English Piccalilli (2024)

English Piccalilli, sometimes referred to as English Mustard Pickle, is a savory relish made from cauliflower, gherkins, and pearl onions, pickled with malt vinegar, sugar, and salt is spiced with dry mustard and turmeric. It’s easy to prepare and makes an amazing accompaniment to a variety of cold and hot dishes.

Piccalilli versus Chow Chow

When I was growing up, my mother occasionally purchased Crosse and Blackwell Chow Chow, which was also an English condiment. She used it during the holidays to put on her ham. Although it was a long time ago, I suspect this English Piccalilli is very similar to the Crosse and Blackwell Chow Chow she used.

Southern chow chow has similarities to English Piccalilli. However, the typical vegetables used in Southern chow chow include green tomatoes, bell peppers and cabbage. Also, southern chow chow tends to use spirit vinegar, which I’ll talk about in a minute.

Before I started making my own piccalilli, the Master Taste Tester used the store-bought Heinz Piccalilli. He kept suggesting that I should make piccalilli not only because of the cost of the store-bought variety but also because he was convinced that my version would be superior. Guess what? He was correct. However, it took a lot of experimentation to get it right.

A big difference between the store-bought variety of Piccalilli and my English Piccalilli is the type of vinegar used. The store-bought variety uses spirit vinegar, which is basically acetic acid mixed with water.

According to the Master Taste Tester, the vinegar to use is malt vinegar, a British staple.Malt vinegar is made directly from fermented ale, just like red wine vinegar is made from wine. The result is a milder, sweeter, and more complex flavor range than spirit vinegar. Given that vinegar is a major ingredient in piccalilli, the use of malt vinegar makes all the difference in the world.

As an aside, have you ever wondered why the British use malt vinegar on their fish and chips? Well, the reason is that the acid in the vinegar neutralizes the fishy taste in the fish. This is the same reason that fish is often served with lemon. Now you know!

Ingredients – Here’s What You’ll Need

This piccalilli uses simple ingredients.

• The Vinegar:As I previously mentioned, I used malt vinegar as the base for this delicious piccalilli.

• The Vegetables:I only used three vegetables in this piccalilli: cauliflower florets cut into small pieces, thinly sliced sweet gherkins, and pearl onions.

• The Spices:The combination of dry mustard and turmeric gives this piccalilli its distinctive taste and color.

• Everything Else:Kosher salt helps draw out moisture from the vegetables. Sugar significantly cuts down on the acidity of the vinegar. Cornstarch thickens the sauce.

Salting the Vegetables

Putting Kosher salt on the vegetables serves to draw out some of the excess liquid.

Therefore, I combined the vegetables in a bowl the day before I made the piccalilli. Then, I sprinkled on some Kosher salt. After giving the mixture a stir, I covered the bowl with plastic wrap and left it to sit on the kitchen counter overnight.

I rinsed the vegetables in cold water the next day to remove any excess saltiness.

Making the English Piccalilli: Step-by-Step

1. I started by combining the cornstarch, dry mustard, and turmeric with part of the malt vinegar in a measuring cup.

2. Then, I heated the remaining vinegar and sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat until the sugar had dissolved. This took about 2 minutes.

3. Once the sugar had dissolved in the vinegar, I whisked in the cornstarch/spice mixture.I continued whisking the mixture over medium heat until it was bubbly and had thickened. This took about 2 minutes.

4. Once the mixture had thickened, I added the cauliflower, gherkins, and pearl onions and gave the mixture a stir. I cooked the piccalilli over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the cauliflower was crisp tender. This took about 10 minutes.

5. After that, I removed the pan from the heat and transferred the piccalilli to sterilized mason jars. Once I had filled all of the jars, I screwed on the lids.

6. Finally, I submerged the jars in a large pan of boiling water for about 10 minutes to seal them. When I removed the jars from the boiling water, I could hear the characteristic “pop” on the lid, indicating that the jars were sealed.

I ended up with three 12-ounce jars of piccalilli and two 8-ounce jars. I stored the piccalilli in a cool, dark place for about a month until it was ready to be enjoyed.

When the Master Taste Tester took his first sample bite, his face lit up, and he said, “You’ve perfected the piccalilli – no more store-bought stuff!”

The Master Taste Tester likes to use the English Piccalilli in place of ketchup on things like fries and turkey burgers. However you use it, you’ll definitely be hooked if you like vinegary sauces. Yum!

Recipe Tips and Tricks

• To peel pearl onions easily, add them to a pan of boiling water. Boil for 3 minutes; transfer to ice water to stop cooking. When onions are cool enough to handle, slice off the root end and pinch to release the onion from the peel.

• If you like a sweeter, less vinegary piccalilli, you might want to add additional sugar to taste.

• Cornstarch and corn flour are the same thing. Both are thickening agents.

• I used Coleman’s mustard powder, which is traditional English mustard powder. It’s generally readily available in grocery stores. If you can’t find Coleman’s, you can use any mustard powder or dry mustard. Both mustard powder and dry mustard are the same thing.

• After the vegetables have been salted, you might think about tasting the cauliflower; if it is too salty, soak in cold water for one hour. Drain thoroughly.

• As the sauce cools, it tends to thicken more. Therefore, If the sauce seems too thick, add a tablespoon or two of additional malt vinegar to the mixture to achieve the desired consistency.

Other EnglishDelicacies

The Master Taste Tester is English. Therefore, PudgeFactor includes a number of amazing English recipes. Here are a few:

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