Quick and Easy Refrigerator Pickles
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Refrigerator pickles are quick and easy to make — no sterilizing jars or special equipment required.
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018)
The kids and I discovered a jar of these homemade refrigerator pickles in my parents’ refrigerator one day, and since then, no deli or store-bought pickles have ever come close. They were made by one of my mom’s oldest and dearest friends, Joanne Biltekoff, who is like an aunt to me. The best thing about Joanne’s pickles is that they’re quick and easy — no sterilizing jars or special canning equipment required. All you do is slice Kirby cucumbers into spears, cover them with brine, tuck them into the fridge, and they’re ready to eat the next day.
What You’ll Need To Make Refrigerator Pickles
The most important part of the recipe is to start with Kirby or pickling cucumbers. They’re short, squat and sometimes full of warts, but they make deliciously crisp pickles. Don’t be tempted to substitute another kind of cucumber or you’ll end up with soggy pickles.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Begin by making the brine. Combine the vinegar, salt and sugar in a small saucepan. Heat and stir until the salt and sugar are completely dissolved. Whisk in the cold water, then chill.
When cooking high-acid foods, be sure to use a cooking vessel made of a nonreactive material such as stainless steel, glass, ceramic or Teflon. Pots made from metals like aluminum, copper or cast iron will react with the acid and give your food a metallic taste.
Next, stuff the cucumbers into two 1-quart jars. Add the coriander and mustard seeds, garlic, red pepper flakes, dill sprigs to the jars, dividing evenly.
Cover the cucumbers with the chilled brine.
Cover and let sit in the refrigerator for about 24 hours, then serve. The pickles will keep in the fridge for up to one month.
These pickles will disappear quickly and you’ll likely get requests for more. You don’t have to start from scratch. You can use the pickle brine more than once — it should last for another batch or two of pickles!
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Quick & Easy Refrigerator Pickles
Refrigerator pickles are quick and easy to make — no sterilizing jars or special equipment required.
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups distilled white vinegar (5% acidity)
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 cups cold water
- 1¾ to 2 pounds Kirby cucumbers (about 6), cut into halves or spears
- 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
- 6 large garlic cloves, peeled and halved
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 16 dill sprigs
Instructions
- Combine the vinegar, salt and sugar in a small non-reactive saucepan (such as stainless steel, glass, ceramic or teflon) over high heat. Whisk until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Transfer the liquid into a bowl and whisk in the cold water. Refrigerate brine until ready to use.
- Stuff the cucumbers into two clean 1-quart jars. Add the coriander seeds, garlic cloves, mustard seeds, red pepper flakes, dill sprigs, and chilled brine into jars, dividing evenly. If necessary, add a bit of cold water to the jars until the brine covers the cucumbers. Cover and refrigerate about 24 hours, then serve. The pickles will keep in the refrigerator for up to one month.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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I am a HUGE OUAC fan and am working my way happily through the cookbook which I highly recommend. These pickles are amazing. There is never a time when I do not have them in my refrigerator. Many people have told me I should be selling them! I say, “not my creation”!!
Reading your review, and curious to know if they are really edible in just one day?
….of course…..another perfect recipe! For presentation sake, I suggest lining some of the dill on the outside of the jar, as you stuff the jar, as well as adding half the spices and garlic to the bottom of each jar, and half to the top.These will not last long!
Delicious snack. I made them and had to make more the next day, as they went so quickly.
You are my favorite chef, bar none, and I could review many of your recipes and give them five stars, but I chose this one because since I made these pickles for the first time, they have always been in my refrigerator. Always! Family members ask for them when they visit because they love them and know they will be there. I have not bought one commercial pickle since I started making these. I have also used the same brine to pickle carrots, peppers, and cauliflower. It’s just so easy, and the results are amazing.
Hi Jen,
Can you substitute table salt for the kosher salt? I notice you use kosher salt and sea salt in a lot of your recipes. Are they all interchangeable and if so are the measurements the same? I love your site and never get my recipes anywhere else. Yours always comes out fantastic and I know I can count on yours to taste fabulous the first time! Also I love how you “teach us in your recipes why we do something a certain way”. I also love your “text ingredients”. This is great because when I’m at the grocery store I know I have all the ingredients. Thanks for a great site and a great cookbook!! Denise Ksen-Smith
Hi Denise, Yes, you can use table salt here. And kosher salt and sea salt are interchangeable with table salt, but the measurements are slightly different; when a recipe calls for kosher salt (or another coarse grain salt) and you want to use table salt, cut the amount back by 1/3. And so glad you enjoy the recipes and the “text ingredients” function! 🙂
Best pickles ever!
These pickles were so easy to make. I followed the recipe exactly and my entire family loved them…even the child who claims that she “doesn’t like pickles”! The hardest thing for me was to find the Kirby cucumbers. In my opinion, they were essential to the success of the recipe.
Are you kidding me! These came out delicious. The taste reminded me of my childhood, when we would sneak into the cellar of my best friends house and eat all the jarred pickles his Mom had made. Delicioso!!
Hi Jenn-
I saw this recipe in your FABULOUS cookbook and I’ve always wanted to try it! My kiddos don’t like any sweetness in their pickles. Should I omit the sugar in the brine or is it even detectable when the pickles are ready to eat?
Thanks,
Mindy
Hi Mindy, They really don’t taste sweet; the sugar just balances the flavor. Maybe cut it in half?
I seem to have not too good tasting Brine. I used an old dutch oven pot to make the brine.
Hi Margaret, Dutch oven‘s are generally cast iron with an enamel coating on top. You mentioned your Dutch oven is old — is the coating wearing off at all? I so, that could impact the taste of your brine.
These pickles are the best! Will make them again and again. Used Kirby cukes. The skin seemed tough tho. Any suggestions?
Hi Barbara, I’ve never had that problem. May have just been the batch of cukes you got. I would suggest trying it again with new cucumbers (once these are used up) and you’re likely to have better luck the second time around
Wow! I was looking for a recipe to use some cukes that were given to me and I had to use them fast. They weren’t Kirbys but I peeled and seeded them, threw in a Poblano pepper and didn’t have mustard seeds. I did have fresh dill and dried pepper flakes. Followed the recipe and voila! I opened the jar after 4 days and they are so good. I was afraid they might not be crunchy but they are.
Hi Jenn! Your recipe calls for distilled vinegar. Can I substitute it with white vinegar? Can any other type of vinegar be used? Many thanks from your big fan.
White vinegar should work here, Olga. Hope you enjoy!
Thanks, Jenn! How about apple cider vinegar? (The first jar I made with white vinegar was gone in one evening)
Hi Olga, I’ve never tried these with apple cider vinegar, so I can’t say for sure – I’m sorry! I’d love to hear how they turn out if you try them that way, though!
Hi Jenn, I’ve made them with apple cider vinegar (everything else was exactly as in your recipe). They turned out delicious. They have a more subtle taste than the ones with white vinegar, which I like (my husband loved them too). But my 8-year olds prefer your version. I will be making two jars now, one for adults and one for kids.