Quick Refrigerator Dill Pickles

Crisp garlic-dill pickles in a simple vinegar brine, no canning needed. Lower in salt than store-bought and sugar-free. Keep them in the fridge and eat within about a month.

Time: 20 min
Cost: $0.38 a serving
Makes: 8 servings of about 2 spears

Daily Dozen, per serving

Other vegetables ½ of 2

Plan ahead: Refrigerate at least 24 hours before eating; they're best after 2 or 3 days.

Servings

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Ingredients

1 lb pickling cucumbers (Kirby), regular cucumbers work but get softer
1 cup vinegar, distilled white or apple cider, 5% acidity
1 cup water
1½ tsp kosher salt, most recipes use 1 tbsp; this is the lower-sodium version
3 cloves garlic, smashed
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1 tsp dill seed, or a few sprigs of fresh dill
½ tsp black peppercorns
½ tsp mustard seed (optional)
red pepper flakes, a pinch (optional)

Steps

1.Wash 1 lb pickling cucumbers and trim a thin slice off the blossom end (the end opposite the stem); it holds an enzyme that makes pickles soft. Cut into spears or ¼-inch rounds.
2.Put 3 cloves garlic, 1 tsp dill seed, ½ tsp peppercorns, and ½ tsp mustard seed and a pinch of red pepper flakes if using, in the bottom of a clean quart jar. Pack the cucumbers in tightly on top.
3.Make the brine: in a small pot, heat 1 cup vinegar, 1 cup water and 1½ tsp salt just until the salt dissolves. It doesn't need to boil.
4.Pour the hot brine over the cucumbers until they're covered, leaving about ½ inch of space at the top.
5.Let the jar cool on the counter for about an hour, then put the lid on and refrigerate.
6.They're good after 24 hours and better after 2 or 3 days. Keep them refrigerated and eat within about a month.
7.Reuse the brine once for another quick pickle, like sliced red onions, carrots or sweet peppers.