If you like dill pickles but hate the food dyes and harmful preservatives found on grocery shelves, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s the easiest way to have crisp dill pickles in just a 24 hour sit in your fridge: refrigerator dill pickles.
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The Refrigerator Dill Pickle Recipe
- cucumbers
- salt
- sugar
- water
- distilled white vinegar
- garlic (optional)
- dill (fresh or dried and completely optional)
- pickling spices (optional)
- red pepper flakes (optional)
Granted the sugar can be optional as it is used to cut the vinegar tang a little bit but do you see any crazy ingredients here? NO.
But read on to learn you a little something about those grocery store pickles.
Why should I make my own dill pickles?
Grocery store pickles ain’t it.
Yeah my English is bad but in the South, “ain’t” IS a word.
How unfortunate to realize I no longer desire to eat my family’s favorite shelf-stable dill pickle with the light green lid. Unnecessary food dyes and preservatives is why.
Even the “simply” version contain Polysorbate 80, a yellow tinted emulsifier not only used in food but also in cosmetics.
A quick internet search can yield some undesirable results such as some research suggesting this ingredient may disrupt the gut microbiota causing inflammation and some diseases.
Quick commercial break to insert my DISCLOSURE STATEMENT for you to have a gander at.
Down the rabbit hole of Polysorbate 80 real quick
My son likes to make ice cream at home with his ice cream maker and we aren’t mad about it! Delicious and very few ingredients. The way REAL food should be.
Upon a little research into Polysorbate 80, I found it is used in some ice creams to help it hold a firmer texture as ice cream melts.
It’s interesting to me because just a few nights ago while eating my son’s ice cream I was wondering how ice cream manufacturers get ice cream to stay firm but not icy. I have my answer now.
We’re okay risking gut inflammation and DIS-ease for the sake of ice cream that holds its texture while melting?????? MAKE IT MAKE SENSE!
Grocery store pickles in the refrigerated section
You may notice some pickles are in the refrigerator section.
I have yet to explore their ingredient list but maybe I will do that soon. I encourage YOU do the same.
The way I see it is this: if pickles are in the refrigerated section, then I can make them too for my own fridge.
How to make easy refrigerator dill pickles:
In a quart jar, add one tablespoon of salt and one tablespoon of sugar. Then add in 2-3 cloves of garlic. I like to use whole cloves. Using the flat side of a knife, smash the clove to remove the paper skin from the garlic clove. This also allows the garlic to infused the pickle brine and the cucumbers. Next, add in dill or any other spices you prefer.
Now fill the jar with sliced cucumbers to the top. Fill the jar 2/3 of the way full of white distilled vinegar and then top off with filtered water.
If you have tap water that could be chlorinated, either boil it and allow it to cool before using it or fill another jar of water and allow it to sit for 30 minutes for the chlorine to dissipate before using. The chlorine can affect the way your brine works.
Before putting your jar in the refrigerator, secure a lid and ring to the top and give the jar a little swirl or two to incorporate the ingredients at the bottom.
Place the jar in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 24 hours then enjoy your fresh refrigerator dill pickles!
Note: these ingredient amounts are more or less a guideline. Amounts of vinegar and water will depend on how thickly you sliced the cucumbers. The amount of salt and sugar will depend on your taste preference. Start with this recipe then after 24 hours and a taste test, note what changes you’d like to make.
How long will refrigerator dill pickles last?
When kept in the fridge and only using a clean fork to remove pickles as needed from the jar, your pickles can last up to 6 months in the refrigerator.
Last year, I pickled my last cucumbers in August and we finished the last jar sometime in March. That’s over 6 months and the pickles were not as crisp but still delicious to us.
You may notice a pickle jar having bubbles or carbonation inside it if it has sat for many months. This can also happen if the jar has been in the door of the refrigerator where it is not as cold as the inside.
This means fermentation has begun which isn’t a bad thing! Extra probiotics for your gut health!
Keep pickle jars in the back of the refrigerator where it is coldest to avoid or slow fermentation processes.
Do homemade dill pickles taste good?
That’s a relative question, isn’t it?
We all have different taste buds yet and still, the internet search engine warriors always want to know if something tastes good.
If you like DILL PICKLES, then YES!
This is definitely a recipe you can play around with the sugar and vinegar a little, giving or taking, to make it more palatable.
Try these recipes next!
- Fermented lemon and ginger (great for cold and cough)
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Refrigerator Dill PIckles
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a quart jar, add one tablespoon of salt and one tablespoon of sugar.
- Then add in 2-3 cloves of garlic. I like to use whole cloves. Using the flat side of a knife, smash the clove to remove the paper skin from the garlic clove. This also allows the garlic to infused the pickle brine and the cucumbers.
- Next, add in dill or any other spices you prefer.
- Now fill the jar with washed and sliced cucumbers to the top.
- Fill the jar 2/3 of the way full of white distilled vinegar. This is about 2 cups of vinegar, give or take.
- Then top off with filtered water. This is about 1/2 cup of water, give or take.
- Before putting your jar in the refrigerator, secure a lid and ring to the top and give the jar a little swirl or two to incorporate the ingredients at the bottom.
- Place the jar in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 24 hours then enjoy your fresh refrigerator dill pickles!
Notes
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