Yes, you read right. 3 days! I LOVE pickles. My last pregnancy I ate an entire jar of pickles and a pint of ice cream for dinner on more than one occasion. When they are small and crisp and a bit of spice to them- WOW! But, I never thought of making them myself. It seemed too fussy, and I wasn’t experienced in canning. Then I saw this recipe on www.frugallysustainable.com and thought I would give it a try. I am so glad I did. What a hit!
I don’t have much of a garden, we’ve had such a mild summer here. So I bought some pickling cucumbers at the farmers market last weekend. The smallest ones I could find, and just enough for one quart size jar. It was hard to wait three days to try them, but it was worth it, and now that I’ve almost finished this jar, I’m heading to the market this weekend for some more cucumbers!
Homemade Refrigerator Dill Pickles (Makes 4 Quarts)
- About 20 pickling cucumbers (enough to fill 4 quart jars)
- 1 head garlic
- 2 T pickling spice mix
- small bunch of fresh dill
The Brine
- 2 quarts water
- 1/2 cup raw organic apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup sea or kosher salt
Mix brine together until salt is dissolved. Set aside. Wash cucumbers and slice larger ones in half or quarters (I kept the small ones whole). In each quart sized glass canning jar place 2 fresh dill heads, 4 cloves garlic, and 1/2 T pickling spices. Place cucumbers on top. Pour brine over, being sure cucumbers are covered with liquid. Cover lightly with cheesecloth, or lid.
Let them sit in a dark pantry for 2-3 days. Try them out, and when they taste fabulous, transfer to fridge and enjoy for up to 6-12 months. Mine took 3 days, but a week later, they are gone.
I’m off to the farmer’s market to make more. Hope you enjoy them!
If you would like to learn more about fermentation, and the behind the scenes details of pickling- check out www.frugallysustainable.com for some great info!
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Joy and Ginger 
My 9yr old can eat pickles so fast that the jar is perpetually empty. We’ll try these before she bankrupts us in pickle purchases. 🙂
Just made these myself from the same recipe – they turned out great too.
Wow… those look so fresh and crispy!
yammy, i will trye this, absolutly, thanks
These look great! And I’ve been looking for an easy pickle recipe. Congrats on being Freshly Pressed!
Thanks!
I have really wanted to learn how to can just so I can make pickles! Love this idea! sounds so easy, too.
I really need to try that recepie, sounds delicious
holy moly, these look delicious! do you really not need to process or seal these with hot lids & they still keep for 6-12 months?
Just so that you store it in cold storage- a fridge is best.
I am SO making those!
Nice post and BEAUTIFUL photos.
Sarah
So glad I found this! Yummm!
Raise your hand if you love pickles!?! When I get a moment, I’ll try this recipe. I’m a pickle fan since early childhood and remember large gallon jars of pickles for sale by the individual pickle, next to the cash register at most markets…..
I’m definitely going to try them…Thanks for the recipe:)
Reblogged this on LifeDelicacy's Blog and commented:
I Luv Pickles, go for it!
Thanks for the shout out!
Great blog Heather, enjoyed it very much!
these look great! so fresh and bright 🙂
Oh yum! I love pickles too and refrigerator ones are some of the best. Thanks for the recipe!
Better if you can let them go 5 days. I didn’t say easier, but better…
Wow, I can’t wait to try this – didn’t realize it was so easy!
Those pickles look delicious! Nice pictures too.
Reblogged this on What's For Dinner? and commented:
Mmmm pickles!
Thanks for sharing!
I can’t wait to make these myself! 🙂 thanks for the recipe!
definite try
We are always shopping for new pickle receipes . . . ty!
such a nice and easy recipe and lovely picture too
glad i stopped by
Hi! I tried to comment before, but I’m not sure if it went through, so I apologize if this shows up twice! These pickles looks so crisp and delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe! 🙂
What a great idea! My son loves pickles, and he would get a kick out of making them himself. Now I can use all those mason jars. . .
yum! you are my inspiration to conduct my first pickling project! you make it look easy! can’t wait to try it! great post!!
Hope it goes well!
can’t wait till the next batch is picked in my garden to try this out!!! Thanks 🙂
Looks yummy!
Made these myself @ notsosupermama. Very good pickle for summertime 🙂 Please come check out my blog @ http://thedailydoseofliterature.wordpress.com/
This sounds very good, I think I’ll try this. I’m a regular farmers market goer too.
I love pickles. thanks for sharing, i’ll have a look at the recipe tomorrow.
oooh this sounds good. Easy and good. Now is the time to buy the small -size cukes – they’re all over the Farmers’ Market. I’ve always thought about making my own pickles. Thank you!
Lovely pics! My CSA keeps sending me cukes so keep it coming. And congratulations on being freshly pressed!
My mom used to make these. You brought back memories of my childhood. Now I want to try this recipe. Thanks.
These look awesome!
Reblogged this on finnegan2749.
I will try this for sure today! I am on vacation in Greece and preparing my own pickles is the most appropriate thing!
Come visit my blog on : lifestyleover40.com
Sara
Reblogged this on Brain4rent's Blog and commented:
If your garden looks like mine, here are a lot of yellow cucumber blossoms hidden beneath giant leaves with a shared dream of pickledom..never tried pickling anything, but this is worth a go, I think. Could be this year’s homemade Christmas present…stay tuned.
Definitely giving this a try, if I can stop eating my cucumbers fresh from the vine long enough…congrats on Fresh Press – I’ve reblogged this excellent post.
Thank you!
I’ve been meaning to try this kind of pickling. These look great. I’d like one right now LOL and it’s almost 4 in the morning here. Great blog!
I’m looking forward to trying this, I love pickles and need to do something with the cucumbers I’ve been getting from the garden! Thanks for the great post!
Beautiful pictures – and such a nice, simple recipe.
I have always been afraid to attempt to make pickles but your pictures are making my mouth water….I just might have to give it a shot this weekend. Thanks for the post!
These look yummy. can’t wait to give the recipe a try. my guys love pickles!
I’m so glad I found this post! My daughter LOVES pickles and this could be something fun to do together in the kitchen! Our farmer’s market is open on Thursdays, so we will have to go down there tomorrow and find us some pickling cucumbers 🙂
Your pickles look super yummy! I love refrigerator pickles too – so easy 🙂
I am so glad I found this…I have cucumbers coming out of my ears from my garden this year! Come link up to Centerpiece Wednesday and share your idea with us.
Karin
Yum, I love pickles! Can’t wait until I can have a proper veggie garden (once we’re not in an apartment I guess). Thanks for sharing at The Fun In Functional!
Sounds delicious! I love pickles to and have never attempted making them myself. Thank you for sharing!
Just pinned your great recipe and thanks for sharing on Full Plate Thursday!
Miz Helen
Pickles are one of those foods I really like, but forget about. I should try this. I think I’ll go find me a pickle to munch on now;) Of course, store bought ones just aren’t quite the same. Thanks for sharing at Terrific Tuesdays.
Thank you for your submission on Nourishing Treasures’ Make Your Own! Monday link-up.
Check back tomorrow when the new link-up is running to see if you were one of the top 3 featured posts! 🙂
This sounds perfect — quick and easy and yummy! Thanks so much for sharing on Busy Monday!
looks so simple and your photos are beautiful! You will be featured at this weeks party! http://www.nap-timecreations.com/2012/08/im-slacker-and-tasteful-tuesday-party.html
Thank you Emily!
thank you for linking with Kids in the Kitchen! Love this – pinned!
Just wondering if there’s a reason this recipe left out the mustard seed. I went to the original link, and it was in that recipe. I threw all this together last night without the mustard seed. Can I add it today? Can it stay out? I’m confused. lol
You can add it today no problem. My pickling spices were specifically for pickles, so it had plenty of mustard seed in it. That’s why I didn’t add it. But perhaps many are not. Thanks for the clarification!
Awesome. Thank you! I checked my pickling spice. It does in deed have mustard seed in it, and after really looking at it, it has plenty of it. 🙂
These look fantastic!! I will be featuring them tomorrow at my party, Link It Up Thursday. Thanks so much for partying with me.
Thank you Kadie!
Congratulations!
Your recipe is featured on Full Plate Thursday this week. Hope you have a great weekend and enjoy your new Red Plate!
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
Thanks so much!
I have never made them in the fridge! How awesome!! 😉 They look beautiful! My name is Cindy and I blog over at Vegetarianmamma.com I wanted to invite you to link up your recipe at our Gluten Free Fridays Recipe Link up party! It happens every Friday and we’d love to have you join us with some of your awesome recipes! You can find this week’s link up here: http://vegetarianmamma.com/gluten-free-friday-recipe-link-up-1/
Thanks, Cindy
Done. Thanks!
Perfect, thanks for making this week a huge success, we had over 100 gluten free recipes! I have tweeted and pinned your recipe to our Gluten Free Fridays pinterest board! I hope to have you back next week 🙂 Cindy
I have a question. Do you simmer the brine and do a hot water bath?
I don’t. There is no need to can these if you keep them in the fridge and use them within 6 months. But if you would like to can them, you certainly can!
I made this recipe but for some reason they got slimy. What did I do wrong? I put the covers onto tight maybe? If you can think of a reason I would be happy to hear what you have to say. Thanks ~Sue~
Sorry Sue, here’s something I found on http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09304.html
“Soft, slippery or slimy pickles are spoiled and should be destroyed so spoiled contents cannot be eaten by people or animals. Problems such as insufficient heat treatment and poor jar seals lead to spoilage. Processing pickles in a boiling water bath and using standard canning jars with new lids will help prevent these problems. Other factors that lead to spoilage include failure to remove blossom ends, failure to thoroughly wash products to be pickled, not removing the scum that accumulates on curing brines, using a weak brine or vinegar solution, not keeping the pickles covered with brine throughout the curing process, using deteriorated ingredients such as moldy garlic or decayed spices, or storing the pickles at too warm a temperature.”
Is the pickling spice”T” for teaspoon or tablespoon?
Sorry, T is for tablespoon, t is for teaspoon.
Oh thank you for clarifying! I look forward to making these this weekend..we are very much a pickle family,spend quite a bit on buying them. This will help me tremendously save money!! 🙂
Outstanding! I gave these to colleagues as holiday gifts, and the green was a super pop of color with a red ribbon. People raved about your delicious recipe.
I don’t understand how these ferment in 3 days? Every other recipe (using the same ingedients) says to leave them out for AT LEAST 1 month or they will just taste like cucumbers. Can you please clarify? Thanks.
I made these but didn’t realize I wasn’t supposed to tighten the lids. When I took them out today they had some bubbling in the jars, like carbonation. Are these pickles okay or should I cut my losses and try again?
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I made 4 quarts a couple weeks ago and they are a HUGE hit, they are so delicious and so pretty in the jar too! I just made 8 more tonight, I put 1/2 of a jalapeño in 4 of them so I’m anxious to see how they turn out. Thanks for the recipe!!
I am so excited to try these! I made mine up today. One question though, are you supposed to boiled the jars at all?
I made these on Sunday and just took them out of the pantry today. There were a few pickles sticking out of the brine a bit and those parts were covered in white fuzzy mold!
I took those ones out and took out the mold but do you think its still safe to eat the rest? I tried one from a different jar which only had a tiny bit of mold and it was yum!
You can also buy store bread and butter pickles. Reserve the “juice” from the purchased ones…slice cukes, wait a couple days (refrigerated) ..wallah
Can white vinegar be used?
Mine fizzed when I opened them after a week. Are they ok?