Pickle Powder Recipe

Making your own pickle powder at home is easy and allows you to control the ingredients.

Having this versatile seasoning on hand lets you add a tangy, salty flavor to snacks, salads, meats, and more with just a sprinkle.

What is Pickle Powder?

Pickle powder is made by dehydrating pickles (usually dill pickles) and then grinding them into a fine powder. The drying process removes most of the moisture, concentrating the flavors.

Once dried and powdered, the pickles have an intense sour and salty taste. Just a sprinkling of the powder adds a nice pickle flavor as well as some spice and acidity.

The powder mixes especially well with savory foods like:

Popcorn
Deviled eggs
Chicken/tuna salad
Burgers
Potato chips/snacks

You can also add smaller amounts to dressings, dips, spice rubs, and bloody Mary cocktails. It's a great way to use up pickles gone limp in the back of your fridge.

Benefits of Homemade Pickle Powder

There are a few advantages to making your own pickle powder instead of buying it:

Controls salt level - Rinsing the pickle chips before dehydrating helps reduce excess sodium. Many commercial brands contain added salt.
Ingredients you choose - Tailor the powder to your tastes by selecting your preferred pickles as the base and adjusting any other seasonings.
Adds no moisture - Unlike fresh pickles, the powder won't make foods wet or soggy when mixed in. It blends in seamlessly with both dry and wet items.
Long shelf life - Keeps for months stored in an airtight container without refrigeration compared to a couple weeks for fresh pickles.

How to Make Pickle Powder

Dehydrating and powdering pickles at home is simple with just a few basic steps:

Ingredients

1 16 oz jar pickles (about 2 cups), any variety
Spice grinder (coffee grinder)
Airtight container for storage

Instructions

Rinse the pickles. Drain liquid from the jar and place pickles in a colander. Rinse under running water to remove excess salt and brine.
Pat dry thoroughly. Make sure no moisture remains on the outside or the pickles won't dehydrate fully.
Cut spears into chips if needed so that all pieces are less than 1/4 inch thick.
Dehydrate the pickles. Arrange in a single layer on trays in your dehydrator or oven. Dry at 135°F for 4-8 hours until hard and crisp with no moisture left inside.
Allow to cool completely once done dehydrating then add all the chips to a spice grinder. Pulse into a fine powder.
Store the pickle powder in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Keeps for up to 1 year.

Key Takeaway: Rinsing, dehydrating, grinding, and storing properly ensures your homemade pickle powder lasts and tastes great.

Tips for Making Pickle Powder

Follow these best practices when dehydrating pickles to turn out flavorful powder:

Start out with firm, non-slimy pickles - Old limp ones may not dry thoroughly or taste as vibrant. Fresh crunchier pickles make the best powder.

Cut all pickle pieces evenly - Uniform thickness allows everything to dry at the same rate. Check smaller pieces toward the end of drying.

Rotate the trays halfway through - Ensures all sides get evenly exposed to airflow for complete dehydration.

How to Use Pickle Powder

The uses for homemade pickle powder are nearly endless thanks to its addicting salty-tangy taste. Here are some of the most popular ways to enjoy it:

Sprinkle as a Seasoning

The simplest way to use pickle powder is as a dry seasoning sprinkle. Just dash it onto these foods for an instant flavor enhancement:

Popcorn
Chips or crackers
Pretzels
Nuts
Hard boiled eggs
Pasta salad
Potato salad
Chicken salad
Deviled eggs
Burgers
Tacos
Pizza
Sandwiches

Mix into Dips and Dressings

For an extra zing of flavor, blend some pickle powder into:

Ranch dressing
Blue cheese dressing
Sour cream
Mayonnaise
Hummus
Guacamole
Yogurt dips

Include in Rubs and Marinades

To give meats, veggies or fish a tasty pickle kick, add pickle powder to:

Dry rubs for grilled chicken, pork, or beef
Brines for pickling onions or chillies
Marinades for roasted vegetables or mushroom caps
Wet rubs for salmon, tuna, or shrimp

Craft Pickle-Flavored Snacks

Incorporate the powder when making these quick pickle-y bites:

Pickle popcorn - Toss popped corn with olive oil, pickle powder, and optional garlic powder and paprika
Pickle chips - Toss raw thinly sliced potatoes or jicama sticks with oil, pickle powder, and salt then bake until crispy
Pickle trail mix - Mix together pickle powder, Chex cereal, pretzels, nuts, and optional seasonings for a sweet, salty, and sour snack

Perk Up Cocktails

Pickle powder blends nicely into bloody Mary's and Micheladas. Or rim glasses with a pickle juice and powder mixture.

Key Takeaway: Pickle powder works well as a dry sprinkle seasoning or blended into dips, dressings, rubs, snacks, and drinks for amped up flavor.

FAQs

What's the best pickle variety to use?

Dill pickles make the most flavorful powder but you can use any favorite pickle - sweet, sour, hot pepper, garlic, etc. Firmer, crunchier pickles tend to dry and grind better.

Can I use refrigerator pickles?

Yes, homemade refrigerator pickles can be dehydrated as long as they are very crisp and firm with no mushy spots. Taste and adapt seasonings since they likely contain less salt than store-bought.

Is it safe to eat dried pickles?

Properly dried pickles are completely safe thanks to the low moisture and acidity. Mold will not grow without moisture present. Some white residue may appear on older dried pickles but it is safe, just brush it off.

How long does homemade pickle powder last?

If stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place, pickle powder will last 6 months to 1 year. Fridge storage extends shelf life. But for best flavor and texture, try to use within a couple months.

What's the best way to grind pickle chips?

A dedicated electric coffee/spice grinder works great to grind crisp pickle chips into powder. Avoid coffee grinders you use for actual coffee to prevent flavor transfer. Manual grinders require some effort to pulverize the chips into fine powder.

Can I use pickle powder in place of fresh pickles?

Pickle powder makes a nice substitute for chopped pickles in recipes where you don't want extra moisture. Use less powder compared to the chopped amount called for since the flavors concentrate. Start with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon powder per pickle spear.

Conclusion

With just some simple dehydrating and grinding, it’s easy to make flavorful homemade pickle powder.

This versatile seasoning adds a tasty tangy, salty punch to snacks, eggs, salads, meats, and more.