Refrigerator Pickles

Originally published August 18, 2020

It’s been a great year for cucumbers. Not wanting to let any of my delicious cukes go to waste, I made these refrigerator pickles. Under most circumstances, I’d favor a lacto fermented cuke or a long brine, but with a new baby this year, time has not been on my side, so these quick pickles were just the thing to preserve the harvest.

First things first, you’ll need to wash and sanitize your jars. This recipe makes only two jars, so feel free to double it if you have lots of cucumbers. Next, make your brine. Refrigerator pickle brine consists of vinegar, water, salt and sugar. For a clear brine, use white vinegar. I substituted raw apple cider vinegar for the white vinegar, so my brine is slightly cloudy….but still tasty!

While the brine cools, gather the other ingredients and cut up your cucumbers into thin spears. I used small salad cucumbers, but I’m sure pickling cukes would work even better. My daughter and I foraged the garden for fresh dill and coriander seeds. We chose both fresh and dried coriander. Did you know that coriander is the seed of the cilantro plant? So, if your cilantro bolts (like ours did), look for the round seeds that take the place of the flower. Use the seeds as a spice, or save them to grow more cilantro.

On to the recipe!

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cups distilled white vinegar (5% acidity)

3 tablespoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons sugar

2 cups water

1-3/4 to 2 pounds cucumbers (about 6)

2 tablespoons coriander seeds

6 large garlic cloves, peeled and halved

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

16 dill sprigs

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine the vinegar, water, 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. Cool. If not using immediatly, refrigerate the brine. Stuff the cucumbers into two clean 1-quart jars. Add the coriander seeds, garlic cloves, mustard seeds, 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. Cucumbers will keep in the refrigerator for up to one month.