Quick Dilly Cucumbers in Vinegar are also called quick refrigerator pickles made with fresh cucumbers and a homemade brine. You won’t believe how crunchy and perfect these pickles are.
I have loved pickles for as long as I can remember, and making simple homemade pickles is one of my favorite treats. I know that homemade pickles might sound fussy but they are literally just cucumbers in vinegar. I LOVE this recipe. It makes a flavorful crunchy pickle that can be eaten almost right away but gets even better if you let them sit overnight.
Homemade fridge pickles are something that my grandma has been making for years and years (her refrigerator pickle recipe is here), and this recipes is a whole lot like it. The only difference is that you bring the brine to a boil before pouring it over your cucumbers. This does a few things. It heats up the spices and as they soak in the hot water they steep their flavor into the liquid. This also helps the salt to dissolve easily. These cucumbers aren’t cooked in the brine though (like pickles that you can and are shelf stable), which means they stay extra crispy and crunchy. This recipe only takes about 5 minutes to make and it does have a little waiting time, but that’s it. Once you make it, you are going to be whipping up a batch of homemade pickles every week. You just can’t get simpler than cucumbers in vinegar that only get better with time.
I like to make a batch of these for parties where I’d normally serve pickles, for instance if I’m planning on hamburgers or pulled pork sandwiches. It’s so fun to have people try a simple homemade pickle for the first time because they are SO good. I can’t wait for you to make these yourself.
Tips and Tricks for making Quick Dilly Cucumbers in Vinegar
- You can substitute the peppercorns and whole mustard seed for pickling spice (here’s my homemade pickling spice recipe) if you like. Use a generous tablespoon of pickling spice for this recipe.
- If using table salt, use a scant tablespoon (about 2 1/2 teaspoons).
- You can use just about any kind of pickle that you want for this recipe. I think that little Kirby cucumbers (the ones that look like they are from the garden, with some color variation to them), are the best. They tend to stay firm longest. Other cucumbers will be just fine, but you might want to eat them within a few days instead of a full week.
- This recipe is not intended for canning pickles. Just keep the pickles in the fridge for up to a week.
- The garlic in this recipe is optional. I love a light garlic flavor to my pickles so I normally add one clove of garlic, cut in half. It’s a subtle but delicious addition to this recipe.
- This recipe needs to rest a little bit so that the cucumbers can sit in the vinegar and turn into pickles. I have a super fast refrigerator pickle recipe if you are in need of a quick pickle recipe.
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Quick Dilly Cucumbers in Vinegar
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 1 min
- Total Time: 6 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups of pickles 1x
Description
Quick Dilly Cucumbers in Vinegar are also called quick refrigerator pickles made with fresh cucumbers and a homemade brine. You won’t believe how crunchy and perfect these pickles are.
Ingredients
- 2 medium or 5-6 small cucumbers (Kirby are great), about 2 cups.
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper corns
- 2 teaspoons whole yellow mustard seed
- 2–4 sprigs fresh dill or 1 tablespoon dried dill weed
- 1–2 cloves garlic, halved, optional
Instructions
- Prepare the cucumbers by slicing them how you like, spears or rounds both work great. Place them in a glass mason jar or a bowl.
- In a medium pan, add the water, vinegar, salt, peppercorns, whole mustard seed, dill, and garlic if using. Stir to combine.
- Over medium-high heat, bring the mixture to a boil and boil for one minute. Remove from the heat and pour the mixture over the prepared cucumbers.
- Let the cucumbers and vinegar mixture rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (though overnight is great, too) before enjoying.
- Keep pickles in the fridge, submerged in the brine, for up to a week.
Notes
- You can substitute the peppercorns and whole mustard seed for pickling spice (here’s my homemade pickling spice recipe) if you like. Use a generous tablespoon of pickling spice for this recipe.
- If using table salt, use a scant tablespoon (about 2 1/2 teaspoons).
I got the rest of these out at dinner and my family of 7 ate every last one of them in one sitting. You’ve been warned – you might just want to start with a double batch!
Enjoy from my kitchen to yours.
