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Tried Pressure Canning Pickles, am I crazy?

C

Can.ella

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Joined
Apr 24, 2025
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been on a bit of a home canning spree lately. It started innocent enough though, just some salsa here, a few jars of jam there. But last weekend, I found myself staring at a pile of fresh cucumbers from the garden and thought, why not pickles? now normally, I'd reach for the good ol' water bath canner, but this time… I got curious (maybe a little reckless) and decided to try pressure canning them instead. I know it's not the traditional way and I can already hear some of you gasping but I figured I'd experiment lol but..now I'm wondering if I made a huge mistake ( i mean not entirely though cos i think the experience was worth it). The jars sealed fine, but I'm nervous about the texture and whether I killed the whole pickle vibe. Has anyone else tried pressure canning pickles before? do they hold up, or am I about to open jars of vinegary cucumber mush?
 
Pickles my favorite, but not that way, please. From everything I read, pressure canning them will make them soft and mushy, so this batch is done
 
I would aim for a few really good pickles vs. a bunch of mediocre pickles. Pickles do get canned, but crispy pickles also utilize refrigeration. Tricky to get just so. You have favorites I am sure. Experiment some so next bumper crop you are prepared.
 
Don't throw away your "mushy" pickles, chop them up and use them as pickle relish for hot dogs, tartar sauce, etc. In the future, use a bit of calcium chloride in your recipe for crunchiness and don't pressure-can them.
 
Can.ella said:
been on a bit of a home canning spree lately. It started innocent enough though, just some salsa here, a few jars of jam there. But last weekend, I found myself staring at a pile of fresh cucumbers from the garden and thought, why not pickles? now normally, I'd reach for the good ol' water bath canner, but this time… I got curious (maybe a little reckless) and decided to try pressure canning them instead. I know it's not the traditional way and I can already hear some of you gasping but I figured I'd experiment lol but..now I'm wondering if I made a huge mistake ( i mean not entirely though cos i think the experience was worth it). The jars sealed fine, but I'm nervous about the texture and whether I killed the whole pickle vibe. Has anyone else tried pressure canning pickles before? do they hold up, or am I about to open jars of vinegary cucumber mush?
Click to expand...
Hmm. You look like you like living on the edge. When you pressure can pickles, it's actually a learning experience as you may encounter a lot of stuff. Yeah, it seals good but the texture can be mushy. @Abdul Muhamed here gave a good idea.
 
Can.ella said:
been on a bit of a home canning spree lately. It started innocent enough though, just some salsa here, a few jars of jam there. But last weekend, I found myself staring at a pile of fresh cucumbers from the garden and thought, why not pickles? now normally, I'd reach for the good ol' water bath canner, but this time… I got curious (maybe a little reckless) and decided to try pressure canning them instead. I know it's not the traditional way and I can already hear some of you gasping but I figured I'd experiment lol but..now I'm wondering if I made a huge mistake ( i mean not entirely though cos i think the experience was worth it). The jars sealed fine, but I'm nervous about the texture and whether I killed the whole pickle vibe. Has anyone else tried pressure canning pickles before? do they hold up, or am I about to open jars of vinegary cucumber mush?
Click to expand...
Ok, I feel you. Pressure canning pickles is not really that common but one thing I can share with you is that it's gonna work. Texture might be a little softer but if you're cool with something less crunchy, you're in luck. :) Otherwise, water bath is still the best option you got.
 
Great insights. It's true that pressure canning pickles isn't something most people do since the high heat and pressure can cause the cell walls to break down, making them softer. Agree that using calcium chloride is a clever trick to keep them crispy by reinforcing the pectin structure. Yep, it's definitely best to stick with water bath canning for pickles unless you don't mind a softer texture or plan to use them in dishes like relish
 

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