Don't want to wait days or weeks to enjoy homemade pickles?
Easy Refrigerator Pickles are a quick version ready to eat in just a
matter of hours! Made with a mixture of vinegar, garlic, turmeric, and other traditional
pickling spices, Easy Refrigerator Pickles are packed with fabulous flavor.
-- And whipping up a batch takes hardly any effort at all.
Want to enjoy the great taste of homemade pickles, but don't want to wait weeks for them to be ready? Or, have you got a bunch of garden-fresh cucumbers coming in that you're looking for tasty ways to enjoy? Then give this super easy Refrigerator Pickles recipe a try!
Refrigerator pickles are made and flavored with a vinegar brine using a quick-pickle method, but are not processed or canned with a water bath to make them shelf-stable. They're ready to eat within just a few hours of being made, and are stored in the refrigerator for up to about 4 weeks.
Their fabulous flavor and quick preparation method make them a family favorite and amazing way to enjoy all those summer cucumbers from the garden.
A batch of tasty Refrigerator Pickles is super easy to make -- truly requiring hardly any effort at all. Simply thinly slice a bunch of cucumbers, and layer the slices in a large glass bowl with thinly sliced onions. Then heat a simple vinegar-based brine and pour the hot brine over the cucumbers and onions. That's it!
Let the brined pickles cool to room temperature, then chill them in the refrigerator for 4 hours. -- After this brief brining time, you're ready to dig in and enjoy their deliciousness.
Easy Refrigerator Pickles are a quick version ready to eat in just a matter of hours!
What's to Love About This Recipe?
- Super easy to make - Whipping up a batch of Refrigerator Pickles takes hardly any effort at all! Just slice up some cucumbers and onions, heat up a simple vinegar brine, and pour the hot brine over the cucs. -- That's truly all there is to it.
- Quick - Don't want to wait days or weeks to enjoy your homemade pickles? Easy Refrigerator Pickles are a quick version that are ready to eat in just 4-5 hours.
- Fabulous flavor - Made with a mixture of vinegar, garlic, turmeric, other traditional pickling spices, and crushed red pepper (if you like some heat!), Easy Refrigerator Pickles are packed with fabulous pickle flavor.
- Great way to enjoy those garden cucumbers - If you've got lots of cucumbers from the garden, this easy Refrigerator Pickles recipe is for you! They're a wonderful way to enjoy those cucumbers, for sure.
- Keep for up to 4 weeks - Mix up a batch of Refrigerator Pickles, and enjoy them for up to 4 weeks. -- They'll keep just fine stored in the refrigerator for up to a month.
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Easy Refrigerator Pickles Ingredients:
This Refrigerator Pickles recipe has two components: 1. the pickles themselves, and 2. the vinegar-based brine. To whip up a batch you'll need:
For the pickles:
- Pickling cucumbers - Pickling cucumbers are the ones that are shorter and stouter than regular cucumbers. They have thinner skins, a crunchy texture, and smaller seeds, all of which are characteristics that make them perfect for pickles. -- Think Kirby, Boston Pickling, and most homegrown cucumbers, just to name a few. If you don't have your own homegrown, pickling cucumbers can be found in most grocery stores.
- Onions - Bring flavor, and get pickled right along with the cucs! Any type of onion can be used, however we usually use sweet Vidalia or mild white onions.
- White vinegar - Forms the base of the pickling brine. We recommend sticking with white vinegar rather than using other vinegar varieties, as white vinegar provides a more straightforward "cleaner" flavor base for the other pickling ingredients in the brine.
- Fresh garlic - A key ingredient in creating a true pickle flavor. Thinly slice fresh garlic cloves (rather than leaving them whole) to fully release their flavor in this quick-pickle method.
- Sugar - A bit of granulated sugar tones down and "smooths out" the vinegar flavor in the brine.
- Salt - Enhances the flavor of the finished pickles. In a true canning process, salt also serves as a preservative for the pickles. Since Refrigerator Pickles are stored in the refrigerator for only up to 4 weeks, instead of in jars for a significantly longer period of time, salt serves soley a flavor role in this recipe.
- Mustard seeds - A traditional pickling spice, mustard seeds bring that signature sharp, zingy flavor to the pickle brine.
- Celery seeds - A spice made from the seeds of wild celery plants, celery seeds are also a traditional pickling spice. They add a strong, distinct flavor to pickles that is difficult to replicate with any other ingredient.
- Ground turmeric - Brings a distinctive earthy flavor and the yellow color to these Refrigerator Pickles. Ground turmeric is a spice made from the roots of the turmeric plant, and is generally bright yellow in color.
- Black pepper - Enhances the pickles' flavor, bringing its signature peppery flavor to the mix.
- Crushed red pepper - Crushed red pepper flakes bring the heat to the brine and finished pickles. The full 1/4 teaspoon called for in this refrigerator pickles recipe makes finished pickles that are quite spicy. If you don't want spicy pickles, use just a pinch. If you don't want any "heat" at all in your refrigerator pickles, omit the crushed red pepper altogether.
How to Make Easy Refrigerator Pickles:
It takes hardly any effort at all to whip up a big bowl of Easy Refrigerator Pickles. And what's even better than that, is you'll be enjoying their deliciousness in just a few hours after they're made.
To get a batch going, start by thinly slicing about 6 cups of cucumbers and about 2 cups of onions. Layer the cucumber and onion slices together in a large glass bowl.
Next, heat up the pickling brine. -- Combine some white vinegar, sliced garlic cloves, sugar, salt, mustard seeds, celery seeds, ground turmeric, black pepper, and crushed red pepper (if you like some heat in your pickles!) in a small saucepan, stirring them together until they're well mixed. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and cook everything together for 1 minute.
Immediately pour the hot vinegar mixture over the cucumber/onion mixture in the bowl -- do not stir the cucumber and onion layers, just leave them be. If the hot vinegar mixture doesn't completely cover and submerge all of the cucumbers and onions when you pour it over them, don't worry. -- As the cucumbers and onions sit and soften in the vinegar mixture, they will all eventually be submerged.
Let all of this cool to room temperature. Then cover and chill the pickles for at least 4 hours before serving.
When ready to enjoy, give the pickles a little stir to mix the cucumber and onion layers together. At this point, the Refrigerator Pickles can be enjoyed immediately or stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.
Recipe FAQs:
- What are pickling cucumbers? - Pickling cucumbers are the ones that are shorter and stouter than regular cucumbers. They have thinner skins, a crunchy texture, and smaller seeds, all of which are characteristics that make them perfect for pickles. -- Think Kirby, Boston Pickling, and most homegrown cucumbers, just to name a few.
- What is the best type of cucumber to use to make refrigerator pickles? - We think the best cucumbers to use to make refrigerator pickles are small homegrown cucumbers straight from the garden! If you don't have your own homegrown cucumbers, pickling cucumbers from the grocery store are also a great option. Pickling cucumbers, such as Kirby or Boston Pickling, can be found in most grocery stores.
- Why do these easy Refrigerator Pickles turn yellow? - Easy Refrigerator Pickles get their yellow color from the ground turmeric in their brine. Ground turmeric is a spice made from the roots of the turmeric plant, and is generally bright yellow in color.
- How long before you can eat Refrigerator Pickles? - Easy Refrigerator Pickles are ready to eat in just 4 hours. Their flavor will continue to develop and deepen after this time, and can be enjoyed for up to 4 weeks after they're made.
- How long can you keep Refrigerator Pickles? - Refrigerator Pickles can be stored in the refrigerator and enjoyed for up to 4 weeks.
Check out these other super tasty cucumber recipes:
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Yield: about 6 cups
Easy Refrigerator Pickles
Don't want to wait days or weeks to enjoy homemade pickles? Easy Refrigerator Pickles are a quick version ready to eat in just a matter of hours! Made with a mixture of vinegar, garlic, turmeric, and other traditional pickling spices, Easy Refrigerator Pickles are packed with fabulous flavor. -- And whipping up a batch takes hardly any effort at all.
Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 5 MinInactive time: 5 HourTotal time: 5 H & 25 M
Ingredients
- about 2 lbs. pickling cucumbers (to yield 6 cups, sliced)
- 2 c. thinly sliced onion
- 1 1/2 c. white vinegar
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 3/4 c. granulated sugar
- 3/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp. celery seeds
- 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- a pinch to 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper*
Instructions
- Slice (unpeeled) cucumbers thinly to yield 6 cups of slices. In a large glass bowl, layer 1/2 of the cucumber slices and then 1/2 of the onion slices. Repeat layers with remaining cucumber slices and onion slices. Set aside.
- Combine vinegar and all remaining ingredients (sliced garlic cloves, sugar, salt, mustard seeds, celery seeds, turmeric, black pepper, and crushed red pepper) in a small saucepan; stir until well mixed. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for 1 minute.
- Immediately pour hot vinegar mixture over cucumber/onion mixture (do not stir the cucumber and onion layers). Let cool to room temperature.
- Cover and chill at least 4 hours before serving.
- Pickles may be stored in the refrigerator for up to one month.
TRACEY'S NOTES:
- Pickling cucumbers are the ones that are shorter and stouter than regular cucumbers. They have thinner skins, a crunchy texture, and smaller seeds, all of which are characteristics that make them perfect for pickles. -- Think Kirby, Boston Pickling, and most homegrown cucumbers, just to name a few.
- *The full 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper makes finished refrigerator pickles that are quite spicy. If you don't want spicy pickles, use just a pinch of crushed red pepper. If you don't want any "heat" at all in your refrigerator pickles, omit it altogether.
- Any type of onion can be used, however I usually use sweet Vidalia or mild white onions.
- If the hot vinegar mixture doesn't completely cover and submerge all of the cucumbers and onions when you pour it over them, don't worry. -- As the cucumbers and onions sit and soften in the vinegar mixture, they will all eventually be submerged.
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ReplyDeleteI love pickles, but sadly they are not embraced by Australians as they are in the US. I'm definitely trying this recipe.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your refrigerator pickles recipe at Create, Bake, Grow & Gather this week. I'm delighted to be featuring it at the party tomorrow and pinning too.
Hugs,
Kerryanne
I just made these and I love the taste and how pretty they look in my jar. I will use Less or no celery seed, next time. A little of this goes a long way.
ReplyDelete