Escovitch Sauce (Jamaican Pickled Vegetables)

Learn how to make some Jamaican escovitch sauce. A popular island style pickled, spicy, tangy dressing consisting of a medley of vegetables, herbs and spices with apple cider vinegar making it mildly acidic. My recipe is the non white vinegar version, yet tastes amazing!

I know a lot of my readers go crazy for my vinegar based recipes, so I decided to share this popular Jamaican dressing with you all.

Just like Haitians with their

White vinegar vs apple cider vinegar

white vinegar involves fermenting ethanol from various ingredients into acetic acid in a one-step process.

White vinegar aka distilled vinger or spirit vinegar is clear in colour, sharp with a neutral taste and tart flavour.

On the other hand, apple cider vinegar goes through a two-step fermentation process.

Fermenting apple mash is converted into alcohol after mixing it with sugar and yeast.

Acetic acid is added so the bacteria that feed off the remaining sugars and turns the mixture into vinegar.

Apple cider vinegar has a very strong smell with a taste of apples. It is sour with sweet notes and is dark brown or amber in colour.

While both variations of vinegar can be used to make dressings, vinaigrettes, marinades and seasoning.

In terms of the acetic acid levels, apple cider vinegar contains 5-6%. While white vinegar has 5-10%. This means the latter contains more than its apple based counterpart.

Reasons to make this sauce

• Perfect for people who love vinegar based marinades over seafood.
• It is an incredibly easy and simple recipe to make.
• Most of the ingredients are what you will already find in a Jamaican household.
• A great way to use up any leftover vegetables.
• The lime and vinegar helps to intensify the flavours as well as extend the shelf life.

The steps

• Bring the water, apple cider vinegar and sugar to a gentle simmer, until the sugar dissolves.
• Meanwhile, arrange the carrots, cho cho, bell peppers, onion, scotch bonnet, pimento berries and thyme equally into mason jars or a very large jar.

• Once the vinegar is cool, stir in the lime juice.
• Pour the vinegar in equal parts into the mason jar(s).
• Add a dash of pink salt and black pepper, if you are using it.
• Do a taste test, to make sure the balance of vinegar/water is to your preference. If not, adjust by adding more water/vinegar, if needed.
• Secure the jar(s) with a lid, refrigerate and leave so that the flavours meld and intensify.

Notes and tips

• Be mindful when you are chopping the scotch bonnet, not to rub your eyes and wear gloves if required.
• When using apple cider vinegar instead of white winegar it is normal for the sauce/dressing to be of a darker hue.
• Do not store this vegetable pickle at room temperature, keep it refrigerated at all times.
• The pickle should last for atleast a month, however, if you use just apple cider vinegar it should last much longer.
• The amount of vinegar/liquid you use is subjective, I used a total of 4 cups, you may want to use more or less.
• For best results, allow the vinegar and vegetables to meld overnight before serving.
• The longer you leave the pickle/sauce the more intense the flavour.
• Remember to allow the vinegar to completely cool down before covering the jar with the lid.
• DO NOT boil the vinegar, let it gently simmer on low heat until the sugar dissolves.

Recipes to pair this with

• Escovitch Fish
• Jamaican Steamed Fish
• Air Fried Whole Fish
• Shrimp and Cabbage
• Caribbean Baked Fish
• Vegan Mofongo
• Cuban Black Beans
• Curried Butter Beans

Side dishes you may like

• Jamaican Steamed Cabbage
• Yuca En Escabeche
• Jamaican Coleslaw
• Bammy
• Festival
• Solomon Gundy
• Jamaican Potato Salad
• Dhal Puri Roti
• Trinidad Coconut Bake
• Oven Baked Plantain

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Escovitch Sauce (Jamaican Pickled Vegetables)

Learn how to make some Jamaican escovitch sauce. A popular island style pickled, spicy, tangy dressing consisting of a medley of vegetables, herbs and spices with apple cider vinegar making it mildly acidic. My recipe is the non white vinegar version, yet tastes amazing!

5 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Extras

Cuisine: Jamaican

Prep Time: 35 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 1 jar

Calories: 115kcal

Author: Charla

Ingredients

• ▢ 3 cups apple cider vinegar (710ml)
• ▢ 1 cup water (250ml)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon raw cane sugar
• ▢ the juice of one fresh key lime
• ▢ 1-2 large carrots julienned
• ▢ ½ cho cho julienned
• ▢ 1 cup bell peppers different colours, julienned
• ▢ 3 medium onions sliced
• ▢ 3 scotch bonnet peppers sliced
• ▢ 1 tablespoon pimento berries
• ▢ 6 sprigs of thyme
• ▢ a dash of pink salt and black pepper optional

Instructions

• Bring the water, apple cider vinegar and sugar to a gentle simmer, until the sugar dissolves.
• Meanwhile, arrange the carrots, cho cho, bell peppers, onion, scotch bonnet, pimento berries and thyme equally into mason jars or a very large jar.
• Once the vinegar is cool, stir in the lime juice.
• Pour the vinegar in equal parts into the mason jar(s).
• Add a dash of pink salt and black pepper, if you are using it.
• Do a taste test, to make sure the balance of vinegar/water is to your preference. If not, adjust by adding more water/vinegar, if needed.
• Secure the jar(s) with a lid, refrigerate and leave so that the flavours and intensify.

Notes

• Be mindful when you are chopping the scotch bonnet, not to rub your eyes and wear gloves if required.
• When using apple cider vinegar instead of white winegar it is normal for the sauce/dressing to be of a darker hue.
• Do not store this vegetable pickle at room temperature, keep it refrigerated at all times.
• The pickle should last for atleast a month, however, if you use just apple cider vinegar it should last much longer.
• The amount of vinegar/liquid you use is subjective, I used a total of 4 cups, you may want to use more or less.
• For best results, allow the vinegar and vegetables to meld overnight before serving.
• The longer you leave the pickle/sauce the more intense the flavour.
• Remember to allow the vinegar to completely cool down before covering the jar with the lid.
• DO NOT boil the vinegar, let it gently simmer on low heat until the sugar dissolves.

Nutrition

Calories: 115kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 0.4g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 30mg | Potassium: 471mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 3866IU | Vitamin C: 70mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 1mg

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