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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Your recipes never disappoint! You are such a great chef and easy to understand instructions. Can’t wait to try these! My momma always made these. There are only 3 ingredients but oh, so easy. One gallon of dill pickle slices….drain them. Put them in a large bowl and pour a 5 pound bag of sugar over them. Sprinkle with a small bottle of Tabasco. Let them sit on your counter all day and night. Pour the juice it makes with the pickles back into the gallon container and refrigerate. They are amazing!!!
This recipe is exactly what my husband was looking for. Crunchy deliciousness! I followed the recipe without alterations and they turned out great. He shared pickles with some of his friends and they wanted the recipe. Another winner from once upon a chef!
Just made these a few days ago. So easy, excellent taste. Great receipe especially for a summer harvest.
Thank you for this recipe. I’ve made it lots of times now but have reduced the salt gradually because my husband isn’t supposed to have lots of sodium. I have six jars in the fridge now that I made when my dill was at it’s peak. We love them even better than the ones I can for longer storage.
I had tried made recipes for refrigerator pickles and they were all awful. I was about to give up when this recipe came across my email. I should have looked here first. Jenn never disappoints. They are phenomenal. I’ve been making them with my homegrown pickling cukes this summer and giving them to friends. A huge hit!! Thank you again Jenn
Hi Jennifer,
Can I substitute table salt for the kosher salt and ground mustard for the mustard seeds. If so how much should I use?
Hi Linda, I’d use 2 tablespoons table salt and a pinch or two of dried mustard. Hope that helps!
Great recipe…I do not have fresh dill right now. How much freeze-dried dill can I add to a jar of pickles? Thank you…
Glad you like it! Yes, you can use freeze-dried dill; you’ll need 2 teaspoons. Enjoy!
BEST PICKLES EVER! Super easy and quick to make! I grew pickles in my garden specifically for this recipe!
Hi, I made these the other day with my heirloom pickle cucumbers and they came out very good but seemed very salty ( I used Himalayan Pink salt since that’s all I had). I know it’s not the correct salt but I was wondering if I used less could I continue to use it or is Kosher salt the only kind to use? Thank you
Hi Leslie, it’s fine to continue using the Himalayan salt and just reduce the amount. 😊
YUMMMMY!!!!