Refrigerator Pickles
Giving exact measure with ingredients is difficult because of how you cut and pack the pickles in a jar. If you cut the cucumbers into spears, then you can get more in than if you cut them in slices. And, if you cut them in slices, you can get more in the jar if you cut them thinner than thicker. So, for the recipe below, I used three one-quart-size wide mouth mason jars and 5 pickling cucumbers. I also cut 2 of the cucumbers in spears and the remaining ones in slices. You’ll have to experiment a bit to get the right combination for your needs.
Ingedients
5 pickling Cucumbers
1 med Onion
1 stalk Celery
2 1/2 cu Sugar
2 1/2 cu Cider Vinegar
1 tsp Kosher Salt
2 tsp Mustard Seed
1 tsp Celery Seed
1 tsp Ground Tumeric
3 cloves Garlic, thickly sliced
2 tsp Black Peppercorns
5 Sprigs Fresh Dill chopped from stem
1 seeded jalapeño, optional
Distilled White Vinegar
3 wide mouth Mason Jars, 1 quart size each
Wash and clean jars in scalding hot water and set aside.
Slice cucumbers to your preference (thick slices or spears). Thinly slice the onion. Thinly slice the celery at an extreme angle. Toss cucumber, onions, celery with a pinch of salt and the fresh dill. Set aside. If you’re including the jalapeño, seed and thinly slice it and add it to the bowl as well.
Combine sugar, vinegar, salt, and tumeric in a pot. Bring to a low simmer just until salt and sugar have dissolved. Don’t boil because liquid will evaporate quickly. Remove from heat and let fully cool to room temperature.
Place cucumbers, onions, celery and dill in jars. Don’t overly stuff, but put them in rather snugly. Distribute garlic, mustard seed, celery seed, and peppercorns in jars. Evenly distribute liquid over mixture. If liquid doesn’t reach the top of the jars, add white vinegar. Seal tightly. Give it a shake to distribute ingredients and then refrigerate for about 8-12 hours before using, shaking a few times if you like. These will be good for about 2 weeks in the refrigerator.