Marinate Soft Cheeses In Pickle Juice For A Fun, Tangy Kick

Pickle juice has become massively popular and is treasured for imparting its tanginess onto the ingredients it's mixed with. It's famed for its delicious role in a pickle back, but a few drops can also elevate the taste of a burger bun. Moreover, it can be added to a simple marinade to elevate the flavors of your otherwise plain cheese. The pickle juices' sour and sweet taste gives a fun boost to your favorite wedges and cubes.

Perhaps you're unconvinced, but since pickle juice is an excellent substitute for mayonnaise in tuna salad, why not make it a key marinating ingredient, too? Whether you're a fan of mozzarella, goat cheese, feta, gouda, or soft cheddar, pickle juice's tang is just waiting to bite. Using the brine is also a surefire way to reduce waste. Marinated cheese is a versatile food to have stored in the fridge. It's easily thrown into a salad, placed on a charcuterie board, or mixed into a pasta dish. No matter how you serve it, you're sure to make a playful statement with cheese infused in pickle brine.

To marinate cheese with pickle juice, begin by sourcing a clean mason jar and filling it with the soft cheese of your choice. You'll want to mix your pickle juice with olive oil, some thinly sliced onions or shallots, and garlic in a separate bowl. Try adding a few chili pepper flakes if you like a little heat kick or a dash of lemon juice to emphasize the sourness. You can even toss in a bunch of olives and traditional pickling spices like cloves or herbs like dill. Experiment with warming the oil mix first before cooling it and adding it to the cheese to intensify the flavors. Either way, taste the marinade first and season, adjusting where it is needed. Pour this into the mason jar, seal, and give a good turn backward and forwards. Leave at least three hours to allow the flavors to intertwine with the cheese.

There is a particular myth about goat cheese and how it's only soft and strong-tasting, but there are various types of goat cheese — hard included. But opting for a softer cheese will absorb the marinade more effectively. Goat cheese is already tangy, so it works well with pickle juice, accentuating the sourness with a bit of sweetness. With mozzarella, the flavor is usually mild; as a result, it takes on the pickle juice's flavor well.

If your pickle juice isn't particularly tasty; there are plenty of other wonderful marinade combinations and different styles of cheese that will work just as deliciously. For a Mediterranean vibe, marinate feta with plenty of olive oil, fresh parsley and oregano, and a little chile. For a similar tang to pickle brine, add a bit of cured olive brine. You'll have the perfect accompaniment to a crispy baguette or crunchy crostini. Basil, rosemary, thyme, peppercorns, citrus zest, and star anise are all ingredients that blend well in a cheese marinade.

Alongside feta, cheddar also takes well to this preparation. Marinated squares of cheddar alongside peppers and olives in pickle brine and olive oil or vegetable oil will give you a fabulous party or picnic side. You could also try sandwiching cream cheese between cheddar slices for a textural contrast. Next time you find yourself about to pour the leftover pickle brine down the sink, check your fridge for any cheese you have and give a marinade a try.