Refrigerator Dill Pickle Slices
Quick-method dill pickles made without canning equipment or processing. Cucumbers are blanched in turmeric water, then packed with dill seed, dill weed, mustard seed, garlic, and crushed red pepper before being covered with a hot vinegar brine. Flavors develop over 7-10 days of daily jar shaking. Stores refrigerated up to 2 months.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds pickling cucumbers (4 to 5 inches long)
- 1 tsp turmeric, ground
- 2 quarts boiling water
- 2 tbsps dill seeddill weed1herb
both contribute dill flavor but with different intensity
- 4 tsps dill weed
- 4 tsps mustard seed
- 1 tsp garlic, minced
- ½ tsp red pepper, crushed
- 3 ½ cups distilled white vinegar (5% acidity)
- 2 tbsps non-iodized saltpickling salt1:1seasoning
iodized salt can cloud brine
- 2 tbsps sugar
Instructions
- 1
Wash cucumbers thoroughly. Trim blossom ends and cut lengthwise into quarter-inch thick slices four inches long.
- 2
Place slices in a large bowl with turmeric. Pour boiling water over cucumbers and stir well. Let stand at room temperature for 3 hours.
- 3
Drain cucumbers, rinse, and drain again.
- 4
Distribute one-half tablespoon dill seed, one teaspoon dill weed, one teaspoon mustard seed, one-quarter teaspoon minced garlic, and one-eighth teaspoon crushed red pepper into each of four hot sterilized wide-mouth pint canning jars.
- 5
Pack cucumber slices vertically into jars.
- 6
Combine remaining dill seed, dill weed, mustard seed, garlic, and red pepper with distilled white vinegar, non-iodized salt, and sugar in a medium saucepan.
- 7
Bring to boil on medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve salt and sugar.
- 8
Ladle brine over cucumbers, leaving one-quarter inch headspace.
- 9
Cool. Cover jars with metal lids and screw on bands.
- 10
Refrigerate. Shake jars once daily for 7 to 10 days to redistribute seasonings and blend flavors.
Tips
Use pickling cucumbers rather than slicing varieties; they have fewer seeds and thinner skins.
Sterilize jars in boiling water for 10 minutes before use.
Shake jars daily during the flavor-development period to ensure even seasoning distribution.
Good to Know
Refrigerate up to 2 months in covered jars.
Prepare through step 5. Cover jars and refrigerate up to 24 hours before adding brine and beginning the 7-10 day flavor-development period.
Drain before serving. Serve as a condiment, side dish, or addition to charcuterie boards.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip the 3-hour blanching; this softens cucumbers slightly and helps them absorb seasoning.
Do not use iodized salt; it clouds the brine and affects flavor.
Do not neglect daily shaking during the first 7-10 days; this distributes seasonings and blends flavors evenly.
Do not omit the quarter-inch headspace when ladling brine; this allows for slight expansion.
Substitutions
iodized salt can cloud brine
both contribute dill flavor but with different intensity