Fresh, crunchy, and delicious, homemade Refrigerator Dill Pickles are the perfect snack and sandwich companion. Made with basic ingredients in just a few simple steps, this tasty recipe features a savory, well seasoned brine that's incredibly easy to make. Once you try it, you'll never go back to store bought!
I have always loved dill pickles. Okay, that love is actually bordering on obsession😁.
I've been known to sneak crunchy pickle chunks into creamy summer salads, like Macaroni Salad and Chicken Salad. And no Mississippi Chicken sandwich or burger ever tasted as good as when it was topped with a pickle.
But the day I perfected this easy refrigerator dill pickle recipe was a total game changer. Oh, that fresh dilly, garlic-y flavor and awesome salty crunch!
And here's the good news: this recipe is super EASY. Since it's a refrigerator recipe, no canning knowledge or extra steps are needed.
Even better, you only need to wait a few hours to start enjoying these wonderfully flavored briny delights! How long before the first jar is devoured in your house?
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👪Why you'll love it
| Extend your summer harvest- If you grow a lot of cucumbers, you might be running out things to do with them. When you turn them into refrigerator dill pickles, you extend their freshness up to 1 month (though, because they're so tasty, they probably won't last that long 😉). No fancy equipment needed- While I do recommend investing in wide mouth mason jars (found in most grocery stores), you most likely have all the other kitchen tools already needed. Brine and jars are reusable- That's right. Once all the pickles are out of the jar, you can pop fresh cucumbers in, saving you time and ingredients! (Please read my Top tip below to ensure food safety.) |
🥘Ingredients
- Persian/aka "mini cucumbers" or "mini cukes"- if you've been browsing pickle recipes, you most likely saw Kirby cucumbers recommended. While you can certainly use them in this recipe, I actually prefer Persian/mini cukes because they're smaller. Persians offer the same benefits as Kirbys (thin, edible skin and very tiny seeds).
- fresh garlic- slice or smash for best flavor
- jalapeño- I like my pickles a little on the spicy side; if spicy isn't your thing, simply omit
- fresh dill- fresh sprigs are an absolute must for this recipe
- white distilled vinegar- the acidic part of the brine
- cold water
- sugar- just a little is needed to cut the acidity
- kosher or pickling salt- choose one of these options instead of iodized salt, which will make the brine cloudy
- peppercorns- I like using multicolored for visual appeal
See recipe card for quantities.
🔪Instructions
- Step 1: Gently boil vinegar, sugar, and salt. Remove from heat and add cold water; stir and keep cold until ready to pour.
- Step 2: Stuff two wide mouth mason jars with dill, garlic, and peppercorns.
- Step 3: Slice cucumbers and jalapeño in half lengthwise; then add 8 cucumber halves and 1 pepper half to each jar.
- Step 4: Pour cooled brine into each jar; seal and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours (though at least 24 hours is best).
Hint: It's much easier to add the cucumbers and jalapeño AFTER the herbs. When you reverse the order, it's hard to get the dill sprigs inside the jar.
📖Variations
- Spicy - Turn up the heat by adding sliced chili peppers and/or red pepper flakes
- Mild - Omit the jalapeño and consider adding a bay leaf for added flavor
- More seasoning - add 2 T. coriander and 1 T. mustard seed, divided between the 2 jars
See Pickled Red Bell Peppers and Pickled Asparagus for more super easy, refrigerator pickling recipes!
🍽Equipment
- small saucepan with lid- spouted pan is best for easier pouring (avoid aluminum, cast iron or copper pots, which will give the brine a metallic taste)
- chef's knife
- cutting board
- measuring spoons
- 2 (1 quart) wide mouthed mason jars with lids- sterilize jars and lids in boiling water for a ½ hour before using them, or run them through the dishwasher
- 4 cup capacity spouted measuring cup- for easier pouring into jars
🍶Storage
Keep refrigerator dill pickles in the fridge for up to 1 month. Best enjoyed after a minimum of 24 hours.
Please note that this is not a shelf stable recipe. It has not been tested for canning/shelf safety.
💭Top tip
When removing pickles from the jar, use a clean fork and do not touch the brine with your fingers. This keeps bacteria from your skin and nails out of the jar and keeps the pickles fresh for longer. This also means that you can reuse the brine for more pickled cucumbers! (You can also use the brine in other recipes, like potato salad or Chicken Salad for added flavoring.)
🗨️FAQ
Any vinegar with a minimum of 5% acidity will work, but to get a taste similar to deli pickles, use white distilled vinegar.
This is a more typical problem with shelf stable pickles, but I would suggest using the freshest and firmest cucumbers for any pickle recipe. It also helps if you cut off the very tip of the side opposite of the stem (the flowering end), which contains an enzyme that can break down a cucumber's fibers over time.
No, but since they aren't iodized, either salt can be used for pickling. Pickling salt is finer and dissolves easier in brine however.
🥄Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
🍴Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Refrigerator Dill Pickles:
📋Recipe
Refrigerator Dill Pickles
Equipment
- small saucepan with lid (avoid aluminum, cast iron or copper pots, which will give the brine a metallic taste)
- chef's knife
- cutting board
- measuring spoons
- 2 (1 quart) wide mouthed mason jars with lids (sterilize jars and lids in boiling water for a ½ hour before using them, or run them through the dishwasher)
- 4 cup capacity spouted measuring cup (for easier pouring into jars)
Ingredients
- 8 Persian/mini cucumbers
- 4 fresh garlic cloves
- 1 jalapeño pepper
- 16 fresh dill sprigs
- 1 & ½ cups white distilled vinegar
- 3 cups cold water
- 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoon kosher or pickling salt
- 2 tablespoon peppercorns
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, add vinegar, sugar, and salt; bring to a gentle boil and stir until sugar and salt dissolve. Remove from heat and add cold water. Keep chilled until ready to pour into jars.
- Add 8 dill sprigs, 2 sliced or mashed cloves of garlic, and 1 T. whole peppercorns to each mason jar.
- Cut cucumbers and jalapeño in half lengthwise. Add 8 cucumber halves and 1 pepper half to each jar.
- Pour the cooled brine into both jars, making sure that all contents are covered by the brine (you can add a little more cold water if needed).
- Seal jars and refrigerate. Pickles can start to be enjoyed after 4 hours, but for optimal flavor, enjoy after 24 hours.
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that nutritional information is provided by a third party service and is intended for guidance purposes only. KitchenReadyBetty.com makes no claims to its accuracy.
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