Repurpose Leftover Pickle Juice To Add Flavor To Your Main Course

Finishing a jar of pickles can be a disappointing milestone. Not only are there no more pieces of the salty snack to enjoy, but the standard brine/juice made up of vinegar, sugar, salt, and water can leave people stumped on what to use it for. But pickle juice's acidity is a key component of making it an almost universal additive to many dishes, author ​​April McGreger shared in an interview with Food & Wine, "A pickle brine is acid and salt, plus whatever spices you have in there, and acid is in almost every single recipe to balance things out."

Instead of pouring that brine down the drain and letting that flavor go to waste, you can take advantage of the juice to make an interesting flavor experience. You can do this by marinating it in meat, adding it to dipping sauces and salad dressings, or even mixing it in a drink to pair with your main course.

A common misconception is that the popular fast food restaurant, Chick-fil-A uses pickle juice in its marinating brine to enhance its chicken. Although not true, this idea doesn't come out of left field. Pickle brine can be a fantastic way to soften chicken and make it more tender. The chicken will soak up the juices of the pickle brine and provide that extra vinegar flavor and salty flair. 

Combine the pickle brine with some buttermilk for some richness and to prevent things from getting a bit too acidic. You can soak the chicken in a buttermilk/pickle juice brine overnight or for two days. Consider adding pickle juice to your next attempt at a homemade Nashville hot chicken sandwich for the ultimate pickle experience.

Pickle juice can also be a perfect addition to sauces, whether spread on a sandwich or used to dip with fries, vegetables, etc. The tang of pickle juice can add an edge that differentiates from even the most popular fast food sauces. Similar to how tartar sauce is sometimes made with capers and caper juice, pickle juice can also be a new substitute. This can also be applied to salad dressings to give your side salads an extra punch. Especially since vinegar is the basis of most salad dressings, pickle juice would fit right in.

And as a bonus, if you're looking for an unorthodox drink to go along with your pickle-based meal, singer Dua Lipa recently shocked the world with her pickle and jalapeño juice-infused Diet Coke recipe. So whether it's on or marinated in a sandwich, in your salad, or even in your soda, pickle juice can be the answer the next time you're stuck in a "pickle" of flavorless food.