Description
Crisp homemade refrigerator pickles bring garden-fresh flavor to summer tables with simple ingredients and zero canning skills required. Cool cucumber slices swimming in zesty brine deliver quick, tangy crunch you’ll crave alongside sandwiches and grilled meats.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables:
- 4 cups (946 ml) sliced cucumbers
- 1 cup (237 ml) thinly sliced red onion
Pickling Liquid and Seasonings:
- 1.5 cups (355 ml) white vinegar
- 1 cup (237 ml) water
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) sugar
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) kosher salt
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) black peppercorns
- 0.5 teaspoon (2.5 ml) red pepper flakes
Herbs:
- 1 bunch fresh dill
Instructions
- Prep crisp cucumbers by thoroughly rinsing and slicing into uniform rounds or elongated spears for optimal pickling texture.
- Carefully separate and thinly slice onions, setting them aside to contribute additional depth and sharpness to the pickle blend.
- Create a flavorful brine by combining vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a saucepan, gently heating until all granules completely dissolve and liquid becomes transparent.
- Allow the brine mixture to cool slightly, developing a warm temperature that will enhance ingredient infusion without scalding delicate vegetables.
- Sterilize glass mason jars to ensure a pristine pickling environment, then layer aromatic elements like garlic, mustard seeds, peppercorns, and optional red pepper flakes along the jar’s base.
- Strategically arrange sliced cucumbers and onions within the jar, creating compact but not tightly compressed layers that permit brine circulation.
- Carefully pour the slightly cooled brine over the vegetables, ensuring complete submersion and minimal air pockets for optimal preservation.
- Seal jars securely and allow them to reach room temperature naturally, which helps prevent rapid temperature shock.
- Refrigerate immediately, permitting flavors to meld and intensify over 24-48 hours before consuming, with taste complexity improving during the first few days.
Notes
- Choose crisp, firm cucumbers like Persian or Kirby varieties for the best texture and crunch in your pickles.
- Slice cucumbers uniformly to ensure even pickling and a professional-looking final product.
- Experiment with spice combinations by adding whole cloves, coriander seeds, or fresh herbs like tarragon for unique flavor profiles.
- Adjust sugar and salt levels to create sweeter or more tangy pickles based on personal preference, but maintain the basic brine ratio for food safety.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Snacks, Appetizer
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 20
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 5g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg