Refrigerator pickles require some time to hang out in the fridge, but the hands-on prep work is quick and easy. And the fact that they aren’t cooked in the brine keeps them extra crispy. Plan ahead and make your own pickles for a bbq or picnic.

I picked up my cucumbers, dill and garlic at the farmer’s market and the cost of each finished jar of pickles was around a buck.

Ingredients

• 4 lbs. pickling cucumbers, quartered lengthwise (I made one jar with lemon cucumbers, too)
• 2 quarts water
• 1 C. cider vinegar
• 1/3 C. pickling salt
• 4 large or 8 small dill heads
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled & smashed

Method

Step 1

Combine water, vinegar and salt in large saucepan. Bring to a simmer and stir until salt is dissolved.

Step 2

In the meantime, line up four, clean quart-size mason jars. Drop two cloves in the bottom of each, along with 1-2 dill heads.

Step 3

Pack quartered cucumbers into jars. Pour hot brine over the cucumbers, filling to the top.

Step 4

Place lids on jars and allow to sit at room temperature for 24 hours. Place in fridge and wait a week before enjoying.