Pickling involves steeping foods in an acidic liquid, usually vinegar. This gives the pickled foods a distinctive flavor and helps to preserve them. If you don’t like the flavor of vinegar or simply have an abundance of lemons, you can use lemon juice instead of vinegar for your pickling projects.
Looking for canning equipment and supplies?
Pressure canners for gas, electric and induction stoves: Presto 23Qt or T-fal 22Qt
PH of common juices and vinegar, in order of decreasing acidity
| Item | Approximate pH |
|---|---|
| Lime Juice | 2.00 – 2.35 |
| Lemon Juice | 2.00 – 2.60 |
| Vinegar | 2.40 – 3.40 |
| Grapefruit Juice, canned | 2.90 – 3.25 |
| Vinegar, cider | 3.10 |
| Apple Juice | 3.35 – 4.00 |
| Orange Juice, California | 3.30 – 4.19 |
| Orange, Juice Florida | 3.30 – 4.15 |
| Pineapple Juice, canned | 3.30 – 3.60 |
| Oranges, Florida “color added” | 3.60 – 3.90 |
| Oranges, Florida “color added” | 3.60 – 3.90 |
| Oranges, Florida | 3.69 – 4.34 |
- Studies on safe acidification of salsa for home boiling water canning. B. A. Nummer, M. Thacker, E. M. DSa, and E. L. Andress, Dept. of Foods & Nutrition, University of Georgia, 328 Hoke Smith Annex, Athens, GA 30602. Paper 33C-9. Presented at the Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, NV, July 14, 2004.See this study comparing all 3.
- For those who are curious, the methods and conditions for determining the pH and acidity of foods are also summarized in 21 CFR 114.90. Methodology for pH is generally available from pH meter and electrode manufacturers.
Ask the Test Kitchen: Can I Substitute Lemon Juice for Vinegar in Your Tomato Sauce?
FAQ
What can I use instead of vinegar in pickles?
Can you replace vinegar with lemon juice?
Can I use lemon juice instead of vinegar when canning?
What is more acidic lemon juice or vinegar?
Can you use lemon juice instead of vinegar for Pickles?
If you don’t like the flavor of vinegar or simply have an abundance of lemons, you can use lemon juice instead of vinegar for your pickling projects. Using lemon juice will give the final product a different flavor, however. If you appreciate the standard flavor of pickles, you might find that you do not enjoy pickles made in lemon juice.
What is the best pickle juice to drink?
The best choice is a vinegar-based pickle juice with no yellow food coloring or preservatives. I would generally not recommend drinking pickle juice, especially if you have health conditions such as high blood pressure or kidney, liver or heart disease.
Can you use white vinegar to make pickle juice?
You could use white vinegar or rice wine for an instant solution. The catch is pickle juice isn’t as sharp or acidic as white vinegar, so you should only use half the amount of vinegar and make up the rest of the liquid with water. It’s also missing the saltiness, but this is easy to fix with a pinch of extra salt for seasoning.
Can you use lemon juice instead of vinegar?
As well as other types of vinegar, there are also some other things, like lemon juice, that you can use instead. However, you will need to be careful with your measurements and proportions to make sure that you aren’t using too much or too little.