How to Make Easy Refrigerator Pickles

Pickling cucumbers allows you to preserve some of summer's produce.

Cucumbers have been pickled for centuries, even Aristotle praised them. Make your own dill, spicy or kosher pickles without cooking or canning. Ice box, or refrigerator, pickles need to brine for several days and will keep for several weeks.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• 1 very large jar (2 quarts or bigger)
• 6 c. Cucumbers sliced
• 1 c. Onions
• 1 c. White vinegar
• 2 c. Sugar
• 1 tsp. Celery seed
• 1 tsp. Mustard seed
• 1 tsp. Sea salt
• Dill weed or chili peppers (optional)

1. Crisp pickle slices enhance a deli sandwich. Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images

   Slice 6 cups of cucumbers as thin as you can get them. Slice 1 cup of onions as thin as you can get them.

2. Combine the vinegar, sugar and spices. Add other spices to your taste, such as dill weed or chile peppers. Place the cucumbers and onions in the large jar.

3. Pour the vinegar mixture over the pickles and onions so it covers them. Seal the jar.

4. Place the jar in the refrigerator. Stir or shake daily for six days.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have never made pickles before, the cucumbers will initially look dry. It takes several hours for the pickles to make their juice.

• If you have never made pickles before, you may think you have made a mistake. They will initially look dry. It takes several hours for the pickles to make their juice.

References

• Seasonal Chef: Two Quick No-Cook Pickle Recipes
• All Recipes.com: Homemade Refrigerator Pickles