Quick Refrigerator Dill Pickles

I can not profess to you enough how much I love these dill pickles. After three years of failed attempts at preserving pickles, I’ve finally found my recipe. It’s all about the quick refrigerator pickle. These particular pickles are crispy, tangy and have an amazing garlic and dill flavor.

Refrigerator Dill Pickle Recipe, www.mountainmamacooks.com

I’ve tried canning pickles the last 3 years. Always trying a new recipe, taking tips from fellow canners on how to keep them crisp but each time I’m terribly disappointed. I wonder if it’s the extra processing time I have to add because I live at such a high altitude or I just never found the right recipe. Either way, each year I’d put a ton of time and money into a batch of pickles that inevitably found their fate with the kitchen disposal.

Quick Refrigerator Dill Pickles, www.mountainmamacooks.com

This year I decided to forgo the lengthy process of canning pickles in lieu of the much easier refrigerator pickle. I’ve made plenty of pickled vegetables over the years always to rave reviews so I took this as my lead hoping to make a savory dill pickle. I couldn’t be more thrilled with the result. The pickles are ultra crispy, full of dill flavor the the garlic gives them the perfect bite. And not to mention EASY. After making a brine of vinegar, salt and water, you simply pour it over some cut up vegetables and stick them in the fridge. Boom. That’s it!

making quick dill pickles, www.mountainmamacooks.com

I love that these pickles are ready to go so quickly too. You can start digging in the next day or just a few hours if you’re impatient like me! The only draw back to these pickles is you need to store them in the fridge and if your fridge looks anything like mine, finding room for 8 quart jars can be a challenge! I guess the answer is to share them with friends or neighbors each time you make ’em! I used kirby cucumbers, carrots and cauliflower but any vegetables will do. I think I’m going to do some pickled zucchini later this month. And maybe some green beans too- my favorite for a bloody mary!

Canning Dill Pickles, www.mountainmamacooks.com

I got together with my friend Annalise last week for a day of canning and gabbing. Honestly, I can’t think of a way I’d rather spend my morning. She made some amazing jam that I hope she’ll be posting soon. I’ve said it before but one of the best parts of blogging is the friendships I’ve made because of it. Annalise and I met through blogging but she’s become a great friend outside of blogging too. Down to earth, an amazing mama and she really knows her way around the kitchen! The girl has crazy talent when it comes to baking. Whenever we get together, I leave inspired as we are constantly bouncing ideas of each other. I’m lucky to have her in my life and if you haven’t read her blog, Completely Delicious, you need to start. I promise you’ll love her and her recipes as much as I do!!

Quick Dill Pickles, www.mountainmamacooks.com

Have a great week everyone!!

Other pickled vegetable recipes from bloggers you might enjoy:
Pickled Okra from Simply Recipes
Bread and Butter Pickles from Smitten Kitchen
Easy Pickled Onions from Shared Appetite
Pickled Radishes from David Lebovitz

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Canning Dill Pickles, www.mountainmamacooks.com

Quick Refrigerator Dill Pickles


Description

Quick refrigerator dill pickles are crisp, tangy and perfect to use up fresh summer produce.


Ingredients

  • 2 heads garlic
  • 10 cups water
  • 5 cups distilled white vinegar
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons pickling salt
  • 1 tablespoon dill seed
  • 1 tablespoon mustard seed
  • 1 tablespoon black peppercorn
  • 2 lbs kirby cucumbers, quartered lengthwise
  • 1 bunch small carrots, greens trimmed and halved if necessary
  • 1 small head cauliflower, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 bunch green onions, tops removed and cut to a length they fit into a quart size jar
  • 12 hot red chili peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
  • sprigs of fresh dill

Instructions

  1. In a large saucepan, bring water and garlic to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes. Add vinegar and salt, raise the heat to high, bringing to a boil, stirring until the salt dissolves. Remove from the heat.
  2. Using 8 1-quart glass jars, place 2-3 sprigs of fresh dill in each. Divide the seeds and peppercorns evenly between the jars. Using tongs, remove the garlic from the brine and divide it evenly among the 8 jars. Then pack the jars full of cucumbers, carrots, scallions, cauliflower and chiles. You want them to be tightly stuffed.
  3. Bring the brine back to a boil, pour it over the vegetables to cover completely, let cool, then cover and refrigerate. The pickles will taste good in a few hours, but even better after a couple of days if you can resist them! Pickles will keep in the fridge for about 3 months.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Food Network