Inspiration: What to do with about 30 pickling cucumbers given to us by Brandon’s parents? There was really no other choice :)

What we Loved: Wow, these are some good pickles. Every time that Brandon ate any, I think that’s what he said :) They’re really the freshest pickles that we’ve ever tasted, with a very bright cucumber flavor that you just don’t find in store-bought pickles. Crispy, crunchy, garlicy, and salty. And a great bonus is that these are dead simple to make (no canning involved!), and they last a long time in the fridge. We had ours for about a month and a half, and they were still perfectly crispy at the end.

Helpful Hints: I made four different kinds of pickles – spears, chunks, slices, and whole pickles – and while they all turned out well and we loved all of them, Brandon and I both picked the spears as our favorite. I think there’s just something about that spear shape that we love, and the spears just seemed to have with the best texture and crunch of the bunch.  I reduced the salt and increased the vinegar from the original recipe and was happy with that mix, but you can see variations on the recipe at either site listed below. I also experimented with using whole garlic cloves, minced garlic, and crushed garlic, and as far as I could tell, the way that the garlic was prepared made no difference in the end flavor. Just make sure to use plenty of garlic, because I think it’s what really gives pickles their classic pickly taste. I also added coriander seeds to the recipe because we love them, and I would really recommend it. They add an incredible burst of flavor and crunch.

Refrigerator Pickles
Source: Adapted from Annie’s Eats, originally from Delicious Meliscious

For the Brine
*In total, I ended up making three batches of brine to result in six large jars of pickles. I would recommend mixing up one batch of brine as listed below, and then making more batches if necessary to use all of your cucumbers.

3 cups water
8 tablespoons vinegar (I used cider vinegar, but white vinegar will also work)
2 tablespoons kosher salt

For the Pickles
Garlic
Dill
Coriander seeds
Pickling cucmbers

1. Combine the water, vinegar, and salt in a pitcher, mixing well to combine.

2. Slice the cucumbers according to preference. Place the cucumbers in the canning jars with a good amount of garlic, dill and coriander seeds.

3. Pour some brine into each jar until it is full.

4. Put the lid on the jars, shake to combine everything well, and refrigerate for at least two days before eating.