Pickle Lemonade
Okay, okay, hear me out. Pickle lemonade. Sounds absolutely bonkers, right? That’s what I thought the first time I stumbled across this idea online. My initial reaction was pretty much a wrinkled nose and a definitive ‘nope.’ But then my neighbor, bless her experimental heart, made a batch for a backyard shindig, and let me tell you, I was hooked! It’s got that perfect sweet and sour thing going on, with just this little unexpected zing form the pickle juice. Seriously, you gotta try it.
Why I Ended Up Kinda Loving This Weird Drink
Honestly? I make this when I wanna mess with people (in a nice way!) or when it’s just ridiculously hot outside and regular lemonade feels a bit… boring? My family actually goes crazy for this stuff now, which is still wild to me, considering they wouldn’t touch a pickle with a ten foot pole usually. (Go figure!) It’s surprisingly refreshing, not *too* pickle-y if you get the balance right, and it just makes for a great conversation starter, you know? Plus, it uses up leftover pickle juice, and who doesn’t love zero waste cooking, even if it’s just a drink?
Stuff You’ll Need (The Ingredients Bit)
You don’t need much fancy stuff here, which is part of its charm. It’s really just four main things:
- Lemons: About 4-6 good-sized ones. You want the juice, obviously! Freshly squeezed is definitely the way to go here; bottled just isn’t the same, though hey, if you’re in a *real* pinch and have that stuff in your fridge, you can use maybe 3/4 cup of it? No judgement!
- Sugar: Regular granulated sugar is fine. We’re gonna make a simple syrup with it.
- Water: Just plain old tap water is peachy, but if you wanna get fancy, filtered water works too.
- Pickle Juice: Ah, the star of the show! This is where things get interesting. I usually use brine form my favourite dill pickles, like these Vlasic Dills or even some local farmer’s market ones. Sweet pickle juice would be… odd, I reckon? Stick to dill. How much? Start with maybe a quarter cup, you can always add more.
And maybe a sprig of mint or a lemon slice for garnish if you’re feeling fancy. Optional, totally.
Alright, Let’s Make Some! (The Directions)
This is super straightforward, honestly. No complicated steps or weird techniques.
- First things first, let’s make that simple syrup. It sounds fancy but it’s just equal parts sugar and water heated up. So, grab a small saucepan, dump in maybe one cup of sugar and one cup of water. Heat it over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves completely. Don’t boil it for ages; just until it’s clear. This is where I usually sneak a taste of the sugary water… shhh! Once all the sugar is gone, take it off the heat and let it cool down. You want it cool before mixing it in.
- While the syrup is cooling, squeeze those lemons! Roll ’em on the counter first; it helps get more juice out. Get about 1 cup of fresh lemon juice. Try not to get too many seeds in there, although a couple are fine, just scoop ’em out.
- Now for the main event. In a pitcher (like a 2-quart one works well), combine the cooled simple syrup and the fresh lemon juice. Give it a good stir.
- Here comes the pickle juice part. Start by pouring in about 1/4 cup of your dill pickle brine. Stir it up.
- Now, add some cold water. Fill the rest of the pitcher up with cold water, probably around 3-4 cups, depending on how strong you want it and how big your pitcher is.
- Taste test time! This is the *most* important step. Take a sip. Does it need more sweet? Add a little more simple syrup (if you made extra or whip up another quick half batch). More sour? Squeeze another half lemon. More pickle? Add another tablespoon or two of pickle juice, *slowly*. You can always add more, but you can’t take it out! This is where you really make it your own. Keep adjusting until it tastes right to *you*.
- Once it’s perfect, pop it in the fridge to chill completely. It honestly tastes way better cold.
Notes From My Kitchen Adventures
- Using a good quality, flavorful pickle brine makes a HUGE difference. Don’t use that cloudy stuff form the bottom of a jar that’s been open for six months.
- Chilling time is key. Seriously. Don’t skip it. The flavors meld and it gets way more refreshing.
- If you find it a bit *too* sweet or *too* tart even after balancing, adding a tiny pinch of salt can sometimes surprisingly mellow things out. Weird, I know.
Stuff I Tried (Variations)
I’ve played around a bit. Adding a few slices of cucumber to the pitcher while it chills is really nice and adds another layer of freshness. A friend suggested adding a splash of lime juice once, which was okay, but I think the lemon is better. I also tried making it with *less* simple syrup thinking it would be healthier, but it just tasted sad and unbalanced, so yeah, stick to the sugar or use a sugar substitute if you must, but simple syrup is easy.
Tools You Might Need
Pretty basic stuff:
- Small saucepan for the simple syrup.
- A citrus juicer is super helpful for getting all that lemon juice out, but if you don’t have one, just squeezing by hand works, you might just need an extra lemon.
- A pitcher to mix everything in.
- A spoon or whisk for stirring.
How Long Does It Keep? (Storage)
Keep it in the fridge in a covered pitcher. It’ll probably be fine for 3-4 days, maybe a bit longer, but honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day! It tends to disappear pretty quick.
Serving It Up
Serve it over lots of ice! A lemon slice or a dill sprig stuck on the side of the glass makes it look pretty, if you’re into that. My kids like to add a single pickle slice *in* their glass, which I find horrifying, but hey, you do you! This stuff is surprisingly good with grilled food, by the way. Or just sitting on your porch doing nothing.
Lessons Learned (Pro Tips)
- Don’t overheat the simple syrup; you just want the sugar dissolved. I once tried rushing this step by boiling it hard and it didn’t seem to mix as nicely later? Probably just me.
- Add the pickle juice *gradually*. Seriously. A little goes a long way, and you can’t undo putting too much in.
- Taste, taste, taste as you go! It’s the only way to get it perfect for your palate. Every batch of pickle juice is a little different.
Stuff People Ask Me About This
Q: Does it actually taste like pickles?!
A: Yes! And no! It tastes like really tangy lemonade with a background hint of pickle. It’s not like drinking straight pickle juice, thank goodness. It’s more of an interesting salty, savory note that balances the sweet and sour.
Q: Can I use artificial sweetener?
A: Yeah, I guess you could try. I haven’t personally, as I prefer the simple syrup texture and taste, but I reckon dissolving your preferred sugar substitute in hot water the same way you’d make simple syrup would probably work. Let me know if you try it!
Q: Is this a Southern thing?
A: Pickle juice in drinks is definitely popular in some Southern areas, especially as a shot chasing whiskey! But the lemonade combo seems more like a recent internet sensation thing. Though, I bet some clever Southern granny somewhere figured this out ages ago, right?
Q: Where did you even find this idea?
A: Oh man, I saw it on TikTok or something similar a while back. The internet is a weird and wonderful place!
So there you have it. Pickle Lemonade. Give it a whirl, you might just surprise yourself! Let me know if you make it and what you think!
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 6-8 lemons)
- 4 cups cold water
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup granulated sugar (adjust to taste)
- 1/4 cup dill pickle juice (from a jar of dill pickles)
- Ice cubes
- Lemon slices, for garnish
- Pickle slices, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
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1In a large pitcher, combine the fresh lemon juice, cold water, and granulated sugar.
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2Stir vigorously until the sugar is completely dissolved. Taste and add more sugar if a sweeter lemonade is desired.
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3Pour in the dill pickle juice. Stir again to combine all ingredients thoroughly.
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4Chill the lemonade in the refrigerator for at least 5-10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and ensure it’s cold.
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5Fill glasses with ice cubes.
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6Pour the Pickle Lemonade over ice. Garnish each glass with a lemon slice and an optional pickle slice before serving.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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