Quick & Easy Refrigerator Pickles
There’s nothing better than the tangy crunch of a good old fashioned dill pickle. If you’re reading this article, then you’ll probably agree. So I’m going to show you how to capture that classic taste right at home with all natural ingredients, and no tedious canning required. Today, we’re going to make some quick and easy refrigerator dill pickles!
Ingredients
There are several ingredients you could use in your refrigerator pickles depending on the taste you’re looking for. You may like them garlicky, or maybe a little spicy, or maybe even with a hint of mustard. The great part is, this recipe gives you plenty of opportunity to experiment.
For my pickles, I’m going to use the following ingredients.
(For a quart-sized mason jar)
1 cup of water
1 cup of distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon of kosher salt
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
4 cloves garlic
5-6 full sprigs of fresh dill
2-3 medium cucumbers
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Health Bonus: Since all these ingredients are natural with no added sugar, this recipe is perfect for Whole30, Keto, and Paleo diets.
STEP 1- Make Your Base Brine
Your base brine is what you’ll use regardless of any other flavorings you want to add to it. This consists of water, vinegar, and kosher salt.
Note:
I use kosher Himalayan pink salt, but regular kosher salt is fine too. Just avoid table salt because this often has other chemicals and additives to prevent caking.
Combine your vinegar, water, and salt in a sauce pan and bring it to a boil. The purpose of boiling it is to dissolve the salt into the liquid. The salt can dissolve without boiling, but it will take much longer.
Once the salt is dissolved, set the pan aside and allow it to cool to room temperature.
Step 2- Prep Your Cucumbers
While your sauce pan cools, it’s a good time to cut your cucumbers. It’s your choice whether to cut them into circular chips or spears. I chose spears for my pickles because I like to eat them right out of the jar. Chips may be better for sandwiches if that’s your desire.
Start by cutting both ends off your cucumber. After making sure they will fit in the jar standing up, cut the cucumbers in half and then in half again to make quartered spears. (Or just slice them into 1/8-1/4″ circular pieces for sandwich chips).
Step 3- Fill Your Jar with Seasonings & Spears
This is the fun part! It’s time to add all your favorite flavors to a quart-sized jar. Combine your peppercorns, red pepper flakes, half your garlic cloves, and half your fresh dill into the jar. (Cut the stems off your dill so they don’t take up so much room.)
Now pack your cucumber spears in tightly so they are standing up.
Pro Tip: Lay the jar on its side and it’s much easier to pack your spears in so they stand up evenly!
Now add the remaining garlic cloves and dill to the top of the cucumber spears so there is even flavor distribution.
Step 4- Add Your Brine
Once your brine has cooled almost back to room temp (maybe slightly warmer), it’s time to add it to your jar. Pour your brine in slowly over the cucumbers and herbs so the cucumbers are completely submerged. Your brine should be about half an inch over your cucumbers.
Step 5- Refrigerate
The final step of the process is to screw your lid on tightly and set them in your fridge for a few days. I’m not going to give you an exact time-frame because some people like milder flavored pickles and others like bold flavors. The longer you leave your pickles in the fridge, the more flavor will be absorbed into them.
I would suggest waiting at least 2 days and then trying them each day or so until you get the desired flavor. I’m going to leave these in the fridge for about 5 days.
How Long Will They Keep?
As long as you keep your pickles refrigerated, they should stay good for at least 2 months. Beyond that and they may begin to lose their crunch…So eat up!
Conclusion
And there you have it friends! Quick and easy refrigerator pickles in just five steps. This project is a lot of fun, and the results are delicious. So give it a try and let me know how it goes.
If you have any questions or comments, make sure to let me know below. And if you have your own favorite method or flavors you like to use when making pickles I’d love to hear them!
Happy Pickling!
Cody
Thistle Downs Farm