Refrigerator Pickles (aka Quickles)

There’s nothing quite as satisfying as making your own pickles at home, and refrigerator pickles are as easy as it gets. They’re zesty, crunchy and–best of all–fast. That’s why they’re called quickles!

I could go on for days about my obsession with pickles, but–in the name quickles–I’m going to keep it brief. Let’s get quickling!

How to Make Refrigerator Pickles

Start by slicing about a pound of pickling cucumbers into 1/4 inch rounds.

Find a clean quart-sized canning jar and place a couple of sliced garlic cloves, a few springs of fresh dill, mustard seeds peppercorns and some crushed red pepper in the bottom of the jar.

Pack the cucumber slices in the jar as tightly as possible, leaving some space at the top of the jar.

Meanwhile, bring 1 cup of white vinegar, 1 cup of water and two teaspoons of pickling salt to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir until the salt is completely dissolved.

Carefully pour the hot brine into the jar until the cucumbers are fully submerged.

Cover the jar, allow it to cool slightly, then transfer it to the fridge.

Wait 12-24 hours for the pickles to achieve optimum flavor, but they should last up to 4-6 weeks. I’ve never run into this issue because they are usually gone within a few days.

Answers to Some Common Refrigerator Pickle Questions

Do I need to use pickling cucumbers?

Pickling cucumbers do make the best pickles because, well…they were born to be pickles. But other varieties like English cucumbers make good substitutions. Just try to avoid pickling any cucumbers with thick, waxy skin.

Can I pickle other vegetables?

Absolutely! You can use this basic brine recipe to pickle almost anything. Just slice any harder vegetables like carrots or radishes thinner so that they soften quicker.

Can I use a different vinegar?

Sure! I like the tang that distilled white vinegar provides, but alternatives like rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or white wine vinegar all make great pickles.

What is pickling salt?

Pickling salt is nothing more than finely ground pure salt. It doesn’t contain any additives or anti-caking agents. You can usually find it in the canning section of any grocery store or on Amazon here.

Salt with additives makes pickles cloudy and not very appealing. Kosher salt is the next best thing to pickling salt (I recommend Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt).

Happy Quickling!

More Pickling Recipes

• Pickled Okra
• Pickled Beet Eggs
• Easy Pickled Hakurei Turnips

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