Refrigerator Dill Pickles

🧂 Ingredients

• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon sugar
• 1¼ pounds Persian cucumbers

  or other mini cucumber or pickling cucumber
• ¼ cup sliced sweet yellow onion
• 4 large cloves garlic

  smashed
• 2 large sprigs fresh dill
• 2 teaspoons dill seeds
• ¼ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• ¼ teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
• ⅛ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

  optional

Instructions

• 1 Prepare pickling brine: Place vinegar, water, salt, and sugar in a small
  saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Whisk rapidly until salt and sugar
  dissolve. Remove pan from heat and let cool to room temperature. If you want to
  speed up the cooling process, carefully transfer hot brine to a heat-proof jar
  or bowl and place in fridge or freezer to cool it down faster.
• 2 Prepare jars: While brine is cooling, wash two wide-mouth 1-pint jars and their
  lids in very hot, soapy water. Set aside.
• 3 Prepare cucumbers & onions: Wash and dry the cucumbers. Cut off the ends of the
  cucumbers and discard. Then slice cucumbers into coins, aiming for about a 3/16"
  thickness – a mandoline works great for even slicing. Or slice them into spears.
  Then slice the onion about 3/16" thick as well.
• 4 Pack jars: Divide the garlic, dill, dill seeds, peppercorns, mustard seeds, and
  red pepper flakes evenly between the two jars. Then add the cucumbers and onions
  to both jars. Pack them in as tightly as you can without smashing the cucumbers.
  Then gently but firmly tap the bottom of the jars on a wooden cutting board or
  thick kitchen towel to settle everything into the jars as solidly as possible.
  Add more cucumbers if needed to leave ½" of space at the top of the jars. If
  using spears, trim the ends if needed, to leave ½" of space at the top.
• 5 Add pickling brine: Once brine has cooled to room temperature, pour it over
  cucumbers, filling each jar within ½" of the top. Gently tap the jars against a
  wood cutting board or thick towel again, to remove air bubbles. Top off with
  additional brine to cover the cucumbers. Twist lids tightly onto jars. Then turn
  jars upside down and shake to distribute spices. Turn jars right-side up and
  gently tap again on a cutting board to settle cucumbers solidly into the brine.
• 6 Store in refrigerator: These are quick refrigerator pickles that need to be
  stored in the refrigerator. Do NOT store these in the pantry. I am always
  impatient and can't help but dig into the pickles the next day, but the flavor
  will increase the longer they sit, and will be very good at 48 hours. If you're
  planning to serve these when entertaining, I recommend making the pickles 48-72
  hours in advance, for best flavor. They will keep well for up to 2 months.

Nutrition Info