In an ideal world, there’s a jar of something pickled in my fridge at all times—hether it be red onions, pickled kale stems, or some napa cabbage I forgot to cook. I don’t plan for this, but when I have veggie scraps, trimmings, or simply a wilting head of something or other, I follow the easiest pickling ratio in the world: the 3-2-1 brine. That’s 3 parts water, 2 parts vinegar, and 1 part sugar. That's it.

This isn’t a secret—plenty of chefs are out here using this ratio—but it’s the one that stuck with me. It’s like culinary muscle memory.Sometimes, having to look up a brine recipe is the difference between veggies going in the pickle jar or going in the trash. This is a decidedly sweet-and-sour pickle, a real-crowd pleasing flavor profile that’s perfect for veggies like onions or radishes, which have a bit of bite and crunch to them.

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