For the past two weeks, I have been drowning in cucumbers from my local CSA. So, think of this quick pickles recipe as equal parts tasty summertime snack and a VERY easy way to use up overly abundant produce so it doesn’t go bad before you can eat it all.
Just how easy is it? Ridiculously easy. And fast. Like, once I get into the cleaning-and-slicing-cucumbers zone, I can be done and sitting at my kitchen table drinking an iced tea and watching the jars cool on the counter in about 20 minutes. (Not bad for a homemade snack that can last up to 2 months in the fridge!)
Quick Pickles Recipe:
Ingredients:
* About 3 to 4 pounds of fresh cucumbers (or enough to fill tightly fill both jars), washed
* 12 large cloves of garlic, peeled
* 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
* 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
* 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
* 8 black peppercorns
* 20 fresh sprigs of dill
* 2 medium-sized jalapeño peppers, washed (optional)
* 6 tablespoons kosher salt
* 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
* 2 cups white vinegar
* ½ cup water
Note: Feel free to play around with different spices until you find something that you like—quick pickles are very forgiving.
Tools:
* 2 quart-size wide-mouth canning jars [affiliate link], washed and dried
* Stove or cooktop surface
* Medium saucepan [affiliate link]
* Vegetable knife [affiliate link]
* Cutting board [affiliate link]
* Measuring cups [affiliate link] (I like Pyrex glass measuring cups with pouring spouts, but you can use whatever you have on hand.)
Step 1
Slice the cucumbers into rounds and pack them into the jars, leaving about an inch of room at the top of each jar. (You should try to fit as many cucumber slices as you can into each jar without crushing the vegetables.)
If you’re planning to give your pickles an extra spicy kick with some jalapeño peppers, you should slice those and add them to each jar as well. I use one medium pepper per jar.
Step 2
Halve and crush the garlic, then add the garlic and the other spices (coriander seeds, mustard seeds, red pepper flakes, peppercorns, and dill) to the cucumbers, splitting the spices evenly between the two jars.
Set the jars aside.
Step 3
On the stove, make the brine by combining the vinegar, water, salt, and sugar in a medium saucepan, bringing the mixture to a boil and stirring regularly until the salt and sugar have dissolved completely.
Step 4
Remove the saucepan from the heat, then carefully pour the hot liquid into each jar, covering the cucumbers completely.
Step 5
Gently tap the jars to release any trapped air bubbles, then put the lids on the jars.
Step 6
Place the jars on the counter to cool, allowing them to slowly return to room temperature.
Step 7
Once the jars have cooled completely, store the pickles in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days before eating to allow the spices to do their oh-so-delicious work.
Step 8
Enjoy your tasty homemade quick pickles!
Storage: Once opened, quick pickles will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 months, and the flavor will continue to develop over time. (You definitely DO want to keep them in the refrigerator—quick pickles look a lot like traditional canning, but they definitely aren’t shelf-stable like true preserved foods, and must be refrigerated.)
Happy snacking!