Quick Easy & Delicious Refrigerator Dill Pickles
Hey there friend! Are you looking for a way to use up all those pickles from your garden WITHOUT pressure canning them? Look no further than these quick, easy, & delicious refrigerator dill pickles! No water baths, no jar sterilization, just chop, dump, brine, and seal!
Not only are they a great way to preserve your harvest, but they’re also a delicious and refreshing snack that you can enjoy all summer long.
Don’t Say I Didn’t Warn You
Pickle-Makers Beware: These pickles are magic and will change your life. And your expectations- a store bought pickle will never be able to compare. You may also notice that your children, (even your teenagers), will choose to be around you and talk to you when these pickles are accessible.
Two years ago I had a jar of these open on the counter for the kids to snack on. In a matter of minutes, I had three high-school aged boys sitting in my kitchen telling me about their lives. Crazy, right?
Let’s Get To It
To make refrigerator pickles, you will need a few things:
Ingredients (Jump to Recipe below for Specific Measurements)
- Cucumbers (of course!)
- Vinegar
- Water
- Kosher Salt (Coarse)
- Sugar
- Fresh Dill
- Garlic Cloves
- Pickling Spice
Tools:
- Crinkle Cut Slicer, (optional)
- Quart Sized, Wide Mouth Mason Jars
- Large Liquid Measuring Cup with Pour Spout, Heat Resistant
“A Pickle Party”
This year, our nephew, joined us as we made our first batch of the season (along with some pickled jalapeños and banana peppers!) He enjoys cooking with me when he comes over, so I knew this would be a really fun activity to do together.
We started planning our “pickle party” (as he preciously dubbed this gathering) a few weeks ago. He exclaimed “We can have a pickle party! That will be so fun. Can we get green balloons? And green sleeping bags?!”
So yes, my friends. That is exactly what we did. Life is short. Celebrate the little things! (Note: if you are looking for some nice and CHEAP sleeping bags, Academy Sports has this one for $9.99… and that isn’t even a sale price! Grab yours here. Ps, this is not sponsored by Academy. I just had to share that steal of a deal with y’all!)
Our pickle party started by picking our cucumbers off of our vines. We harvested two large cucumbers and five cute little gherkins! The perfect amount for two quarts of pickles. One quart of spears and one quart of crinkle cut rounds!
Ingredients Explained
Cucumbers
Truthfully, you can use any kind of cucumber you want. We love to use a pickling variety because they are smaller (typically), wider in diameter, and have a thinner skin. Perfect for delectable pickles! You can read more about the differences between traditional cucumbers and pickling varieties here.
We LOVE to grow our own, too. We planted our first crop (from seedlings) during Spring 2020 when everyone was stuck quarantined inside thanks to the *you-know-what*. It was a great excuse to get outside with our kiddos and focus on something new and exciting. We had no idea what to expect, but they were surprisingly simple and produced a huge yield during the first season!
Vinegar
I prefer to use white vinegar as I usually have a large amount on hand since we use it for a variety of purposes around the house. Apple cider vinegar or any sort of wine vinegar may be used if you prefer. I have not tried this recipe with either of those, so I can’t personally attest to the results.
Water
I prefer to use filtered water for anything and everything we consume. That is my family’s preference. We have a Royal Berkey Water Filter (and love it!) so we just use that water. I can only assume that using filtered water leads to a bit of a longer shelf life, but I haven’t done the research.
Salt
Kosher, coarse grain, non-iodized salt is what you want. Iodized varieties can cause your veggies to become discolored. Be sure to check the ingredients in your salt before you purchase. The one I have linked is perfect.
If you opt for a store bought kosher salt, it should be fine, too. Just be aware that most store bought kosher salt will be made with a non-caking additive added. This will not hurt your precious pickles, but it may cause your brine to become cloudy.
Sugar
Nothing fancy here, just plain old granulated sugar!
Fresh Dill Weed
Fresh dill is one of those herbs that, as soon as I catch a whiff, I have a smile on my face. Obviously, for a dill pickle recipe, we need dill! If you grow your own herbs, why not put those babies to use? If you don’t have any on hand, you can find fresh dill in the produce section of most grocery stores! Dried dill weed will work in a pinch, but if you’re going with a shelf-stable variety, freeze dried is best. Freeze dried varieties will have a stronger flavor and aroma than traditionally dried dill.
Garlic Cloves
Last, but certainly not least, fresh garlic cloves. Pungent and packed with flavor, adding fresh garlic cloves will elevate your pickle game for sure. Chop finely and disperse through the jar evenly so your pickles absorb even flavor!
Instructions For Making Refrigerator Dill Pickles
Assembling the Jars
Simply start by slicing your cucumbers into rounds or spears. I remove the ends (especially on the spears), so they fit nice and snug in the jar. Place slices into jars, leaving roughly an inch, to an inch and a half of space between the top of your pickles and the top of the opening of the jar.
Finely chop your freshly peeled garlic and disperse evenly throughout the jars. Next, stuff the dill sprigs between the spears and disperse between the rounds, using both the stems and the dill leaves. Don’t worry about going overboard on the dill. These are quick, easy, & delicious refrigerator DILL pickles, after all. Add your salt and pickling spices, and your pickles are ready to brine!
Making the Brine
On medium-high heat, mix together vinegar, water, and sugar. Bring to a boil, allow to boil for one minute, then reduce heat and simmer for fifteen minutes. After simmering, transfer brine to your heat resistant liquid measuring cup and allow it to come to room temperature. (Note: You can pour the brine into your jars immediately if you’d like, but it will make for a a mushier texture.
Once the brine has cooled, carefully pour into jars over pickles covering entirely. It is important that no pickles are left sticking out of the brine. Tightly close the lids on your jars and give each jar a shake to mix the salt and spices with the brine. Transfer jars to the refrigerator and let settle. (Note: Pickles can be consumed after settling for 24 hours. For best results, allow pickles to settle for one week!)
Voila! You now have quick, easy, & delicious refrigerator dill pickles!
Spice Up Your Life, Dill Pickle Style
But wait, there’s more! Not only are refrigerator pickles easy to make, but they’re also a great canvas for your creativity. Want to spice things up? Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a sliced jalapeño to the mix. Feeling adventurous? Try this technique (sans dill) with some fresh-from-your-garden peppers!
Actually, we harvested a few jalapeños and banana peppers from our garden today. So, I pickled a small jar of each to have on hand. We love jalapeños on taco/nacho nights and banana peppers on pizza are my absolute fave. Plus, both are such easy (and yummy) snacks!
The next time you find yourself with an abundance of cucumbers from your garden, don’t let them go to waste! Whip up a batch of quick and easy refrigerator pickles and enjoy a tasty snack all summer long. Happy pickling!
Quick, Easy, & Delicious Refrigerator Dill Pickles
Looking for a simple, tasty snack? Try these refrigerator dill pickles – they're quick to make and perfect for any occasion! Here's how to create them:
Ingredients
- cucumbers, pickling variety (2 quarts, chopped)
- 1.5 cups vinegar
- 6 cups water
- 4 tbsp kosher, non-iodized salt (coarse)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 8 sprigs fresh dill
- 6-8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 4 tbsp pickling spice
Instructions
1. Simply start by slicing your cucumbers into rounds or spears. I remove the ends (especially on the spears), so they fit nice and snug in the jar. Place slices into jars, leaving roughly an inch, to an inch and a half of space between the top of your pickles and the top of the opening of the jar.
2. Finely chop your freshly peeled garlic and disperse evenly throughout the jars. Next, stuff the dill sprigs between the spears and disperse between the rounds, using both the stems and the dill leaves.
3. Add your salt and pickling spices, and your pickles are ready to brine!
4. On medium-high heat, mix together vinegar, water, and sugar. Bring to a boil, allow to boil for one minute, then reduce heat and simmer for fifteen minutes.
5. After simmering, transfer brine to your heat resistant liquid measuring cup and allow it to come to room temperature.
6. Once the brine has cooled, carefully pour into jars over pickles covering entirely. It is important that no pickles are left sticking out of the brine.
7. Tightly close the lids on your jars and give each jar a shake to mix the salt and spices with the brine.
8. Transfer jars to the refrigerator and let settle.
Notes
1. You can pour the brine into your jars immediately if you'd like, but it will make for a a mushier texture.
2. Pickles can be consumed after settling for 24 hours. For best results, allow pickles to settle for one week!
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size: 4 spearsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 23Total Fat: <1gCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: <1g
