Quick Pickled Cucumbers | Easy Refrigerator Pickles Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How long does it take to pickle a cucumber in fridge? ›

Cover the cucumbers with the chilled brine. Cover and let sit in the refrigerator for about 24 hours, then serve. The pickles will keep in the fridge for up to one month. These pickles will disappear quickly and you'll likely get requests for more.

The basic ratio for quick pickles is 1:1 vinegar to water, and includes some combination of salt and sugar. Another ratio that is commonly followed is the 3:2:1 method, using three parts vinegar, two parts water, and 1 part sugar.

They are basically vegetables that are pickled and stored in the fridge in a brine of salt, vinegar, and water (sometimes sugar). The process takes a few minutes (my recipe takes 40 minutes), and once refrigerated, you can enjoy the tangy cukes the next day! And they will last in the fridge for up to 2 months.

You want to choose a milder rice or white wine vinegar when pickling pears or pineapple but could use something bolder such as red wine vinegar to pickle onions or cauliflower. One quick thing to caveat is that if you use red wine or sherry vinegar, it can give a soft pink hue to your pickles.

For best quality, pickle fruits or vegetables within 24 hours of harvest, or refrigerate for no more than a few days. Remove all blossoms from cucumbers and cut a 1/16-inch slice from the blossom end. The blossoms contain enzymes that can cause softening of the final product.

How long do refrigerator pickles last? Homemade refrigerated pickles last at least three to four weeks in the fridge, McClellan says. Any longer and the quality will start to decline. You'll notice the brine goes from clear to murky and cloudy, and the pickles start to lose their texture.

In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup water, 1 cup vinegar, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 2 teaspoons sugar. (Scale recipe up or down as needed.) Bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, pack vegetables into a large jar or a few small jars.

Shriveling happens most often in very sweet or sour pickles. Using too strong a salt, sugar or vinegar solution at the beginning of the pickling process causes shriveling. Measure ingredients carefully when preparing a cucumber pickle that requires the addition of sugar, vinegar or salt over a 3-day to 2-week time.

Because apple cider vinegar is made from apples rather than barley, corn rice or wine, it gives pickles a mellower taste. Using a white distilled vinegar, for example, will create a harsher flavour. But as well as being gentler on your palate, using apple cider vinegar also adds health benefits to pickles.

A: We want small pickling varieties, about the size of your thumb: Kirby, Gherkin, Mini-English (a new hydroponic variety found year round in larger supermarkets and big-box clubs). Skip the big, fat common varieties used for salads. Fresh is most important—it is hard to tell a three-day-old cucumber from a 13-day one.

How do you keep cucumbers fresh for 2 weeks? ›

Once you've washed and wrapped them, the best way to store cucumbers is in the crisper drawer (a.k.a. produce drawer) of your fridge, set on high humidity with the fan closed. High humidity helps the ethylene-sensitive fruit retain moisture and keeps it from wilting.

The light-white or clear coating of slime you may find on your cucumbers is a sign that the rotting process has begun, and it's just matter of time before they totally spoil.

Make the brine.

Place the vinegar, water, salt, and sugar (if using) in a small saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar. Pour the brine over the vegetables, filling each jar to within 1/2 inch of the top.

Brine base

You can then add any spices, herbs or sugar that you like! Quick Dill Pickles: 1 cup water, 1/2 cup vinegar, 1.5 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, 1/2 cup of fresh dill, 1 clove of garlic, and 2 cups of pickling cucumbers sliced thinly.

The most common method usually involves heating a combination of vinegar, spices, salt, and sugar in a pan: Start by adding whole spices to a pan and gently toasting them over a low heat until their aromas are released. Pour in your base vinegar and sugar. Bring it to the boil and let it simmer.

Begin sampling the cucumbers after 4 hours if you've quartered them, 8 hours if you've halved them. In either case, it will probably take from 12 to 24 or even 48 hours for them to taste pickled enough to suit your taste. When they are ready, transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate them in the brine.

Top the cucumbers with a few stacked lids or a resealable plastic bag filled with extra brine to keep them submerged. Place the airlock on top and secure it to the jar with the band. Store in a cool area (between 60 and 75F [15 and 24C]) for 3 to 5 days, or until the cucumbers taste like pickles.

To make refrigerator dill pickles, mix sliced cucumbers with vinegar, salt, sugar, dill, garlic and onion. Put them in a jar with a tight lid. Shake the jar a couple of times a day for five days. The pickles will be ready to eat in five days to one week.

Food Safety and Storage. Wash hands before and after handling fresh produce. For the highest quality pickle, plan to pickle within 24 hours of picking. Use only fresh, blemish-free cucumbers.