Cold Brine Dill Pickles

Most pickle recipes call for the use of a hot brine, but this recipe uses a cold brine. In my house, that’s good for a couple of reasons: 1) one of my family members absolutely despises the smell of hot vinegar, and 2) no heating means these pickles are extremely fast and easy to make. Here we go.

Start by washing pickling cucumbers. Don’t be tempted to use regular cucumbers - they just don’t hold up very well to pickling.

See those fuzzy things on the end of some of the cucumbers? Those are the dried up blossoms - they grow on the opposite of the stem end. You want to remove those.

Like I said, you definitely want to trim the blossom end away (they can make your jar of pickles cloudy). If you’re not sure which end is which, feel free to trim both ends, then cut the cucumbers into spears. I usually quarter them, but if your cukes are very large, cut them into 6 or 8 spears (if they’re very small, just cut them in half).

Place the sliced cucumbers into clean jars before adding the spices. Top off each jar with the brine mixture, following the directions in the recipe below.

Enjoy!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• quart canning jars https://amzn.to/3h6ikZw

• half gallon canning jars https://amzn.to/3AdwTyK

• large mouth plastic jar lids https://amzn.to/3fDzOJ4

• canning/pickling salt https://amzn.to/3DWJvPz

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Cold Brine Dill Pickles

makes four pints, two quarts, or one half gallon

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

For the Brine:

• 8 cups cold water

• 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar (at least 5% acid)

• 1/3 cup (96g) canning/pickling salt (may substitute coarse kosher salt)

For the Pickles:

• 20-25 medium size pickling cucumbers, washed and ends trimmed

• 1 tablespoon whole dill seed

• 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns

• 1 teaspoon whole coriander seed

• 1/2 teaspoon whole mustard seed (any color)

• 1/2 teaspoon dried minced garlic

• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

To Make the Brine:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the water, vinegar, and canning/pickling salt until the salt is completely dissolved; set aside.

To Prepare the Pickles:

1. Evenly distribute the spices among the jar(s).

2. Place the sliced cucumbers in the jar(s).

3. Fill the jar(s) with enough brine to completely cover the sliced cucumbers, leaving about 1/2-inch of space at the top of the jar.

4. Cover the jar(s) lightly with a cloth and allow them to sit, undisturbed, in a cool place for 24 hours.

5. Replace cloth cover with jar lid(s); transfer to refrigerator for 3 days before enjoying. Use within 6 months.

Notes

1. This recipe will fill one 1/2 gallon jar, two quart jars, or four pint jars.

2. Be sure to use pickling cucumbers only.

3. Be sure to trim the blossom end of the cucumbers (it’s fine to trim both ends).

4. Use only canning/pickling salt or coarse kosher salt.

adapted from Amanda’s Cookin’

Pickled Green Beans

If you garden or shop your local farmer’s market, you probably have a lot of fresh green beans available this summer. We love to eat them fresh, or cook them a number of different ways - Sautéed with Garlicky Mushrooms, Southern-Style, and Asian-Inspired are some of our favorite recipe. Today I’m going to show you how to make delicious refrigerator pickled green beans. No special equipments or canning technique needed to make this simple recipe. Let me show you!

I like to start by trimming the stem end off of washed green beans. You don’t have to trim the stem ends, but I find they are not very palatable so away they go.

Place the trimmed green beans in a clean jar - any jar with a lid will do (for the recipe below, use a pint-size jar). Add the garlic, bay, coriander seeds, crushed red pepper flakes, and whole pepper corns to the jar as well.

Next, bring the pickling liquid (below) to a boil for 2 full minutes, then pour over the green beans, cover the jar, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate for at least 2 days before enjoying. These green bean pickles will last in the fridge for up to 6 months. Enjoy!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• the knife shown https://amzn.to/3ggwKRx

• quart jars https://amzn.to/310kcHJ

• coriander seeds https://amzn.to/2Dh7f3V

• whole peppercorns https://amzn.to/2XauZO9

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Easy Pickled Green Beans

makes 1 pint

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 6 ounces fresh green beans, washed and trimmed to fit in jar

• 1 clove garlic, peeled and cut into 4 wedges

• 1 dried bay leaf

• 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds

• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

• 8 whole black peppercorns

Pickling Liquid:

• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

• 1/2 cup white wine

• 1/2 cup water

• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

• 1 teaspoon fine salt

Directions

• In a pint-size jar, place the trimmed green beans, garlic, bay leaf, coriander seeds, crushed red pepper flakes, and whole pepper corns.

• In a small, non-reactive saucepan, heat the vinegar, water, wine, sugar, and salt until it boils; boil for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat.

• Pour hot pickling liquid over green beans. If liquid doesn’t cover green beans, top off with boiling water; cover jar and allow to cool before storing in refrigerator for a minimum of 2 days before eating.

Notes

• Keep refrigerated - unopened jars can be refrigerated for up to 6 months.

• Fresh wax beans may be substituted.