In her day they used ice boxes to store all food that needed to be chilled. (She still has hers and I remember just looking at it with awe when I was a kid!) Modernization of this recipe means we can store it in the fridge, but that’s about the only thing that has changed. The seasonings and flavor as just as good as they were 100 years ago!
My grandma also added red peppers on occasion as grandpa sometimes requested it. Feel free to play with this recipe to fit your specific tastes!
HOW TO MAKE REFRIGERATOR PICKLES
A few things to think about when making refrigerator pickles is how many cucumbers do you have and do you have all of the canning equipment like jars and lids. While these pickles do not need to be canned, the jars do need to be sterilized and able to properly seal.
A majority of the work for this recipe comes in the preparation. While your jars are being sterilized (in the dishwasher or a big pot of boiling water) you can cut up your cucumbers, green peppers, and onions. Make sure you have enough vinegar on hand as well as celery seed.
Once all of the preparation is done the assembly goes very quickly!
VARIATIONS FOR REFRIGERATOR PICKLES
You’ll notice that this recipe does not contain any dill. If you prefer a dill refrigerator pickle recipe, you can add up to 6 sprigs of fresh dill to each jar or 1 teaspoon of dill seeds to each jar. You can also add a couple of cloves of garlic, but it should still be in its skin.
Try cutting the cucumbers in spears instead of slices. For this method, you do want to make sure your cucumbers are very firm. Wash cucumbers and slice in half crosswise. Place flat side down on cutting board and cut pieces in half lengthwise and then cut into spears. Hold the first spear up to your jar to make sure it will fit. Baby cucumbers work great too!
Ingredients
- 3 medium cucumbers sliced about 1/4-inch thick
- 1 green pepper sliced into short strips
- 1 onion sliced into rings
- 2 cups cider vinegar
- 2 cups white sugar
- 2 teaspoons celelry seed
- 4 tablespoons salt
Instructions
Clean and sanitize 6 pint size mason jars with lids. Divide the sliced cucumbers, pepper, and onion amongst the jars.
Create the pickling liquid by mixing together the vinegar, sugar, celery seed, and salt. Fill the jars halfway with the liquid. Fill each jar the rest of the way with cold water.
Fit the lid on tightly and shake to mix. Store in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours
