BHA & BHT Free Quick Classic Pickled Cucumbers
Crisp, tangy, and loaded with the kind of bright flavor that makes everything on the plate taste better, these quick pickled cucumbers are a refrigerator staple worth making on repeat. Store-bought pickles are a surprisingly common source of synthetic preservatives like BHA and BHT, which sneak into the brine or the jar lining without much fanfare on the label. Making your own from scratch puts you completely in control — and this recipe keeps the ingredient list clean and honest, with nothing but fresh cucumbers, white vinegar, whole spices, and a handful of aromatics. The salting step is a small but smart move that draws out excess moisture, so the slices stay genuinely crisp rather than going soft in the brine. Whole black peppercorns, mustard seeds, fresh dill, and smashed garlic do all the heavy lifting on flavor, giving you that classic deli-style complexity without any shortcuts. After just 30 minutes in the fridge, you have a bright, punchy condiment ready to pile onto sandwiches, serve alongside grilled proteins, or eat straight from the jar.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 2 medium english cucumbers (about 1 ½ lb total), thinly sliced
- 1 tsp kosher salt
For the brine
- ¾ cup white vinegar
- ¾ cup water
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- 3 sprigs fresh dill
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
Instructions
- 1
Toss the sliced cucumbers with 1 tsp kosher salt in a colander set over the sink. Let them stand for 10 minutes, then pat dry with paper towels — this draws out excess moisture so the brine stays bright and the slices stay crisp.
- 2
Combine the white vinegar, water, sugar, 1 tsp kosher salt, peppercorns, and mustard seeds in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar and salt are fully dissolved, about 2–3 minutes, then remove from the heat.
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