Ingemaakt

Ingemaakt is a Dutch term describing food preserved by pickling in brine or vinegar. The process typically involves immersing vegetables or fruit in a liquid that may include vinegar or a salt brine, often with sugar, and spices such as mustard seeds, pepper, bay leaf, and cloves. There are two main methods: quick pickling with vinegar, which yields a tangy, shelf-stable product; and traditional fermentation in a salt brine, which relies on lactic acid bacteria to preserve and flavor the produce.

Common examples include ingemaakte uitjes (pickled onions) and ingemaakte augurken (pickled cucumbers). The term can also apply to other produce, and in some contexts to meats or fish preserved by similar methods, though vegetables are most typical in everyday language.

Storage and usage: commercially produced ingemaakt foods are sealed to extend shelf life; after opening, refrigeration and consumption within weeks is advised. The practice reflects a broader European tradition of preserving seasonal produce for later use.

Etymology: from in- (in) and maken (to make), literally making in a preserving liquid. The concept is widespread in Dutch and Belgian kitchens, with regional variations in ingredients and flavor profiles.