Do you have good neighbors? We do! In fact, we are lucky enough to have a whole neighborhood full of great people! I know, that’s a rare find, and we are so grateful. We also have something else unique! We have this system where we give away and trade things we no longer need, might have excess of, or just are ready to pass along, and we do it all by way of the magical internet. It works like this: I find something perfectly useable in my house (even food items!) that I won’t be able to use, I take a photo of it, and then I post it on our neighborhood page. People who would like to have it post comments below and I choose whomever I want to be the recipient. Simple! I love doing this because it causes less waste, helps neighbors, and just overall is a nice thing to do. Talk about finding joy and sharing it with neighbors!
Anyways, one day not too long ago, I was the glad recipient of a bunch of fresh dill that had been purchased at a farmer’s market that same day, but the owner only needed a pinch of it. Instead of throwing the rest away, or letting it get lost in the back of the fridge, she offered it up to whomever could use it…it was me! I swung by her porch, swooped it up, and brought back my newfound bounty. As if the stars aligned just for me, I happened to have bulk-sized bag of mini snacking cucumbers that really needed eating or processing that very day. Immediately, in an “AHA!” moment, my brain said, “PICKLES!!!” I whipped out my simple supplies, and got straight to work. Within 45 minutes, I had six jars of refrigerator pickles ready to soak in their icy fridge bath until the following week when they would be ready to eat! Good thing my whole family loves pickles!
I taught myself how to make this really easy recipe for Refrigerator Dill Pickles a few years ago. Please keep in mind, these are NOT SHELF STABLE!!! They must be kept in the refrigerator (hence the name) at all times, even before they are opened. They are not the same as shelf-stable dill pickles you can buy in the store, but they taste just as great, if not better! These refrigerator pickles are meant to be eaten within two weeks of making them. This is why the batches are also small in size.
Here’s What You’ll Need to Begin:
- cucumbers (enough to slice and fill about 6 mason jars…I have used both mini and regular, and the taste is great with both kinds!)
- garlic cloves (1-2 per jar)
- peppercorns (1-3 per jar)
- dill sprigs (2 per jar)
- white vinegar
- water
- salt
- sugar
- 6 mason jars
That’s it! So few ingredients and just a little bit of time! This is something kids of all ages will enjoy helping with, too! The littlest ones can drop ingredients into the jars, and wash the dill. Your older ones can peel garlic or even cut cucumbers. Everyone wins with this yummy, shareable dilly treat. You can even put a cute ribbon on a jar and give it to your favorite neighbor! Look for the opportunities for joy all around you.
PS-For anyone wondering what I did with the remaining fresh dill, I tied it with baker’s twine and hung it to dry out. Once it’ completely dry, I crush it, remove large stems, and keep in am air-tight jar in the pantry for seasoning fish, chicken, etc.
Refrigerator Dill Pickle Recipe
Notes
SAFETY NOTE:
These dill pickles are NOT SHELF STABLE, and must be constantly REFRIGERATED, even before opening. Please enjoy them within 2 weeks of making them for best freshness.
Ingredients
- sliced cucumbers, enough to fill 6 mason jars
- 6-12 garlic cloves, crushed
- 6-18 peppercorns
- 12 small sprigs fresh dill
- 2 cups white vinegar
- 4 cups water
- 2 T kosher salt
- 6 mason jars with lids
- 1 tsp sugar
Instructions
- To make the BRINE, combine water, white vinegar, kosher salt, and sugar together in a pan.
- Heat the brine until salt and sugar are dissolved; no need to boil completely.
- Chop/slice the cucumbers until they fit nicely into the mason jars.
- Add 1-3 peppercorns to each jar, depending on how spicy you like your dill pickles.
- Stuff 2 sprigs of dill into each jar.
- Add 1-2 crushed cloves of garlic to each jar.
- Let brine cool to room temperature.
- Fill each jar with room temperature brine until all cucumbers are submerged.
- Place lids on each jar.
- Place jars in the refrigerator for 1 week.
- After 1 week, taste your creation! Enjoy!