One of the joys of gardening is eating the fruits (and vegetables!) of your labor.
You can quickly and easily create your own pickles from your fresh cucumbers in your own refrigerator, with no canning experience required.
Nothing in the stores compares to the taste of a homemade pickle from a cucumber that grew right outside your window.
In summer, fresh vegetables are more likely to be in your home. If you do not like to waste extra vegetables, then homemade pickles are a great choice. They are easy to make and delicious!
The main items used to make homemade refrigerator pickles are cucumbers, carrots, peppers and green beans, but you can pickle almost anything your heart desires. Homemade pickles are among the best, as they are free of unwanted chemicals or outside contaminants, plus you get the satisfaction of having made them with your own hands.
Related Reading: Is The Cucumber A Fruit or Vegetable?
Homemade pickles are among the best, as they are free of unwanted chemicals or outside contaminants, plus you get the satisfaction of having made them with your own hands.
Recipe No 1: Cauliflower, Carrot and Cucumber Pickle
A recipe from famous American writer Ted Allen. You can find more of his recipes here:
Ingredients for brine:
- 10 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 cups white vinegar
- 6 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon mustard seed
- 1 teaspoon coriander seed
- 1 teaspoon celery seed
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
For vegetables:
- 6 cucumbers cut lengthwise
- 6 carrots peeled and cut lengthwise
- 1 cup green beans
- A few pieces of cauliflower
- 4 small hot red chiles
Directions:
- Boil 4 cups water in a medium saucepan and reduce heat to simmering. Add garlic and cook for 5 minutes. After this, increase heat then add vinegar and salt
- Slowly stir until salt dissolves, then remove from heat
- Take 2 glass jars and place a few sprigs of dill in each. Divide seeds and peppercorns between both jars. Pick the garlic cloves from the brine using tongs
- Pack the jars with the remaining vegetables
- Reheat the brine then pour it into jars until vegetables are completely covered
- Let the jar cool, then cover the jar and refrigerate.
- The pickles will be ready in a few hours and can be used for up to 3 months
Recipe No 2: Simple Cucumber Pickle
Ingredients:
- 2 cucumbers
- 1 small white onion, sliced thinly
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced lengthwise
- 1 cup filtered water
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons clean salt
- 2 teaspoons yellow mustard seed
- 2 teaspoons dill seed
Directions:
- Slice the cucumber lengthwise
- Place the cucumber, onion slices and garlic slices in a quart size glass jar
- In a bowl, whisk together the water, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard seed and dill seed. Pour the mixture into the glass jar, covering the cucumber and other ingredients
- Refrigerate the mixture for 48 hours before eating
Recipe No 3: Homemade Dill Pickle
Ingredients:
- 2-3 cucumbers, sliced lengthwise
- 1 tablespoon dry dill
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
- ½ tablespoon kosher salt
- Distilled water
- 20 black peppercorns
- Quarter teaspoon red pepper flakes
Directions:
- Place all ingredients except for water into the jar
- Fill the jar with distilled water and tightly cover
- Shake the jar well to mix the ingredients and place in refrigerator for 12 hours
- Shake again after the 12 hours and place it back in the refrigerator upside down for another 12 hours. Ensure the lid is tightly closed to avoid leaks
- After 24 hours, your pickles are ready to eat. Use them within a month for maximum freshness
Recipe No 4: Awesome Cucumber Pickle
Ingredients:
- 3 cups sliced cucumber
- 1 cup sliced onion
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced
- 1 tablespoon pickling salt
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 tablespoon whole mustard seed
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon celery seed
- 2 cloves, whole
Directions:
- Place the cucumber, garlic cloves, onion slices, whole cloves, mustard seed and celery seed in a clean glass jar
- Mix the remaining ingredients in a medium sized pot and boil until sugar and salt is dissolved
- Pour the hot liquid into the jar, covering the vegetables. Stir well so that the ingredients are fully mixed
- Cover tightly and store in refrigerator
Recipe No 5: Deep Fried Pickle
Ingredients:
- 24 dill pickle spears, chilled
- Canola oil for frying
- Egg wash, ingredients listed below
- 2 cups cornmeal
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup lemon pepper
- 4 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoon garlic salt
Directions:
- Mix cornmeal, flour, ½ cup dill weed, lemon pepper, paprika and salt in a large bowl
- Using chilled dill pickle spears, dip pickle spears into egg wash and then coat with breading in the bowl. Repeat this process until all pickle spears are fully coated in the breading. Arrange the dipped pickles on a sheet pan and waxed paper, letting them chill for 30 minutes
- Heat oil to 275 degrees and carefully add the chilled pickle spears. Fry for 3-4 minutes or until golden. Remove from heat and place on a plate covered in paper towels to drain
Egg wash for this recipe:
Ingredients
- 2 cups milk
- 2 eggs
- Pinch lemon pepper
- Pinch dill weed
- ½ cup pickle juice
In a baking dish, whisk all ingredients listed above
Recipe No 6: Cauliflower, Carrot and Cucumber Pickle Recipe 2
A recipe from famous American writer Ted Allen. You can find more of his recipes here:
Ingredients:
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon celery seed
- 1 teaspoon coriander seed
- 1 teaspoon mustard seed
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorn
- ½ teaspoon pink peppercorn
- Several sprigs fresh dill
- 2 cups white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 6 medium carrots cut lengthwise
- 6 Kirby cucumbers cut lengthwise
- 4 scallions, white parts only
- 4 hot red chiles
Directions:
To make brine:
- Boil 4 cups water in a medium saucepan and reduce heat to simmering. Add garlic and cook for 5 minutes. After this, increase heat then add vinegar and salt. Stir until salt dissolves
- Divide the celery seed, coriander seed, mustard seed, peppercorns and dill evenly between two mason jars
- Transfer 3 cloves of garlic to each jar using tongs
- Pack the jars with carrots, cucumber, chiles and scallions
- Pour the hot brine into the jars, covering the vegetables
- Let the mixture cool to room temperature, then refrigerate
- Pickles will taste good after a couple of days
Recipe No 7: Delicious Fermented Pickle
Ingredients:
- Fresh cucumbers, not overripe or loose
- 2 teaspoons dill seed
- ½ cup pickling salt
- ¼ cup vinegar
- 8 cups water
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 dried red peppers
- 2 teaspoons whole mixed pickling spices
- A fermentation crock
Directions:
- Do not use utensils made of zinc, iron, brass, copper or galvanized metal with this recipe, as these may react with acid or salt and cause undesirable taste changes or making pickles unfit to eat
- For fermentation and brining glass jars, stone jars or a casserole can be used.
- Cut the cucumber lengthwise
- Place half the dill seed and spices into your chosen container
- Add the cucumber, then the remaining spices and dill seed
- Dissolve salt in vinegar and water and pour over cucumbers
- While fermenting, store where temperature will remain between 70-75 degree for about 3-4 weeks
- Fermenting pickles cure slowly. Check the container several times a week to remove surface scum and mold
- Avoid temperatures over 80 degrees otherwise your pickles will become too soft during fermentation
- After 3-4 weeks, pour the brine into a pot and turn heat to high
- Heat slowly to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes
- Filter brine through coffee filters
- Fill jars with pickles and hot brine, leaving some space at top
For more information on uses for pickle juice and Homemade Refrigerator Pickles you can visit