Refrigerator Pickles
These refrigerator pickles are easy to make, requiring no special equipment, and are ready for eating in a day!
Equipment
Ingredients
- For the Brine:
- 2 cups distilled white vinegar (5%)
- 2 cups water
- 1/4-1/3 cup granulated sugar (start with 1/4 cup, taste the brine, and decide if you'd like to increase it)
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt or pickling salt
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- For the Pickles:
- 2 pounds pickling cucumbers , e.g. Kirby, mini Persian or other small cucumbers; washed and cut into halves or quartered into spears
- 1 large bunch dill , if in doubt use more! (can use a combination of heads, leaves and stems), rinsed
- 6 cloves garlic , peeled and cut in half (optional)
Instructions
- Place the brine ingredients in a pot and bring it to a boil. Once the salt and sugar are dissolved, turn the stove off and let the brine sit until it has cooled to room temperature see note below about using boiling versus cooled brine).
- Place roughly half of the dill and garlic into the bottom of each 1-quart jar. Pack the cucumbers into the jars (you can also add some sliced yellow or sweet onion if you like), packing them in as firmly as you can. Stuff in the remaining dill and garlic.Once the brine is roughly room temperature (it can be a little warmer or chilled), pour it over the pickles into the jars (try to divide the peppercorns between the two jars). You want to make sure the pickles are fully covered. If you find you don't have enough brine, you can more equal parts of vinegar and water.Screw on the lids and if they're fully cooled, chill them in the refrigerator. For best results wait at least 24 hours before eating. They will keep in the fridge for up to a month. Just be sure the pickles are always immersed under the brine.
Notes
Using Boiling vs Cooled Brine: Some recipes call for pouring the boiling brine over the cucumbers but that will result in softer pickles. It's really a matter of personal preference, but if you like your pickles nice and crunchy let the brine come to room temp first. If you do choose to pour boiling brine over them I recommend using a product like Pickle Crisp which will help the pickles retain more of their crunch.
Nutrition
Calories: 14kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 0.3gFat: 0.1gSaturated Fat: 0.01gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.01gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.004gSodium: 656mgPotassium: 48mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 25IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 9mgIron: 0.1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!