Refrigerator Pickles

First Attempt: Aug 1, 2024

Ingredients:

17 Pickling Cucumbers

6 cups Water

3 cups Distilled White Vinegar

1½ teaspoons Pickling Salt

1 teaspoon Granulated Sugar

1 teaspoon Kosher Salt

Add-ins:

Black Peppercorns

Whole Mustard Seeds Garlic Cloves Dill

Dried Calabrian Chili

Directions:

In an 8-cup canning jar, add 12 cucumbers, one tablespoon black peppercorns, one heaping tablespoon mustard seeds, 15 crushed garlic cloves, and 4 stalks of dill.

In a 2-cup jar, add 5 cucumbers, one tablespoon black peppercorns, 1 whole Calabrian Chili, and 5 crushed garlic cloves.

Heat the water until the salts and sugar dissolve, then add the vinegar. Pour warm brine into the jars until filled.

Final Notes:

Not at all crunchy and never really were! I'm very much so still learning. The pickling salt was supposed to help make them crispy, but I didn't notice a difference in texture to when I tried making pickles without it. I also did not trim the blossom end, which might leave in an enzyme that softens the pickles.

After storing for some time, not a well balanced flavor. There's not much taste upfront, but then a lot of bite, probably from the vinegar or garlic. I thought I remembered the brine tasting alright when I first made it, so I guess it's from the osmosis with the cucumbers or garlic.

It was a nice amount of heat from the one chili for the 2-cup jar.

Maybe try a professional's recipe or scientific recipe next time.

Left pickle: dill Right pickle: spicy