What do people keep pickle in? Other than a pickle pot...

[Faith]

Hello,

Possibly a slightly random question, but does anyone have any good suggestions about what to keep pickle in, other than one of those quite pricy heated pickle pots - it also needs to be microwaveable.

For reference I use an organic pickle, specifically a salt and white vinegar solution. It works fine for me, and I can heat it in the microwave as it is basically made from food. I have been keeping it in jam jars, the glass part being fine to microwave, but it does eat through the metal lids at quite a rate. Getting bored of replacing jam jars I'm wondering if anyone's got a better alternative?

Ta very much,
Faith

[Kermit]

I use a very cheap, small slow cooker - perfect for keeping it warm when working. All I needed to do was tape the metal bits round the edge of the lid. It has worked for several years so far.

[CJ57]

A very cheap slow cooker is perfect. You get little ones for about £20 or less

[Maree Hart]

I also use a slow cooker, but if you want something microwaveable have you tried using a jar from pickled onions or similar? I'm wondering if the lids on those would be more substantially coated as they are in contact with acid anyway?

Alternatively look at plastic bottles - for example HDPE (high density polyethylene) would be ok for low concentration acetic acid. You can get wide neck versions.

[Dennis]

Agreed.The microwave method produces acid fumes, which are not good for you appliance either.

Argos for instance have cheap slow cookers, but I would recommend oval over round, so that it will take longer objects such as wires.

The only downside is that they are slow to heat up, but once ready can be left on all day. The solution need only be emptied when it is no longer effective.

I would also recommend you consider using alum solution, which is much more friendly than vinegar when heated. Dennis.

[taztaztaz]

I use vinegar and salt too, and have a glass jar with a plastic lid - it might have contained gravy originally, or peanut butter... Quite a few things come in those type of jars though. I quite often don't bother heating the pickle though tbh; it's slower, but still gets the job done, and suits me as an occasional hobbyist

[enigma]

I use a ceramic pie dish and sit it outside in the sun in summer or on the Aga in winter.
In between times are a bit annoying as I have to put it in a pan on the gas cooker on a really low setting and inevitably forget about it for ages….

[Goldsmith]

I use an old Pyrex casserole dish and lid, heated on an old camping gas ring. I only heat the pickle up when I need to use it, I do not keep it hot all of the time, most jobs will pickle OK in my sulphuric acid based cold pickle.

James

[Kermit]

This one is very similar to the one I have

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5226559.htm

Because I tend to make small items, I don't need much pickle so only have an inch or so in the bottom - this means that it doesn't take it long to heat up at all. Pop it on high for 10 mins and it is hot! I then change it to low for as long as I'm working.

[Paul Kay]

A small square Pyrex casserole dish and lid with an inch or so of Alum solution, sitting on top of a desktop coffee mug warmer. Limited capacity, but usually adequate for me.

[Nick martin]

A cheap old £6.99 expresso coffee maker from Argos for me with a small heated baseplate. Has lasted for three years so far!

Nick

[theresa]

I use Alum in a saucepan that I only heat up when needed

[marna]

I use a glass mason jar (closes securely! otherwise my stupid cat might try to drink from it), which I sometimes put work into cold, if I'm not in a hurry, and othertimes set it up like a bain-marie in a slow cooker which a friend donated. It's not a microwave-friendly solution though.

[art925]

I use alum in a glass jar with plastic lid. I heat from beneath using tea lights on a tea warmer.

[Faith]

Thanks everyone, that's an amazing array of ideas :) I think i'll be a little sad to give up the convenience of the microwave - but its probably better in the long run to avoid breaking it - and there are a lot of suggestions here I'd never have thought of!

Thanks again
Faith

[TeeDee]

Like many others I use a cheap and cheerful slow cooker. I'm thinking of investing in a plug in timer as I've lost count of the number of times it's dried out due to me forgetting to turn it off when I finish!
Good idea about the oval one for longer items.

[Petal]

I'm another slow cooker fan and use a kitchen timer to remind me when to switch off my pickle pot. I wouldn't necessarily recommend a plug in timer, though, Tim as they can be quite dangerous not actually switching off the things they are supposed to. We used to have loads of them for our fishtanks, but got rid of them after hearing of a case where a family had used them for their house whilst on holiday and came back to a burnt out wreck!

[CJ57]

My slow cooker reminds me as the lid clatters when it starts to simmer, usually!

[TeeDee]

I'm another slow cooker fan and use a kitchen timer to remind me when to switch off my pickle pot. I wouldn't necessarily recommend a plug in timer, though, Tim as they can be quite dangerous not actually switching off the things they are supposed to. We used to have loads of them for our fishtanks, but got rid of them after hearing of a case where a family had used them for their house whilst on holiday and came back to a burnt out wreck!

Thanks Jules,
I'll bear that in mind.
I could use my phone as a timer but I'd probably forget to take it in my workshop and set it.
Perhaps,I'll just get a cheap audible timer and keep it with the pickle pot so I wont forget.
I religious about turning off gas and oxygen but for some reason I have a blind spot with pickle!

[Patstone]

Baby bottle warmer with a jam jar inside with pickle in.

[1711]

I hunted round for a 1 person slow cooker I remember from years ago... Finally found one at a general auction for £3. I took the wire off a small ikea kilner type jar and put that in the slow cooker... The lid sits safely on the top of the kilner jar reducing evaporation.... And the crock pot lid fits over the lot.... £4 all in... 😊 option 2 was to look for baby bottle warmer... I guess it depends what the largest size you need to pickle is?

Another potential option is a tefal le saucier . Probably find one at a car boot... They had thermostatic controls so your sauces don't boil....

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[DIYkenjohnpeel]

I use a Pyrex butter dish, the rectangular sort that takes a 250g block of butter. I got 2 of them at a car boot sale, one for acid and one for water rinse. Battery acid works great cold but do not splash on jeans or you will have a hole !
Ken

[-Sally-]

I have a plastic thing with a clip sealing lid:
9622
I thought it would melt when stuff goes in it - but it doesn't - and I never bother heating it - still works well enough, and takes up minimal space on the bench top.
Sally

[Patstone]

I use a jam jar with a glass disc on top, and a baby bottle warmer to heat it in.

[Maria]

I also use an old slow cooker that I have . Find that it works really well .

[susieq]

Another one here who uses an old slow cooker. Just use a pyrex jug for clean water.

I use shower caps (collected from hotel stays) over the top of the jug and the slow cooker to help prevent evaporation. Just need to make sure the slow cooker has cooled down first though.

[art925]

Jam jar with plastic lid set over a 6 hr tea light, it lasts most of my working day, I don't have to think about another piece of electricity, especially as I'm solar powered and need all I can get at the mo.

[eekoh]

Useful thread, I'm new to metalwork and just working out what I need to set up a small workbench. From reading around I'd gathered that metal pots are bad and ceramic is good. I'd also figured that glass would probably be suitable though obviously more breakable so the pyrex suggestion seems a good one.
I think I'm probably going to try and find one of those mini ceramic or glass casserole dishes with a lid as I see them pretty often in charity & vintage shops and they'll be a bit more robust than a jamjar.

[CJ57]

I've used a ceramic one person slow cooker for years without a problem even when it boiled dry on one occasion but the lid rattling usually reminds me :) I use alum powder available in bulk from Amazon under foodstuffs

[enigma]

I use an old coffee machine now with a pyrex bowl on it.
I use the safety pickle from Cooksons :)

[Susie]

There was a thread on here about this a while ago, and a slow ceramic cooker was suggested to me. I bought one for £12 from Wilko and it’s been fantastic. I’ve tried various options, and this is definitely the best, as it has a setting for low, medium or high. I keep mine on low and it’s perfect. I use safety pickle bought from Cooksons. Hope this is helpful.


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