Pork Free Quick Refrigerator Dill Pickles
Crisp, garlicky, and loaded with fresh dill, these refrigerator pickles are the kind of snack that disappears fast once the jar hits the fridge. The brine is a simple mix of distilled white vinegar, water, kosher salt, and a touch of sugar ā no complicated canning process, no special equipment beyond a couple of wide-mouth mason jars. Smashed garlic, black peppercorns, mustard seeds, and optional red pepper flakes give every spear a bold, layered flavor that store-bought pickles rarely match. One small but important trick ā trimming the blossom end of each cucumber before packing ā keeps the texture satisfyingly crunchy rather than soft. You can go with spears for snacking straight from the jar or slice them into rounds if you're stacking them on sandwiches and burgers. They're lightly tangy after 24 hours and seriously good by the 48-to-72-hour mark, so a little patience pays off. The ingredient list is completely transparent, which makes it easy to confirm everything on the table is exactly what it should be.
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Learn more āIngredients
8 servings
- 2 lbs pickling cucumbers (about 8ā10 small)
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 1 bunch fresh dill (about 6ā8 sprigs)
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- Ā½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
For the brine
- 1 Ā½ cups distilled white vinegar
- 1 Ā½ cups water
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
Instructions
- 1
Trim 1/8 inch off the blossom end (the end opposite the stem) of each cucumber ā this removes enzymes that can soften the pickles. Cut the cucumbers lengthwise into quarters to make spears, or slice into 1/4-inch rounds if you prefer chips.
- 2
Divide the garlic, dill sprigs, black peppercorns, mustard seeds, and red pepper flakes (if using) evenly between two clean wide-mouth quart mason jars. Pack the cucumber spears in vertically, fitting them snugly.
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