I love pickles and can finish a jar off in one sitting, but then I’m always left with a bottle of brine that I end up pouring down the drain. While it’s not the end of the world to let that leftover pickle juice go to waste, I often wondered if it could be reused in some way and finally came up with a solution – use it to make pickled daikon! If you’re not familiar with it, pickled daikon is a popular Asian side dish/condiment (here is a recipe if you want to put some elbow grease into it and make it without the lazy man’s cheat I’m about to show you) that pairs particularly well with Bonchon chicken or other hearty dishes that could use a crisp, acidic bite.
Okay, so you probably guessed it by now, but all this DIY really entails is chopping up some daikon (to clarify, I used regular radish for this tutorial since that’s what I already had), tossing it in your leftover pickle juice and letting it brine for a few days. How easy is that? You don’t have to go through the trouble of mixing up a new batch of vinegar, salt, etc. and if you’re using a brand of pickles you already know you enjoy, you don’t have to worry about testing out the right proportions to get the taste you like just right. Plus this DIY would work with lots of other veggies like pickled peppers, pickled pearl onions or just pickles (sliced up cucumbers). They make great gifts too!
Note: If you’ve ever made pickles from scratch before, you probably know that you need to sterilize your jars and boil them to start the pickling process. If you’re planning on storing your pickled daikon for a long time, you should definitely follow an actual canning recipe, but if you’re going to eat them soon after you make them using the method above, you really don’t need to as long as you practice common sense (make sure you wash your veggies thoroughly before adding to the brine).
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There is a good use for pickle juice. If you or your mother ever gets leg cramps…just drink a sip or two of pickle juice! It is the best medicine for leg cramps out there. Your cramp will be gone in seconds. You all should tell your mothers about this. My doctor told me about it. It works every single time.
Thats pretty cool! Might give it a try one day
Thanks Tony. Let me know if you give it a try!