Are pickles gluten free?

Most pickles are gluten free.  But not all.

Pickles are usually made of:

  • cucumbers or other vegetables
  • vinegar
  • seasonings

That’s it!  So the only thing to worry about in there is the vinegar.  Here’s the rule with vinegar:

*******If it is distilled, the gluten is neutralized.*******

The thing with malt vinegars is that they are NOT distilled.  And if the ingredients contain malt, which is usually from barley, then we avoid that completely!

This is the problem with worcestershire sauce in Canada.  Because of some law or other, Canadian worcestershire sauce is traditionally NOT distilled.  In the states, it IS.  So most of my American readers can safely use worcestershire sauce, which you will notice is absent from all the recipes on this – my Canadian site.   :)

This and a couple other questions are googled quite often – I’ll answer them here and post them under the shopping lists & ingredient tips.  Most of the ingredients on this site are also categorized by tags.  So search any ingredient, category, brand, or meal, and you’re likely to find what I have on it.  If you can’t find what you are looking for, let me know and I’ll research the answer and post it for everyone.

Macaroni Salad w/ Ham & Cheese

I cook this ham from scratch but there are a couple brands that also make gluten free prepared ham. Watch them carefully!

  • 1 ham steak, fried according to pkg directions, and cut into cubes
  • 4oz cheddar cheese, cut into cute teeny tiny cubes
  • 1 pkg brown rice elbow pasta (macaroni), cooked al dente, drained
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 1/2 small onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup pickles, chopped (optional)

Dressing – in shaker, combine:

  • 1/2 cup real mayonnaise (you can also use Kraft Coleslaw salad dressing- in Canada)
  • 2 tablespoons pickle juice (or vinegar)
  • 1/2 tsp mustard powder

Shake dressing, combine ingredients, toss together. Serve! This tastes great the next day too!

A note about me & cameras: I love the idea of a picture, but to stop in the middle of preparation or dinner with three hungry children just doesn’t happen! I’m sure you understand. Just take my word for it – this one is pretty! :)