We were so excited to be able to have a garden this year. It was our first year gardening here in Ohio and although we made some mistakes we did get some good harvests. The one vegetable of which we had an abundance was cucumbers. Although I’m not particularly in love with cucumbers themselves I LOVE pickles!

So, in addition to learning more about gardening in general I also had to learn what to do with our harvests. Of course, I had to learn how to pickle cucumbers! After doing some research on pickling cucumbers, I started with refrigerator pickles. Refrigerator pickles are pickles that are ready to eat as soon as the next day. They are not preserved, so they must be consumed within a month. This is a great option if you’d like to enjoy your pickles right away, and it’s easy!

What You Need

1 1/2 – 2 cucumbers (varies on size of cucumbers and jars)
5 sprigs of dill
1.5 Tsp dill seeds
3-4 cloves of garlic peeled and smashed (based on taste preference)
1 cup of water
1 cup of apple cider vinegar
1 Tbs Pickling salt

What You Need to Do

Cut the cucumbers in spears (I simply cut them in quarters). Also be sure to cut off the blossom end which can make them limp.
Add the sprigs of dill and dill seeds to the jar.
Peel and smash the garlic cloves. I used my garlic press, which takes care of both.
Add the cucumber spears to the jar.

In a bowl mix the water, apple cider vinegar and pickling salt. This is the brine. Mix it well to be sure all the salt is mixed in.
Pour the brine over the cucumbers.
Seal the jar and shake it well.
Leave it out for 12 hours.
I also flipped them upside down and let them sit for another 12 hours, but this step is optional.
Place in the refrigerator.
Eat them once they’re cold and enjoy!