The Purple Guide to Learning Pickling in 10 Days
A day-by-day starter plan to make your first jars of pickles — and decide if the hobby is for you
by Alumigogo Books
non-fiction
Ten days. Real jars of pickles. No fancy gear required. A grounded plan for the curious beginner.
About this book
You like pickles. You've maybe eaten a jar in one sitting and wondered how hard it could be to make your own. The answer is: not very hard at all, if you have a plan that doesn't assume you already own a pressure canner or know what "brine strength" means. This guide is that plan — ten days of small, concrete tasks that build on each other, from your first simple jar of cucumber spears to a properly processed batch of shelf-stable pickles.
Each day is designed to take about an hour, give or take. You will not be asked to buy a whole new kitchen setup. You will be given a self-assessment on day two to figure out how much time, space, and money you actually want to put into this — and then the gear lists on day three match those honest answers. By day four you'll be up to your elbows in vinegar and salt, learning the two core methods that most pickles use, and by day eight you'll be putting it all together in a full session that goes smoothly in some places and frustratingly in others — which is exactly how it works in real life.
The guide is honest about what ten days can and cannot do. You will make good, eatable pickles. You will not be ready to win a county fair. You will learn whether you enjoy the process enough to keep going — and you will know exactly what your next steps are either way.
Reader Reviews
Kenneth Campbell
★★★★★I've been curious about pickling for a while but always got overwhelmed by blog posts that assume you already know what 'headspace' means. This guide walks you through it day by day, and the first chapter alone got me to actually make a jar of spears that night. It's not flashy, but it's honest and it works. The only reason it's not five stars is that I wish it had a few more recipe variations for after the ten days.
Andrew Hernandez
★★★★★As someone who doesn't have a big kitchen or a lot of spare cash, I appreciated the day-two self-assessment. It forced me to be honest about what I could actually commit to, and the gear list on day three was refreshingly realistic — no pressure canner required. My quick pickles came out great, and I felt like I was in control the whole time. Good guide for people who need a plan, not a lecture.
Andrew Moore
★★★★★The chapter on first-day orientation was spot on. It described exactly how I felt — a bit nervous, not sure if I was doing it right — and it told me what to expect, so I didn't panic when my brine looked cloudy. The day-by-day structure kept me from skipping ahead and making mistakes. A solid, no-nonsense entry point. I'm glad I started with this instead of a random video.
Jacob Lewis
★★★★★This is the guide I wish I had a year ago. It doesn't try to make you feel like a failure if you don't immediately love the process — it just gives you a clear path. I made my first batch of refrigerator dill spears on day one and they were actually good. By day four I understood the core brine ratios well enough to experiment on my own. The milestones table on day seven was especially helpful; it kept me from getting frustrated with myself. Absolutely worth the price.
Paul Ramirez
★★★★★It's fine for what it is, but I found the pace a little slow for me — I was ready to jump into canning by day three. That said, the explanations are clear and I did make a successful batch of pickles by the end. If you're someone who likes a very structured, step-by-step approach, this is great. I just wanted a bit more depth on the science of fermentation, which this guide deliberately doesn't cover. Good starting point, but don't expect to become a pickling expert.
Angela Anderson
★★★★★I appreciated that this is not a 'master pickling overnight' hype book. It's more like a friend walking you through the first few sessions. The first-day chapter was genuinely calming — it told me my cucumbers might float and that that's okay. I also liked the honest cost breakdown on day three; it helped me decide to start with the cheapest gear tier. I'm on day six now and my pickles taste great. This is a solid purchase for a true beginner.