How To Make Refrigerator Pickles

Do you have an excess of fresh cucumbers?

Refrigerator pickles are a very simple and quite quick way to preserve them. 

The process is very simple. Fresh cucumbers cut how you'd like them packed into clean jars and pour over a hot brine. hot brine and some jars. 

To boost the flavor of your soon to be pickles, add some pickling spice or other favorites to your jars. My choice of flavors is quite simple: some black peppercorns, smashed garlic, and some fresh dill. 

Another important component is to add a crisping agent, and I've had great luck with Mrs Wages Xtra Crunch. These newer crisping agents are simply calcium chloride rather than the alum used heavily by our parents and grandparents. The FDA doesn't recommend using alum any longer and this option seems to work well without the need for additional chemicals.

Pack your jars. Bring the brine to a boil, pour the hot brine over the cucumbers, put on a lid, stash them in the fridge for a day (or few), then enjoy. See below for the brine recipe.

Refrigerator pickles are good if kept in the fridge for a few months, but if your family is like ours, they won't last anywhere close to that long.

Here is the recipe I like for my brine. We love salty dill pickles around our house. These pickles may end up a little too salty for some. Feel free to half the salt if you prefer a less salty pickle. 

1 1/2 cups white distilled vinegar (5% acetic acid)

1/2 gallon water

1/2 cup Kosher Salt

This will make enough brine for about 3 or 4 quarts of tightly packed pickles. Double or triple the recipe for more. Make sure that the water to vinegar proportions are preserved though to ensure the pH is low enough for adequate preservation.