With summer in full swing, now is the perfect time to get into pickling, fermenting, and preserving! Whether you love the tang of a pickled onion, the probiotic goodness of fermented vegetables, or the sweet satisfaction of homemade jam, preserving allows you to make the most of seasonal produce while reducing food waste.
At Bin Inn, we’ve been helping Kiwis preserve and pickle since 1988, offering a wide range of spices, vinegars, sugars, preserving jars, and fermentation essentials. In this guide, we’ll take you through:
Pickling vs Fermenting – What’s the difference?
The Best Vinegars for Pickling – Choosing the right one for the job
Essential Preserving Tips & Tricks
Jams & Marmalades – The sweet side of preserving
Easy Recipes to Get You Started
Both techniques preserve food, but they work differently:
🥒 Pickling – Uses vinegar as a preservative, giving foods a sharp, tangy flavour while extending their shelf life. Perfect for onions, cucumbers, and beetroot.
🦠 Fermenting – Relies on natural bacteria to break down sugars in food, producing probiotics that support gut health. No vinegar is used—just salt and time! Popular for sauerkraut, kimchi, and fermented carrots.
Both methods have their benefits, and you can experiment to find your favourite!
The type of vinegar you choose affects the colour, taste, and texture of your pickles. Here’s a quick guide:
✔️ White Vinegar – A clear, colourless vinegar with a tart, acidic flavour. Ideal for light-coloured vegetables like cauliflower and cucumbers.
✔️ Apple Cider Vinegar – A mellow, fruity vinegar made from fermented apple juice. Blends beautifully with spices—great for chutneys and pickles.
✔️ Malt Vinegar – Dark and rich, made from malted grains. Perfect for pickled onions but will discolour lighter vegetables.
At Bin Inn, we stock a variety of vinegars in retail packs and bulk dispensing, so you can buy as much or as little as you need!
✨ Choose the Right Salt – Always use non-iodised salt when pickling and fermenting. Other salts may contain anti-caking agents that make the brine cloudy.
✨ Use Whole Spices for Clear Pickles – If clarity is important (e.g., for pickled cauliflower), use whole spices. Powdered spices blend better into chutneys and sauces.
✨ Sterilise Your Jars – Always use clean, dry, sterilised jars to prevent mould and bacteria growth.
✨ Sugar Matters – For jams and preserves, dissolve sugar slowly before boiling to avoid burning.
✨ Test Your Jam – When jam is ready, two big drops will slide together and form a sheet that hangs from the spoon.
✨ Store Properly – Finished preserves should be labelled and dated. Store in a cool, dry place.
At Bin Inn, we stock Perfit Preserving Jars, Dome Seals, Screw Bands, Jam Covers, and Pickling Spices—everything you need for successful preserving!
Jams, marmalades, and conserves are made by cooking fruit with sugar to create a delicious, spreadable preserve. Here’s how they differ:
🍓 Jams – Made from crushed fruit with a thick, spreadable consistency. High in pectin (found naturally in apples, citrus, and some berries).
🍊 Marmalade – A jelly-like spread with citrus peel suspended in it. Usually made from oranges, lemons, or grapefruit.
🍏 Preserves – Contain whole fruit or fruit chunks in a thick syrup.
🥜 Conserves – A jam-like spread with mixed fruits, nuts, and sometimes raisins.
✔️ Pectin – Helps jams thicken naturally. Some fruits (apples, citrus, plums) contain a lot of pectin, while others (strawberries, cherries) need added pectin.
✔️ Sugar – Aids gel formation, adds sweetness, and acts as a preservative. Honey or corn syrup can replace some sugar but may alter the texture.
✔️ Acid – Helps jams set. Fruits like strawberries need added lemon juice to balance acidity.
✔️ Low-Sugar Alternatives – You can use special modified pectins or long-boil methods to make jam with less sugar.
Pro Tip: If your jam is too hard, dry, or crystallised, you may have used too much sugar or overboiled it!
