Easy Refrigerator Dill Pickles Recipe
These quick and easy Refrigerator Dill Pickles are a summer tradition at my house. Perfect for snacking, as a condiment, or as sides to everything from burgers to sandwiches, salads, and more.
If you’ve never made pickles, you’ll love how easy these refrigerator pickles are to make. Packed with flavor, this recipe requires zero special equipment.
Making refrigerator pickles is a simple process of creating a salted brine, and stuffing fresh pickling cucumbers into jars along with fresh garlic, herbs, and spices.
It’s a beautiful gift or a treat any day of the week!
Plus, they keep for 1 to 2 months in the refrigerator — if they last that long! There is nothing quite like seeing a jar of beautiful, home-canned pickles ready and waiting in the refrigerator.
Equipment Needed to Make Refrigerator Pickles
- 4 pint-size lidded jars or two, quart-size jars
- Non-reactive saucepan (like stainless steel or glass)
- A funnel can make pouring the brine into the jars easy, but it’s absolutely not necessary.
What Kind of Cucumbers Are Needed for Making Refrigerator Pickles?
It’s important to use Kirby or pickling cucumbers. These cucumbers are small, usually 6 inches or less in length, and have firm, bumpy skin.
Be sure to use pickling cucumbers as other varieties will deliver a soggy pickle.
What You Need to Make Refrigerator Dill Pickles
- Distilled white vinegar (5% acidity)
- Kosher salt (or see pickling salt substitutions)
- Granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 to 2 lbs Kirby or pickling cucumbers
- Dried dill weed
- Mustard seed
- Peppercorns
- Pickling spice
- Red pepper flakes
- Garlic cloves
- Fresh dill sprigs
How to Make Refrigerator Dill Pickles
Follow these quick and easy steps to make your own dill pickles.
Step 1: Making the Brine
Begin by making a simple brine. To do this you will combine vinegar, salt, and sugar in a small saucepan. Heat and whisk until the salt and sugar is dissolved. Then you will whisk in cold water and chill.
While the brine is chilling, cut pickling cucumbers into spears.
Step 2: Stuffing the Jars
Next, stuff the cucumbers into pint-size or quart-size jars. Add dried dill, mustard seeds, peppercorns, pickling spice, red pepper flakes, garlic cloves, and fresh dill sprigs into the jars, dividing evenly.
Then, cover the cucumbers with chilled brine. Top with lids.
Step 3: Refrigerate the Pickles
Refrigerate about 24 hours before serving the pickles. They will keep in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 months.
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Refrigerator Spiced Dill Pickles
These quick and easy Refrigerator Dill Pickles are a summer tradition at my house. Perfect for snacking, as a condiment, or as sides to everything from burgers to sandwiches, salads, and more.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups distilled white vinegar (5% acidity)
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 cups cold water
- 1 1/2 to 2 pounds Kirby cucumbers, cut into spears
- 2 teaspoons dried dill weed
- 2 teaspoons mustard seed, slightly crushed
- 2 teaspoons cracked peppercorns
- 2 teaspoons pickling spice
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 7 large garlic cloves, peeled and halved
- 2 cups fresh dill sprigs
Instructions
- Combine vinegar, salt, and sugar in a small non-reactive saucepan (like stainless steel) over high heat. Whisk until dissolved. Then transfer to a bowl and whisk in the water. Refrigerate until cool.
- In each of the clean jars, stuff cucumber spears until full. Add the garlic, dried dill, mustard seeds, red pepper flakes, peppercorns, and sprigs of fresh dill.
- Pour the chilled brine into jars. If necessary, add additional cold water to top the jars so that the brine covers the cucumbers.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours. The pickles will keep refrigerated for one month.
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