When my garden is overflowing with cucumbers in the summer months, I put them to good use by making creamy cucumber salad, watermelon cucumber salad and these fabulous refrigerator pickles.
My kids love pickles, in fact, we go through a jar every week! These refrigerator pickles taste so much fresher than the grocery store variety filled with preservatives and dyes. Best of all, they take just minutes to make!
How do you make refrigerator pickles?
The first step is to make your brine which is a blend of water, salt, white vinegar, peppercorns and chili flakes. The chili flakes are an optional addition if you prefer a bit of a kick to your pickles. The brine gets poured into jars that contain cucumbers, fresh dill and garlic. Let your pickles chill in the fridge for a minimum of 24 hours, then serve and enjoy.
Tips for refrigerator pickles
You can slice your cucumbers or cut them into spears, whatever you prefer. I recommend cutting your cucumbers into 1 inch thick slices, or else cutting the spears to a length that will easily fit inside your jars. Fresh dill is critical to this recipe – do not try to substitute dried dill. You can either leave your garlic cloves whole, or finely dice them if you prefer a stronger garlic flavor. Leave about 1/2 inch of head space at the top of the jars – the cucumbers will release liquid as they sit in the brine, so you’ll want to make sure you have room to accommodate that extra liquid. You can add other seasonings to your pickles such as mustard seeds and celery seeds. This recipe makes 2 jars of pickles. You can easily double or triple the recipe if you’re looking to make a larger quantity.
Which cucumbers are best for making pickles?
Small Kirby cucumbers are the most traditional variety for making pickles. In this particular case, I’ve used small Persian cucumbers. You can also use English cucumbers with great results. I don’t recommend using traditional waxy cucumbers as the skin is quite thick and isn’t very pleasant to eat.
Are refrigerator pickles healthy?
Refrigerator pickles are low in carbs and calories, and are also fat free. There is some sodium from the brine, but if you need to watch your sodium intake, you could cut back on the salt by 1/2 teaspoon. Cucumbers contain many nutrients such as Vitamin C, magnesium, potassium and Vitamin K. I would consider quick pickles to be an appropriate part of a healthy diet.
How long can you keep refrigerator pickles?
I recommend storing your refrigerator pickles for no more than 2 weeks in the fridge. You can start enjoying your pickles after they’ve been sitting in the brine for a minimum of 24 hours. You just can’t go wrong with these quick pickles – they make a nice snack, work perfectly as a sandwich topping, and taste so fresh and flavorful! I always have a jar or two in my fridge.
More great ways to enjoy cucumbers
Thai Cucumber Salad Classic Cucumber Salad Cucumber Tomato Salad Cucumber Feta Salad Asian Cucumber Salad
