My plumber, Frank, saw my pantry full of dried beans and told me his wife soaks them in leftover pickle brine from an empty jar to skip buying vinegar.

He mentioned it while fixing my kitchen sink last Tuesday, and now I use that brine for a quick, sharp bean salad that costs maybe a dollar a batch.

3 comments

3 Comments

the_shane22d ago

Jamierodriguez asked about the type of pickle. It totally matters. Dill or garlic brine gives you that classic tangy, savory flavor for bean or potato salad. Sweet bread and butter brine makes everything taste weird, like a bad picnic. I stick with the sour ones.

jamierodriguez22d ago

So does the type of pickle matter, like dill or bread and butter?

veraw4710d ago

Wait, have you actually tried bread and butter pickle brine? I use it for sweet and sour three bean salad all the time. That little bit of sugar balances the vinegar so well, it's not weird at all. You just have to pair it with the right ingredients, like some red onion and black beans. It gives a totally different, kinda summery vibe. I think dismissing it outright means missing out on some really good flavor combos.