13 Genius Uses for Pickle Juice

13) Just Re-pickle

The most obvious way to use pickle brine is to simply use it to pickle something else. Blanched veggies, hard-boiled eggs, onions, or even canned vegetables are all great candidates for pickling. There’s so much flavor still left in the brine (and often spices floating in the mixture as well) that can impart that lovely pickle flavor to more foods.

12) Steam Veggies

If you’re not into making a batch of pickled vegetables, you can also use the pickle brine as the liquid when making steamed vegetables for a more subtle dill and garlic flavor.

11) Add Flavor to Salads

I have always added a bit of dill pickle brine to my potato salad and tuna salad. You will need to adjust the other ingredients accordingly to keep the mixture from getting too wet. However, the extra work is worth it because the taste always garners many compliments.

10) Add to Sauces

Store-bought BBQ or tartar sauce can get a real kick when you add pickle brine to them. Any place you think a hit of salt and tang might be welcome is a good place for pickle juice.

9) Marinate Meat

The salt and acid in pickle juice is a great meat tenderizer. Plus the garlic and herb flavors in most pickle brine will also add flavor to the meat.

8) Replace Vinegar

When vinegar is called for in savory recipes you can add pickle brine instead for a lot more intensity. Salad dressings instantly spring to mind.

7) Makes Meatloaf More Interesting

Adding some pickle juice to your meatloaf mixture can deepen the flavor and add dimension to what is otherwise a pretty standard dish.

6) Use It In Mixed Drinks

Pickle brine can be used to make a unique dill pickle gin and tonic. Simply add a teaspoon (or more to taste) into the drink. Pickle brine is also great in a Bloody Mary.

5) The Great Pickleback

A shot of pickle juice is often used as a chaser for a whiskey shot, although some people just have these little shots on their own with no alcohol at all.

4) Hangover Cure

Some people use pickle juice as a hangover cure because the high salt content can act as electrolytes to help rehydrate the body.

3) Change the Acidity of Soil

An old trick is to pour pickle juice on the ground where a hydrangea is growing to change the soil acidity. The more acid the bluer the blooms will be.

2) As a Cleaning Agent

Since salt and vinegar are major components of pickle brine, the liquid can be used to clean pots and pans.

1) Hiccups

Some folks say that taking a swig of pickle juice can cure the hiccups. I’ll have to try this one and report back. The tricks of downing a teaspoon of peanut butter or sugar or drinking a huge glass of water don’t always work, so this pickle lover remains skeptical.