How to Make Refrigerator pickles

When spring rolls around and we are planting the garden, the first question out of my youngest mouth is "Did you plant cucumbers?"

He loves his cucumbers, much like his Dad.  Which means as soon as they are ready to start harvesting, he's begging to help and have cucumbers as a snack and meal every day.

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He will even request I pack them with his lunch for school each day.  I'm lucky that he likes at least this one vegetable (or is it a fruit?).

Naturally, because they like them so much, I personally do not.  I think fresh cucumbers taste like dirt.  Don't hate me.  It's just how I feel.  That being said, pickles are a whole different story.

My daughter and I love a good, crisp pickle.  And no canned pickle can compete with this tasty refrigerator pickle recipe.  I'm serious, it is that good.

They are crisp, flavorful and a big hit for everyone in the family.  So much so that extended family asks for the recipe all the time.  Today, we are sharing it with you!

Tips for Picking the Best Cucumbers for Pickling

Start by using the freshest cucumbers you have.  That means, pick them this morning and pickle them the same day, within hours if possible.  The cucumbers stay fresh and keep that crispiness.

Whether you are pickling them in an hour or 12 hours, make sure to keep the pickles cold.  Pick them straight from the garden and put them in the fridge.  No need to wash them.  You can even leave them in the bucket.  Just keep them cold.

Choose cucumbers with no rot, soft spots or discoloration.  Pickles that are turning yellow are usually too old.  Make sure they are not too big as well.  Older and larger cucumbers are often bitter.

We tend to plant pickling cucumber seeds.  Pickling cucumbers can grow larger and still not taste bitter.  Slicing cucumbers can be a little tricky with bitterness if they aren't watered correctly or get to old. 

VIDEO:  Making Pickles

Cutting Cucumbers for Pickles

This is topic a lot of people have questions about.  To be honest, the answer is, cut them however you want.

There is no set way to cut a pickle.  You can leave them whole, quarter them, cut them in strips or in rounds.  You can cut them on the bias or slice them into wedges.

The real question is how do you like to eat your pickles?  Do you put them on sandwiches or hamburgers?  Maybe a round or strip of pickle works better.  Do you like to pull them out and eat them as a side to your meal?  Maybe a quartered or wedged pickle is best.

Your cucumbers will turn into pickles no matter how you cut them.  Just cut them and get them in the jar.  Try several different methods and you'll eventually find the one that works best for your family and your needs.

What supplies do I need for refrigerator pickles?

For this recipe, you'll need about 3-4 lbs pickling cucumbers. You can always have more and double or triple your brine. But to start, you'll need at least 4 lbs. Usually that can just be 10-12 small cucumbers or 5-6 larger ones.

We like to use fresh dill for our pickles, but if you don't have fresh dill you can purchase dill seed and use that. You'll probably need a bit more to get a good dill flavor.

You'll also need garlic cloves, Black Peppercorns, Mustard Seed and Pickling Seasoning.  You can grab all of these at the grocery store or grab them off of Amazon as well.  

You'll also need some type of jar or container to place your pickles in.  Using mason jars is easy, but you can use other types of containers as well.

How to Make Pickle Brine

Making pickle brine is super simple.  You'll need white vinegar, water, pickling salt, and white sugar. Make sure the vinegar you use has a 5% acidity or more. Canning requires high acidity to keep bacteria from growing. It should say on the front of your vinegar bottles. Usually the canning section in your local store will have the correct vinegar.

You can multiply the brine recipe below to get you the correct amount for more pickle jars. Or decrease it as well.

Combine all the brine ingredients in a stock pot and bring to a boil. Once it is boiling it is ready to go over the cucumbers.

Note: If you have any remaining brine, it can be stored in the fridge for a week until ready to use again. Make sure to heat to a low boil before using again.

How to Make Refrigerator Pickles

Combine brine ingredients into a stock pot and bring to a boil. Make sure salt and sugar dissolve. Wash and slice fresh cucumbers into rounds, slices or wedges. Place in clean mason jars.

Place 1-2 dill sprigs into jar with cucumbers. Add 1 garlic clove to each jar. Add 1 Tbsp salt, peppercorns, mustard seed and pickling spice into each jar. Pour brine over the top of cucumbers and spices in jar. Fill to 1/2" from the top. Remove air bubbles.

Wash rims and add lids and rings. Leave on countertop until cool. Label and place in refrigerator for 3-4 months.

VIDEO:  Crisp Refrigerator Pickles 

That's it!  It is super simple and really quick to make refrigerator pickles.  You can have them in the fridge and ready to eat within days.  Traditional pickles are still delicious and we will still can them, but refrigerator pickles are always our fast, go to pickle recipe.

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