Spicy Refrigerator Pickles
These spicy refrigerator pickles are the best of both worlds: classic crisp, garlicky, dilly cukes leveled up with our homemade pickling spice blend, but without all the work of canning. They're a breeze to make and keep well in the fridge for a month, if they last that long.
Servings: 2 quarts
Calories: 1kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups (475 ml) water
- 1 cup (240 ml) apple cider vinegar (5% acidity)
- 1 cups (240 ml) distilled white vinegar (5% acidity)
- 34 grams kosher salt see note for volumes
- ¼ cup homemade pickling spice
- 8 cloves garlic smashed
- ½ cup (4 grams) fresh dill sprigs
- 2 pounds (900 grams) cucumbers
Instructions
- Stir together the water, vinegars, and salt in a medium pot and heat until salt is completely dissolved. Turn off and let cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, place two tablespoon of pickling spice, four garlic cloves, and ¼ cup dill sprigs into each jar.
- Cut the cucumbers into spears or slices.
- Pack the cucumbers tightly into the jars.
- Pour brine into jars to cover the cucumbers.
- Leave to cool at room temperature.
- Position the lids and rings on the jars and tighten.
- Refrigerate for at least 24 hours, up to one month.
Notes
- You can use any cucumbers you like. My favorites are mini seedless cucumbers (like these), which have a nice thin skin and great size, shape, and texture. Kirby cukes are traditional for pickling. They're also small and very crisp, and tend to have thicker, bumpier skin. Persian or English cucumbers are also a great choice, as is most anything you grow in your garden or find at the farmers' market.
- (34 grams) is 4 tablespoons of Diamond Crystal kosher salt and 2 ½ tablespoons Morton's kosher salt.
- Using the ratios in our pickling spice, they have a very gentle heat. To make them spicier, you can add as many more chili flakes as you like, or slice one jalapeño pepper and add it to the jar with the pickles, seeds and all.
- Our pickling spice recipe and brine are both designed to enhance a wide variety of vegetables. Try thinly sliced zucchini, blanched green beans, carrots, and more. I prefer my brine without any sweetness, but depending on the vegetable and your preferences, you can add a few tablespoons of sugar if you like.
- This recipe will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month. Truth be told, pickles rarely last that long in our household.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 1kcal | Sodium: 315mg