Fresh, Crisp, Tangy Dill Pickles, Made Without the Extras
Fresh, crisp, tangy dill pickles made without preservatives, chemicals, or high fructose corn syrup.
There’s nothing better than making food yourself and knowing exactly what’s in it. Simple ingredients, handled with care, always taste better.
I love stocking up on pickling cucumbers when the farm stands are full in the summer, but you can absolutely make these year-round with small cucumbers from the grocery store.
Letting the cucumbers sit with kosher salt for about an hour helps draw out excess moisture, which keeps them crisp and adds flavor. Be sure to use kosher or pickling salt here.
You can slice your cucumbers into rounds, spears, or even sandwich slices, whatever you like. These are your pickles, so feel free to adjust the spices and herbs to make them your own.
👉 Don’t skip trimming the ends. The blossom end releases an enzyme that can make your pickles soft instead of crunchy.
Happy pickling!
Refrigerator Dill Pickles
Equipment
- 2 16-ounce jars with lids
Ingredients
- 1 pound pickling cucumbers
- 2 tbsp kosher salt
- 4 sprigs fresh dill
- 4 cloves garlic
Brine:
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup white vinegar or apple cider vinegar (5% acidity) white or apple cider
- 1 tbsp (optional, up to ¼ cup if you like a sweeter pickle)
- 1/2 tsp whole peppercorns
- ½ tsp dill seeds
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp celery seeds
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp coriander seeds optional
Instructions
- Wash and cut your cucumbers into spears or circles; this is your choice for how you like your pickles.
- Place your cucumbers in a colander and cover with 2 tbsp kosher salt; rub the salt all around to make sure all the cucumbers have salt on them.
- Set the colander over a bowl or in the sink for one hour.
- Rinse with cool water for about two minutes and let sit in the colander while you make the brine and get the jars ready.
- In a saucepan, bring the water, vinegar, 1 tbsp salt, sugar, peppercorns, dill seeds, mustard seeds, celery seeds, and red pepper flakes to a boil.
- Turn off the heat and let sit for 10 minutes before you pour over your cucumbers.
- Smash the garlic cloves with the side of your knife, remove the skins and place the cloves in your jars.
- Add the fresh dill to the jars, 2 to 3 sprigs per jar.
- Pack the jars with your cucumbers.
- Pour the brine over and let come to room temperature.
- Place the lid on and place them in the refrigerator.
- These pickles with last up to 6 six months in the fridge.
- Water Bath Canning InstructionsPrepare a water bath canner and bring water to a boil.Process sealed pint jars for 10 minutes (adjust for altitude if needed).Remove jars and let cool undisturbed for 12–24 hours.Check for seals, label, and store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.