I love gardening and the concept of garden-to-plate healthier eating. This savory, refreshing, and Easy Refrigerator Pickles Recipe is one of its many tasty examples. This is another traditional recipe that never gets old for me. Partly because it's my mom's recipe and also holds sentimental value for me. I am happy to share it with all of you.
It is as ancient and common as canning. So, what is the difference? A quick or easy refrigerator pickle is one way of calling them. You may also know them as Naturally Fermented Pickles or (Malosolnie Ogurtsi - Малосольные Огурцы in Russian) and (Malosolni Ogirki – Малосольні Огірки in Ukrainian). The preparation process is much quicker and they’re usually consumed before the canned reserves are used.
When I was little, I remember not liking these pickles at all. But as I grew older, I fell in love with them. They taste kind of in-between garden fresh cucumbers and canned and aged pickles. Organic cucumbers spoil fairly quickly, this type of pickling allows you to preserve them and still enjoy their freshness. Usually, they get pickled this way when there is a late-season abundance or just to be able to eat them sooner rather than later.
These pickles are incredibly simple to produce and make a great side. They taste amazing: refreshing, super crunchy, full of flavor, and don't require the more complex canning process. They go perfectly with just about any main course, and especially well with something hot and salty such as young potatoes. Yum!
Brings so many wonderful childhood memories and that can be pretty exciting considering how quickly time marches on, making us older. Lol. Enjoy, my friends!
📋 Recipe Ingredients
- Water
- Garden cucumbers
- Organic sugar
- Sea salt
- Distilled vinegar
- Homegrown garlic
- Horseradish leaf
- Fresh dill
- Peppercorns
- Bay leaves
- 2 half gallon (64 oz. or 2 L each jar)
🔪 Recipe Instructions
How to Make Refrigerator Pickles
Combine water, vinegar, salt, and sugar in a small pot. Bring it to a boil stirring constantly until the salt and sugar dissolves. As soon as the water mixture boils remove it from the stovetop and set it aside to cool completely. (To speed up the cooling process I place a pot into a large bowl filled with cold water and ice, without the two liquids contacting.)
In the meanwhile, rinse the cucumbers well (scrubbing, if necessary). Cut off both ends and then cut each cucumber into 2 (like a +) leaving about ¼ inch of the end uncut so the cucumber holds its shape.
Into each half-gallon (64 oz. or 2 L) jar place half of a horseradish leaf, one branch of fresh dill, one garlic clove cut into 4 pieces, 20 peppercorns, and one bay leaf.
Pack each jar with pre-cut cucumbers compactly as possible without breaking or damaging them. Fill the jars with cold pickling syrup, close each jar with a lid and place them into the refrigerator.
Place into the refrigerator and allow at least 5 days for the cucumbers to soak in all the flavors and get to the ready stage.
The refrigerated pickles are ready to be enjoyed.
If you make this Easy Refrigerator Pickles Recipe, please share a picture with me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest. Tag with #valyastasteofhome. I’d love to see your creations!
📖 Recipe Card
Easy Refrigerator Pickles Recipe
Ingredients
Refrigerator Pickles Ingredients
- 6 ½ cups (1.5 L) – cold water
- 7 lbs. (3 kg) – fresh garden cucumbers
- 1 tbsp. (15 g) – organic sugar
- 3 tbsp. (45 g) – sea salt
- ½ cup (118 ml) – distilled vinegar
- 2 large – garlic cloves
- 1 small – horseradish leaf
- 2 branches of fresh dill
- 40 peppercorns
- 2 small – bay leaves
- 2 half gallon (64 oz. or 2 L each jar)
Instructions
Refrigerator Pickles Instructions
- Combine water, vinegar, salt and sugar in a small pot. Bring it to a boil stirring constantly until the salt and sugar dissolves. As soon as the water mixture boils remove from the stovetop and set aside to cool completely. (To speed up the cooling process I place a pot into a large bowl filled with cold water and ice, without the two liquids contacting.)
- In the meanwhile, rinse the cucumbers well (scrubbing, if necessary). Cut off both ends and then cut each cucumber into 2 (like a +) leaving about ¼ inch of the end uncut so the cucumber holds its shape.
- Into each half-gallon (64 oz. or 2 L) jar place half of a horseradish leaf, one branch of fresh dill, one garlic clove cut into 4 pieces, 20 peppercorns, and one bay leaf.
- Pack each jar with pre-cut cucumbers compactly as possible without breaking or damaging them. Fill the jars with cold pickling syrup, close each jar with a lid and place them into the refrigerator.
- Place into refrigerator and allow at least 5 days for the cucumbers to soak in all the flavors and get to the ready-stage.
- The refrigerated pickles are ready to be enjoyed.
They pair well with mashed potatoes and these delicious chicken fritters.
🥫 Similar Recipes
- Canned Vegetable Salad
- Canned Tomatoes
- Easy Canned Dill Pickles
- How to Can Sorrel
- Homemade Saurkraut Recipe
- Strawberry Jam Recipe
- Raspberry Freezer Jam
PLANT HORSERADISH, WHICH LASTS A LIFETIME, IN YOUR OWN GARDEN AND ENJOY ALL OF ITS HEALTH BENEFITS.
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We are pickle lovers, and I have to give this recipe a try. Thanks for amazing recipes Valya!
We love pickles very much as well. Let me know how you like it. Thanks for stopping by Tonya. 🙂
Brings back memories of my grandmothers garden, cooking and everything she made.
Memories like one of this, are awesome, and always bring smile on my face. Now, by making my recipe you can make memories as well. Thank you for stopping by Susan! 🙂
How long is it good to store in?
Up to 3 - 4 weeks in the fridge.