Join us in making our favorite quick, refrigerator pickles from your store bought winter or your fresh, homegrown summer cucumbers.
Toddler love to snack, friends. It is just a fact. As a mom, I’m always trying to provide a variety of tasty, nutrient dense things to nibble on. Things they enjoy, and I feel good about giving them. But toddlers are not the only ones who love the salty, crunchy taste of a good pickle! We use pickled cucumbers for lunch sides, sandwich toppings, and snacks. More snacks. That being said, we make quick, refrigerator pickles every week.
Why You’ll Love Our Pickles Recipe
Pickles are subjective, I understand that. But there is an easy button for a salty, crisp dill pickle. It’s these pickles.
Little Preparation: These quick pickles do not require canning, or “burping”, or a big trip to the store. Prepare them, let them sit for one day, and they’re ready!
Simple, Healthy Ingredients: For the most basic pickle, you only need water, salt, vinegar and a cucumber. That being said, we highly recommend taking your pickles to the next level with high quality salt and organic (or homegrown) cucumbers for the best nutritional value.
Customizable: After mixing the basic ingredients, you can play with flavor by adding heat (red pepper flakes), sweetness (honey or organic cane sugar), or umami (mustards).
Tips for Great Pickles
- Cucumbers will float in the liquid so placing a fermentation weight will keep them submerged. This prevents mold and ensures each cucumber is being salted.
- You can cut your cucumbers into other shapes: circles, spears, or even crinkle cut!
- The amount of vinegar can also be adjusted to your taste. Simply taste, pour out current brine partially and add more water or vinegar to adjust flavor.
- No need to peel your cucumber! Just wash, slice and pickle.
- We have use the same pickling recipe for sliced bell peppers and red onions with great results!
Ways to Involve Kids
- Harvesting or Shopping: talk about freshness, select good cucumbers from the vine or the store for an excellent base for your pickles
- Washing: allow your sidekick to wash the cucumbers while you gather ingredients!
- Chopping: a Montessori knife kit is a great start for little hands learning big skills. The one we began with included a wooden chopper, multiple plastic serrated knives and a crinkle cutter as they advance in skill and safety. A dull butter knife is also a good option with supervision.
- Adding Ingredients: pickles are a great activity to do together because a young child can handle all the necessary steps! Pre-measuring ingredients allows for independence and simple ingredients keep things from “being messed up”!
Ingredients
1 Qt Mason Jar – you can use a mason jar, Weck jar or a recycled jar. Feel free to split the recipe into two pint size jars for on the go or sharing!
1-2 cucumbers – our favorites are the organic hot house or “english” cucumbers that have ridges that come wrapped in cellophane. We find that their skin keeps the crunch without compromising absorption.
2 TB of salt – we use Redmond’s salt, but any salt will create similar taste
½ Qt of water – the amount of water can be adjusted to taste, just remember to use clean, filtered water.
½ Qt of white vinegar – for a change in flavor, you can adjust the amount of vinegar or substitute for apple cider vinegar.
Garlic – 2-4 cloves is suffice, but more will create a more garlicky flavor. You can mince, dice, smash or place the cloves in whole.
Black pepper corns – this is an optional ingredient
Dill – try to use homegrown or whole dill dried on the stem. Powdered dill will float and make the brine murky.
Directions
- Cut the cucumbers in your desired shapes: spears, rounds or crinkle cut.
- Measure out salt and spices, including garlic.
- Place cucumbers and spice into a jar.
- Fill half the jar with water and fill to the top with vinegar.
- Shake and place in the refrigerator for one day minimum.
- Pickles are crisp and flavorful for at least one week in the refrigerator.
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