know 😮 I started pickling because I wanted to make homemade probiotic foods for my gut health and I always used vinegar. Thank you for making this video, very educational and informative. ❤
We always made batches of pickles at it season for the whole year, at home when I was younger, and we use salt water mixture, never used vinegar or anything else, we called it pickling in my language so i don't know the difference between languages but in my language pickling is a right word for it, also just to mention..
i think the percentage of salt and water or whatever your using to pickle is important as it might breakdown the vegetables and loses its desired crunch if it was to powerful or be "under cooked" if it was to weak.
You can speed up fermentation by putting a slice of sourdough into the jar. That's how we do it in central Europe
I may be wrong bt I think prebiotic are scam coz acid present in our stomach kills 99% of organisms so what even the point of consuming beneficial bacteria 🥱
Tip: cut the blossom tips off cucumbers, squash, or similar veggies, and add a source of tannins, like a tea bag or bay leaf, for crunchier fermented pickles.
In india we use salt for pickling ❤😅
I fear fermenting..because any food rots in 1 day in moisture..how can we keep food for week and not believe that microbes and fungus have developed in it
here in Poland there are 2 common ways of fermenting cucumbers
longer "kiszone" which takes weeks and then often they are stored for longer, cucambers are usually softer and fully fermented (this is most likely very close to the kind shown in the video)
and quicker "małosolne", which are prepared with much saltier brine and they are done in just few days, on the outside they don't look much different, they are crispy and maintain thier texture and taste more salty despite thier name meaning not much salty
“Most people don’t know that there are two ways to pickle. Lacto style and vinegar style”. There I fixed it for you. 🤦
We romanian (and all balkan people) leave our vegetables to ferment for MONTHS 😂
Can i use vinegar jar to make fermented pickles?
I've been contemplating this. ❤😮
Sterilized? Hot soapy water rinse?
I like this alot
The simple fact that she wears a LED ZEPPELIN tee means this clip is 100% real and true…!!
kimchi
I feel like guys first understand research cuz fermentation can be harmful if done wrong as much as i know
You forgot to mention that SALT is used for fermentation; a BRINE!!!
Are you have Persian grendma or something?
except that vinegar is also made through fermentation and results in a probiotic drink…
I'd be afraid of falling ill
Тhat confusion is mainly in English lenguage , as both methods have no history in England, so no words for these processes
my confusion is that you kept speaking as if you wanted to allow, or maybe even worse aid "the fermentation process" instead of explaining how to make sure it doesnt happen in the jar without the vinegar.
I feel like this is kind of a case of seeing two categories and assuming they are mutually exclusive. Pickling is basically a process of preserving something with acid, including the lactic acid produced by good bacteria. Fermentation is process of preserving something by allowing it to be broken down and changed over time by biological means (bacteria, fungi, enzymes).
The two categories can overlap (such as kimchi) but can also exist independently (such as vinegar pickles and cheese).
Salt water it is
Feel free to Google this, but just fyi pickled and fermented foods actually increase your risk of developing colon cancer
Fermenting in salt brine or preserving in vinegar are both defined as pickling. You people need to look it up and get a clue ffs
Was i right 😂?
Remember to open the jar once in a while, as fermentation creates gas, which expands, creating pressure, which may create a, Boom! 💣
Thank you for explaining the difference.❤