Refrigerator Pickles

No boiling water bath, no sterilized jars, no pressure canner. These refrigerator pickles are the easiest way to turn a gallon of sliced cucumbers and onions into crisp, tangy, sweet pickles that keep for up to four months in the fridge.

The brine is a simple hot pour: white vinegar, sugar, pickling salt, turmeric, mustard seeds, and celery seeds heated until dissolved, then poured directly over the sliced vegetables in a gallon jar. The turmeric gives the pickles their golden-yellow tint, and the mustard and celery seeds add a warm, slightly peppery crunch.

The best part? This is a living pickle jar. Add fresh cucumber and onion slices anytime the jar gets low, and the brine keeps doing its job.

Kitchen Tips

• Use pickling salt, not table salt. Table salt contains anti-caking agents that cloud the brine.
• Slice the cucumbers thin and uniform so they pickle evenly. A mandoline works well here.
• Let the brine cool slightly before pouring over the cucumbers if you want them to stay extra crunchy. Boiling-hot brine softens them faster.
• The pickles taste good after a day but get better after a week as the flavors deepen.

Variations

• Add sliced green chili peppers (as suggested in the recipe) for a spicy kick.
• Toss in sliced carrots, cauliflower florets, or green beans for a mixed vegetable pickle.
• Use apple cider vinegar instead of white for a mellower, slightly fruity tang.