# Substitute Lemon Juice for Vinegar??



## Guest (Sep 3, 2010)

I've got pears falling everywhere, and want to make some pickled pears. One of my family members cannot stand the smell of vinegar. All the recipes I find call for vinegar, but my question is, can I do an across the board substitution, using lemon juice instead of vinegar? Or does the vinegar serve some other purpose? I will be using a BWB.


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## judylou (Jun 19, 2009)

Yes you can always safely sub bottled (not fresh) lemon or lime juice for vinegar. Just use the same amounts called for in the recipe.


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## Guest (Sep 3, 2010)

OK, thanks.


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## Rockytopsis (Dec 29, 2007)

That is good to know.


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## PixieLou (May 1, 2010)

But can you make a pickle out of lemon juice?

I know you can sub when you need an acidifying agent. So just wondering if you are using the vinegar for pickling - does lemon juice work instead?


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## Prickle (May 9, 2009)

The vinegar does give it a distinctive taste. So it wouldn't have that same pickled pear flavor but it'd probably still be good.


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## judylou (Jun 19, 2009)

A 'pickle' isn't necessarily made in vinegar. That is just the most common. 

But there are other ways to make pickles that use no vinegar at all. Fermenting in salt water is one of them and fruit pickles usually are prepared by heating fruit in a seasoned syrup acidified with either lemon juice or vinegar. But as Prickle said, yes it will be a different taste than if vinegar was used.


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