The first time I tried this dill pickle recipe, I wondered why on earth I’d spent so many years buying pickles at the grocery store. Sure, store bought pickles can be tasty, but these little guys take dill pickles to a whole new level. They’re super easy to make (the refrigerator does most of the work for you!), and they taste awesome. They’re crisp, tangy, and refreshing, with an addictive garlic-dill flavor. Most often, I eat them as a snack right out of the fridge, but they’re delicious on sandwiches and veggie burgers too. If you like dill pickles, you’re going to love this recipe.
If you’re not in the mood for a sandwich, try adding your refrigerator pickles to a salad. I love to toss diced dill pickles into my Easy Macaroni Salad.
Last but not least, they’re delicious on their own! Enjoy them straight out of the fridge for a tangy, refreshing snack.
Easy Homemade Pickles
You’ll love these fresh homemade pickles! This recipe for dill refrigerator pickles is ready in 1 to 3 hours, depending on how you slice your cucumbers. Recipe yields 1 medium jar of pickles (about 2 cups sliced pickles or 16 spears).
Prep: 15min
Total: 15min
Yield: 1
Serving Size: 1 spear or about 5 rounds (info is approximate—I don’t know how much of the salt/sugar actually permeates the pickles but this accounts for their full amounts)
Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1 spear or about 5 rounds (info is approximate—I don’t know how much of the salt/sugar actually permeates the pickles but this accounts for their full amounts), calories 16 calories, Sugar 1.5 g, Sodium 219.4 mg, Fat 0.1 g, Saturated Fat 0.1 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Carbohydrate 4 g, Fiber 0.9 g, Protein 0.5 g, Cholesterol 0 mg
Ingredients:
- 1 medium-to-large cucumber or 2 small cucumbers (ideally 12 ounces total)*
- 1/2 cup water, at room temperature or cooler
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup or sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
- 20 twists of freshly ground black pepper
- 2 leafy sprigs of fresh dill, roughly chopped (about 1/4 cup)
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 1 bay leaf
Instruction:
- For pickle rounds (“chips”), slice the cucumber(s) into thin rounds, about 1/8-inch thick. Or, for spears, slice them in half lengthwise, then slice the halves lengthwise into quarters, then slice the quarters lengthwise into eighths. If your spears are long like mine (from one long cucumber), slice them through the middle so they’re not too tall for your jar. Set aside.
- In a liquid measuring cup or bowl, combine the water, vinegar, maple syrup, salt, red pepper flakes (if using) and black pepper. Stir until most of the salt has dissolved into the liquid, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Set aside.
- Place the cucumbers into a wide-mouth jar about 3 to 4 inches in diameter, tall enough to offer at least 1 inch of extra space on top (for pickle spears, it’s important that all the pickles fit snugly, vertically—a wide-mouth pint-sized mason jar would work well).
- Top the cucumbers with the dill and garlic. Tuck the bay leaf into the side of the jar. Pour the all of the liquid over the cucumbers so they’re fully submerged. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (for pickle rounds) or at least 3 hours (for pickle spears). The flavor will continue to develop over the next couple of days. These pickles will keep for up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator.
Dill Pickles
Learn how to make pickles at home! They’re crisp, tangy, and refreshing – a perfect snack or sandwich fixing.
Prep: 10min
Ingredients:
- 12 to 14 Persian cucumbers or 8 to 10 pickling cucumbers
- 4 garlic cloves (halved)
- 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
- 2 teaspoons peppercorns
- a few good-sized dill sprigs, per jar
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups distilled white vinegar
- ¼ cup cane sugar
- 2 tablespoons sea salt
Instruction:
- To make dill pickle spears, slice the cucumbers lengthwise into quarters. To make dill pickle chips, thinly slice them horizontally.
- Divide the cucumbers among 4 (8-ounce) or 2 (16-ounce) jars. Divide the garlic, mustard seeds, peppercorns, and dill sprigs among each jar.
- Heat the water, vinegar, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar and salt dissolve, about 1 minute. Let cool slightly and pour over the cucumbers. Set aside to cool to room temperature, then store the pickles in the fridge.
- Pickle spears will be lightly pickled in 2 days, but their best flavor will start to develop around day 5 or 6. Pickle chips will be lightly pickled in 1 day, and will become more flavorful every day after that. Store in the fridge for several weeks.
How To Make Pickles Without A Recipe
FAQ
What are the 3 basic ingredients in pickling?
- Vinegar. There are two options when choosing the best vinegar for pickling. …
- Salt. There are multiple choices for which salts to use when pickling food. …
- Water. Water is the last of the three main ingredients you must have to pickle foods properly. …
- Optional Ingredients.
What is the ratio of vinegar for pickling?
How long does it take a cucumber to turn into a pickle?
What is pickle brine made of?
This master pickle brine calls for just four ingredients: white vinegar, sugar, salt, and water. The white vinegar provides a mild acidity that doesn’t impart too much extra flavor on the fruit or vegetable you choose to pickle.
