Food - Drink
How Long Can You Store An Opened Jar Of Pickles On The Counter?
By JESSIE MOLLOY
Despite what you may have heard, pickles in a jar do indeed go bad. According to Can It Go Bad?, an unopened jar of unrefrigerated pickles can sit on a room-temperature shelf out of direct sunlight for 2 years.
Once opened, the pickles can spoil, but this process is slower than with other perishable foods. They can easily last for 3 months, as long as they are kept refrigerated in an airtight container with enough brine to fully cover them.
Home Cook World notes that pickles brined in a solution with a higher vinegar content are likely to last longer. It is normal that pickles become sour as they age due to the brine, and this does not necessarily mean they have gone bad.
Warmer temperatures make bacteria easier to grow, and it is best to refrigerate them especially when opened. To avoid contamination, retrieve pickles from jars using gloves or tongs and always check for mold, as moldy pickles are definitely bad and need to be thrown away.