I was recently inspired to make a batch of Refrigerator Pickles by my friend Trina. We have had a few hot days here and it makes the cucumbers and zucchini seem to grow inches overnight. I can't keep up sometimes and surprise, I have a giant pickling cuke to deal with.
After working so hard to have a happy & prolific garden, I loath to waste anything...but sometimes I don't have enough veggies to make canning worthwhile. Getting a water bath going for a single jar is a bit much, especially in this heat. So I love the idea of having a large vessel of brine in the fridge for pickling those rogue cucumbers. Since our fridge was a little tight on space last week, I opted to make a small batch (one pint) which also worked splendidly. I suggest Trina's approach if you have the room--here is her lovely blog post. My modified recipe for an individual batch is below.
Refrigerator Pickles - Small Batch
makes 1 pint
1 cucumber
1c. water
1/2 c. cider vinegar
2 heaping tsp. of pickling/canning salt
4 small garlic cloves, peeled (I used my garlic from this season...isn't it pretty?)
I didn't have pickling spice on hand, so I used:
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, 1 teaspoon dill seed, 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
Wash and slice your cuke into wedges or disks.
In a small pot, combine vinegar, water and salt. Bring to a simmer then turn off heat.
Put spices and peeled garlic directly into the empty jar of your choice. Pack the cucumber into the jar.
Pour the brine into the jar to cover your cukes.
Apply lid and let the jar cool. When the jar has returned to room temperature, place it in refrigerator. Let it sit for at least 48 hours before eating.
If I don't put a sign on them, I get tempted to snack on them too early.
Ready to eat! They are great! The pepper really adds a bit of zing.
Enjoy.
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