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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Wonderful tasting pickles! I’ve yet to dare change anything in your recipes because they all turn out great!
I only have canning salt can I use that?
Yes definitely!
Best dill recipe I’ve made in years (well, maybe forever!) I have 4 quarts in the refrigerator right now.
Can it be used to pickle lovely long green beans? TW
Hi Te, Glad you like these! I haven’t pickling other vegetables with this recipe, but I suspect it should work. Because green beans are so much thinner than the cucs, they will not need as much time to pickle. I’d love to hear how they turn out if you try it!
These were a big hit with my family – wanlted to see what they tasted like after a week in the fridge but they didn’t last that long. Will be making another batch to see if flavour potency increases with age.
🙂
Wow, wow, wow! So delicious! And I am a picky pickle person. For me the perfect balance of salty and just a hint of sweetness. I realized I didn’t have any coriander in the house so I omitted it and even without these are extremely tasty. (I did add a ton of dill because I had a surplus) Thank you for sharing!
Can you reduce the amount of salt? I’m on a low sodium diet and I love pickles but I can’t have the store bought ones. I’d like to make these, I’m just not sure about the amount of salt.
Yes, that’s fine Candi but I wouldn’t reduce too much or they’ll be bland.
This is a great recipe! Such a fantastic way to use bountiful southern Ontario produce this time of year. I’ve loved every recipe in your book so far!
Hi Jenn,
I’m trying to stick with a no-added-sugar diet. Your recipe sounds wonderful! Do you think I could omit the sugar? What other parts of the recipe might need adjusting? Thanks!
-Cathy
Hi Cathy, If you’re able to have a little sugar, I’d suggest cutting the sugar in half as it balances out the flavors nicely. While I’ve never made these without sugar, I think it can be done with no alterations. They may just be lip-puckeringly vinegary. I’d love to hear how they turn out if you try them!
Yum! These pickles are so easy to make. My family really likes them.
Wow! Another winner Jennifer. I never would have believed that you could infuse that much flavor into those cucumbers in 24 hours. My grandchildren are coming to visit today and they’re going to love them. Thanks for another wonderful recipe!
Hello. A man here that grew up on Alot of garden veggies. That being said. I’m still a little confused. Is this also considered “fermenting” I understand the entire concept. But I hear conflicting information regarding safety of bacteria and mold etc. That can happen if not sealed right etc. Like in canning. I also see special fermenting lids which is not listed here. Can we clarify this please. Thank you!
Hi Ronnie, This is different than fermenting. They are not intended for canning, but will last up to a month in the fridge. Hope that clarifies!