Easy Refrigerator Pickles

One of our favorite activities to do as a family (or as a date) on a Saturday morning is walk through the local farmers market. Every week different fruits and vegetables are available to sample and buy; a tangible reminder of the rhythm of the seasons. Last week, I was thrilled to see tiny pickling cucumbers at almost every stall! I immediately bought four baskets and made plans to turn them into pickles as soon as possible.

Refrigerator pickles may be the easiest thing you can do with a canning jar - no boiling, pressurizing, or fussing. With just a couple of measurements and a little mixing, you can have beautiful jars of pickles ready for an after-school snack or your next cookout.

These pickles aren’t canned, so you’ll need to keep them in the refrigerator at all times; they’ll keep for several weeks unopened. Let them sit for a few days to become “pickley,” but then enjoy!

Ingredients:

Small cucumbers

3 c. water

6 T. white vinegar

3 T. kosher salt

1 T pickling spice (Ball brand) per jar

½ t. minced garlic per jar

Fresh dill

Instructions:

1. Wash cucumbers well and pack into pint jars. If you hold the jar on its side, it’s easier to slide the cucumbers in tightly.

2. Add 1 T pickling spice, ½ t. garlic, and one or two sprigs of fresh dill to each jar.

3. In a large measuring cup, mix the water, vinegar, and salt. Stir well to dissolve salt. Pour into each jar until nearly full. Depending on how many cucumbers you have, you may need to make more brine.

4. Seal each jar with a lid, shake gently, and store in the refrigerator immediately.

What are your favorite things to buy at the farmers market? Let us know in the comments!

Blessings,

April & Abby from everydaytable.org