Refrigerator Dill Pickles

5 from 1 vote

These Refrigerator Dill Pickles are fresh, crunchy, and loaded with dill and garlic flavor. Quick and easy to make with just a saucepan and a few glass jars, there is no special canning equipment required. Once you try these homemade dill pickles, you’ll never go back to store-bought!

Course Condiment, Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Brine Time 1

Total Time 1 20

Servings pint-sized jars

Calories 106kcal

Author Ashley Petrie, RDN, LDN

Equipment

Ingredients

1 tablespoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon whole mustard seeds
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 bay leaf crushed
2 cups water
1 cup white vinegar
6-8 pickling cucumbers
6-12 cloves garlic thinly sliced, amount according to preference
15 sprigs fresh dill

Instructions

Optional: While not necessary for refrigerator pickles, if you want to extend their shelf life, you can sterilize the mason jars by boiling them in water for 10 minutes.
In a small saucepan, combine the kosher salt, sugar, mustard seeds, black pepper, and bay leaf. Add the water and white vinegar, and give it a good stir to mix everything together.
1 tablespoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon sugar, ½ teaspoon whole mustard seeds, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1 bay leaf, 2 cups water, 1 cup white vinegar
Place the saucepan on the stove over medium heat. Whisk the mixture occasionally until the salt and sugar dissolve completely. The liquid does not need to come to a boil. Once dissolved, set the brining liquid aside and allow it to cool completely while you prepare the cucumbers.
Before slicing the cucumbers, wash them thoroughly under cold running water to remove any dirt or residue. Prepare the pickling cucumbers by slicing them into uniform rounds, approximately ¼ inch thick.
6-8 pickling cucumbers
Fill each jar halfway with the cucumber slices, pressing them in tightly. Add 2-4 cloves of sliced garlic and 5 sprigs of fresh dill to each jar.
6-12 cloves garlic, 15 sprigs fresh dill
Continue filling the jars with the remaining cucumber slices until they are almost full. How many cucumbers you can fit will depend on their size, but try to pack them in as much as possible.
Pour the brining liquid over the cucumbers. Make sure to leave about a ½ inch of space from the top of the jar. This is called "headspace."
Close the jars tightly with their lids and give them a good shake. This helps ensure that each cucumber slice comes into contact with the brine.
Store the jars upright in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours, but ideally, wait for 72 hours before enjoying your delicious homemade pickles. You can shake the jars gently once a day to distribute the flavors evenly and promote even brining.
If stored properly, refrigerator pickles should stay good for at least 1 to 2 months.

Notes

Want to make dill pickle spears instead? Simply cut the pickling cucumbers lengthwise into spears and follow the recipe as is. Keep in mind that spears may need more time to fully pickle.
Quick Tip: Label and date the jars so you know when they were made and how long they're good for.
Storage: Store in a sealed glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Did you try this recipe?Let me know! Comment below, or take a picture and tag me on Instagram @everydayhomemadebyashley.