Refrigerator Pickles

4-5 lbs pickling cucumbers

The brine recipe will make 2 each ½ gallon jars of refrigerator pickles. (1 gal.)  If you don’t have enough cucumbers to make a gallon of pickles, store the prepared brine in the refrigerator in a glass jar until the next batch of cucumbers.

Brine:

Combine in a saucepan:

• 6 cups apple cider vinegar ( not the expensive kind…the regular gal. jug of 5% vinegar. Make sure it’s fresh from this year so it truly is 5% acidity.)
• 6 cups sugar
• 2 tsp celery seed
• 2 tsp mustard seed (I used black mustard seed)
• 2 tsp turmeric

1. Bring the brine to a boil and then turn down to simmer for five minutes.
2. Cool

Making the pickles:

1. Wash the cucumbers in cold water, scrubbing them and removing the blossom end.
2. Slice the cucs into thick rounds--1/4"-3/8"
3. Place sliced cucumbers in a large colander.
4. Sprinkle ½ cup canning salt, or salt that does not contain iodine or anti clumping agents, over the cucs and stir a bit
5. Place the colander in a bowl to catch the liquid that will run off.
6. After at least 2 hours, or overnight, rinse the cucs with cold running water.
7. Taste a slice. It should be pretty salty. Don’t worry, it will blend with the brine.
8. Place the rinsed cucs in a glass jar, cover with cooled brine.
9. Place them in the refrigerator with a tight lid, giving the jar a good shake several times a day to stir the spices.

Now you get to practice delayed gratification.  Wait a week before you eat them!  Enjoy.

They’ll last about 3 weeks in the refrigerator.   Don’t use your fingers when retrieving pickles or you’ll foul the whole jar.  Use a fork or tongs.

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