Jeez. Of course I have to post some kind of half-assed jar recipe on the same night Kim goes into a beautiful magenta canning frenzy. But tonight I realized that I had a pound of baby cucumbers sitting in my crisper from Saturday’s market that needed to be used RIGHT NOW, so what can I say? Did I mention I don’t plan very well? Anyway, instead of choking down “cucumbers three ways” for dinner, I made these quick refrigerator pickles (or “quickles” as they have so annoyingly lovingly been dubbed in our house) so as not to waste these lovely little guys. This also gave me the opportunity to use dill and onions from my own garden…bonus! The recipe is very flexible in terms of spices and herbs, but water:vinegar:salt need to stay in the appropriate proportions. I’ve also used this recipe with fresh green beans!
Ingredients
- 1 -1 1/2 lbs pickling cucumbers, cut in half lengthwise or in rounds depending on the size of your jar(s)
- 2 cups white distilled vinegar
- 2 cups cold water
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced ( I used baby onions)
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt (or other salt, just make sure it is not iodized)
- 1 good handful of fresh dill
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes or a dried red hot pepper (I used a few slices of fresh poblano)
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
Directions:
- Place all the seasonings in the bottom of your jar(s). Add the cucumber halves, stacking as you go. The basic thing to try and arrange them so they don’t float around too much.
- Measure out the vinegar, water and salt in a separate container and stir/shake until the salt dissolves.
- Pour the liquid into the jar containing the cucumbers. Make sure the liquid covers all of the cucumbers. Mix up another batch if necessary to fill all of your jars.
- Seal the lid tightly and shake for about a minute. Now find a good home for the jar in your fridge
- Wait about a week before eating, giving the jar a good shake each day. These will only keep for a few weeks, so eat them up!
Lettuce Never Squash Our Love 
You’re a hoot, Casey. I love how your personality comes through even in your posts. We don’t eat a lot of what we call the “green nasties” in our home but it does look pretty cool. You’re such a mother earth type person. I love how you live off of the earth so well.
Haha…the green nasties! I actually don’t care for store bought pickles; a semi-cooked, neon yellow cuke is practically barf-worthy. These stay nice and crisp though because the vinegar isn’t heated, so I find that I actually like them.
(And for goodness sake, call them “grasties”. See what we’re doing here? Don’t pass up an opportunity for a portmanteau!)
I love grasties – good word.
Maybe I can convince Jeff to give this recipe a try with green beans. But I have to say that our tastes tend to agree on the topic of cucumber pickles, very low on the list of foods at our place!
For some reason I am still awake and I looked at the blog and was delighted to see such a striking photo of FRESH pickles! Dang, those look tasty! I also appreciate the measurements so that Kim can make these! Yes, Kim, because I usually am sous chef when he “puts up” fruit or veggies like he did today. Looks like you both were industrious. I am sort of proud of us. Everyone busy doing work that is fun. Good night.
OK Myers slam my post will ya! You know my favorite color is green! I can’t believe you did some pickles this early. I am really trying to find a canning recipe that keeps them fresh for the year but have been unsuccessful. The refrigerator pickles are the route I still head.
C’mon you know I was complementing you, right? I always benefit from your canning sessions! My grandma (who, like yours probably did, still cans hundreds of things every summer) makes a bread and butter pickle out of cucumbers and banana pepper rings that is really, really good but I have never made it. Maybe we should try that recipe this summer? Last I checked, you had some peppers brewing on the deck!
I do have some peppers on the deck and I am always looking to do something with the peppers and cukes. I dearly love refrigerator pickles and will do some. Let me know what is involved with the recipe and maybe we can try it.
You two are both so inspiring!