Cucumber Dill Refrigerator Pickles

This post was supposed to happen last weekend. But life happened, I fell sick and it took me a week to recover so here I am again with the list of never-ending excuses! But I’m sure you guys understand. Anyways… Let’s get on with the post. You’ve waited long enough!

You would think that I am a little late with this particular post.. Summer is the time for pickling. But don’t you worry… I’ve got this covered for ya! This refrigerator pickle can be made any time of the year. As long as you get cucumbers and fresh dill! And if you’re in super-cold parts of the world, then dill seeds would work perfectly too! Don’t like cucumbers? (As if it’s even possible!!), use jalapeno peppers, beetroots*, carrots* or red peppers. They would be equally delicious if not more!

*These vegetables will need 30-60 seconds of quick blanching in boiling water before they can be pickled for better flavor-absorption.

This was my first time making pickles. Little veggies in jars with vinegar. So much happiness!! I was quite nervous and excited at the same time, so I started reading a lot on the subject (In short, I Googled a lot!) before taking the plunge. I suggest you do the same. It’s a whole new world! Thankfully I was not canning. Made just a small batch considering small size of my refrigerator. It turned out to be pretty easy! Nothing to be afraid of.. So rinse away some glass jars and ease our way in this new world of quick pickles.

The only place you’ll struggle is waiting before digging in. Yes, 48 crucial hours before you can munch on these. Have patience and this too shall pass! 🙂

I short-listed 2 recipes online. Both seemed easy and great but different in terms of the usage of vinegar. I like my pickles tart hence I used the recipe calling for more vinegar. The changes I made are, I used fresh dill instead of dill seeds and added some sugar to the brine and that is how I liked it. You can click on the link below to check the original recipe. I would try the second recipe next time around. It will please those who thinks there is ridiculous amount of vinegar used in my recipe below. 😉 The link for less vinegary recipe is at the end of the post.

Enjoy! Happy Weekend!

Cucumber Dill Refrigerator Pickles

Recipe adapted from The Kitchn

Yields: 2 pints

Ingredients:

• 600 gm / 1.5 pounds cucumbers (Around 3 medium sized)
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 1 Tbsp pickling salt (I used sea salt)
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled (2 per jar)
• 1/4 tsp red chili flakes per jar
• 10-12 sprigs of fresh dill per jar
• 1/2 tsp black peppercorns per jar

Directions:

1. Wash and cut the cucumbers. Leave the skin on but wash thoroughly to ensure that there’s no dirt on them. Cut them in either slices or spears.
2. In a medium saucepan, bring vinegar, water, pickling salt and sugar to a simmer. Once simmering, remove from heat.
3. Divide the spices and dill sprigs among 2 or 3 clean glass jars. The number of jars depend upon the size of the jar you’re using.
4. Add the sliced cucumbers and pack tightly. Do not pack very hard to bruise the cucumbers. Pour warm brine in each jar, leaving approximately 1/2-inch headspace.
5. Tap jars gently on countertop to dislodge any trapped air-bubbles. Apply lids and let jars cool to room temperature. Place jars in refrigerator and let them sit for at least 48-hours before eating. Pickles will last for up to 1 month at least.

You may also want to try: Refrigerator Dill Pickle from Annie’s eats