What do we mean when we say it today?
Nowadays, we use "in a pickle" exactly as it is used here. Someone is in a difficult situation and doesn't know what to do. That person is in a pickle. Like when you broke curfew and your mom caught you sneaking in the house. Or when you said you'd help your sister with her homework and texted your friends the entire afternoon instead.
Yep, then you were in a pickle. We might not be thinking about making a veggie chutney to slop on top of our steak steak, but the idea is still the same.