How to Make Refrigerator Pickles

We’ve been getting a lot of cucumbers in our CSA shares this summer! While cucumbers make for great dips, salads, and crunchy-cool snacks, it can sometimes be difficult to finish your fourth giant Armenian cucumber in a row. That’s where refrigerator pickles come in – refrigerator pickles are quick and easy to make and don’t require specialized knowledge of fermentation or canning. They’ll last up to two months in the fridge, prolonging their shelf life and taking the pressure off of to eat your cucumbers right away.

All you need to make refrigerator pickles are cucumbers, brine, and a jar. First, slice your cucumber(s) however you like – rounds, spears, and dices will all work here – and put them in a jar that’s large enough to hold both the cucumbers and the brine. Then, make your brine with water, vinegar, salt, and aromatics such as peppercorns, garlic, onion, and bay leaf (you can really get creative here and play with different flavor combinations). Pour the brine into your jar with the cucumbers, seal the lid, and place in the fridge for 48 hours before digging in. For more guidance, check out our recipe for Fresh Refrigerator Cucumbers, as well as this guide to pickling any vegetable from The Kitchn, and get to pickling!