Refrigerator Pickle Recipe : Lightly Pickled Vegetables for Salads

Lightly Pickled Vegetables for Salads

My favourite vegetables for these crisp and tasty vegetable refrigerator pickles recipe are English cucumbers, carrots and cauliflower. They are cut in chunks, very lightly pickled with a lovely sweet sour taste. Excellent as finger foods for informal entertainment, they last in the fridge for up to a week.

I have often made these and have always used different amounts of vegetables so have no fixed recipe for ingredients. I give basic guidelines and individual taste should guide you. I like sweet pickles, others might not. I like the taste of pickling spice, you might not.

Carrots are best cleaned and cut into chunks about 2½ cm across.

Cauliflower should be broken into small florets.

All vegetables should be as fresh as possible.

Dunk the prepared carrots and cauliflower into rapidly boiling water until the water comes back to the boil, after which they are drained and immediately put into another container with cold water, stopping the boiling process. This is called par-boiling and after this they are crisply half cooked and ready for pickling.

The English cucumbers are not peeled, are cut into chunks or sliced thinly, sprinkled liberally with salt to eliminate extra moisture and drained after about 10 minutes when they have become quite limp. Rinse off extra salt and drain off all rinsing water

Pickling mixture for cucumber slices: Mix hot water, sugar and vinegar to taste and pour this over the cucumber slices. It should only be mildly sweet-sour as you are making a salad preparation and not a proper pickle. It should last in the fridge for about a week covered in the pickling brine.

Pickling mixture for carrots and cauliflower: Boil water, sugar and vinegar together in the same proportion as in step 3 and then add pickling spice, switch off the stove and let the mixture steep until lukewarm. Then pour it over the carrots and cauliflower and refrigerate for up to a week in their brine.

Note:

These lightly pickled vegetables retain their color and are very attractive

They are tasty as well when added to platters of snacks and cold meats at receptions or on a small scale at drinks parties or bring-a-plate functions such as PTA meetings and barbecues.

Make it your specialty and you will never scratch your head again about what to take to a social gathering as everyone will look forward to your tasty vegetables!

The pickled cucumber slices are great on sandwiches with cold meat, can be added to a green salad or served as a salad on its own.

Refrigerator Pickle Recipe : Pickling Your Vegetables For Long Term Preservation

refrigerator pickle recipe

One of the most popular ways to extend food life is to pickle it. Pickling is the process of preserving food through fermentation in a brine. Many vegetables get pickled or made into relish including cucumbers, okra, peppers, summer squash, unripe cantaloupe, watermelon rind, tomatoes, eggs, onions, garlic, etc, etc. Pickling lowers the PH to less than 4.6, which is sufficient to kill most bacteria and is somewhat easier to do than canning in that the vegetables do not have to be completely sterile to refrigerator pickle recipe.

You will need to buy some equipment up front but after your initial investment, you should not need anything but a few ingredients to pickle your food. You will need a large pot that is big enough to boil water and mostly submerge the jars in order to seal them. You can seal the jars one at a time or get something big enough to do several at once. Buy as many 1 QT canning/mason jars as you think you will need (I buy them by the case), just make sure they have rings to seal the lids. Though the process is not too difficult, it makes sense to make as many jars as possible at one time, given you have enough vegetables.

Now that you have your equipment, and hopefully picked some fresh veggies from your organic garden, you are ready to pickle. There are thousands of recipes for pickling, and different nuances according to the different vegetables. It would be impossible to cover everything, but there are numerous detailed books about pickling available to give you ideas and guidance. My favorites are a combination of multiple recipes that I have tried over the years. What follows is a very basic recipe that will work for just about vegetable, but it should be considered a refrigerator pickle recipe:

Pickling Ingredients: 

- 7 wide mouth quart jars, lids & rings

- fresh dill (keep the heads on the stems)

- cucumbers (washed/scrubbed). I use pickling cucumbers, about the size of the average pickle.

- garlic cloves (jalepenos, small peppers and onion can also be added)

Brine: 

- 8 ½ cups of water

- 2 ¼ cups white vinegar

- ½ cup pickling salt

Pickling Directions: 

Do all of this before filling your jars -

1. Wash the jars in hot, soapy water. Rinse and fill with hot water. Set aside

2. Fill canning kettle half full with hot tap water. Set on burner over high heat

3. In a medium sauce pan, fit lids and rings together, cover with water, bring to a simmer (you are make them sterile).

4. In a large pan, bring the brine (water, vinegar and salt) to a boil. After it boils, turn off the heat.

5. Fill jars - place a layer of dill at the bottom of every jar, along with a clove or two of garlic (if you are using it). Tightly load cukes from your fresh organic garden into the jar to the neck of the jar. You may need 2 layers to achieve this. Put a few more sprigs of dill & garlic to the top.

6. Pour in brine, leaving about a half inch from the top.

7. Screw on lid w/ ring gasket, making sure it is tightly sealed.

8. Place jars in a pan (or canner) with water just to the neck of the jars

9. Bring water almost to a boil (should be about 15 minutes, depending)

10. Remove jars, set on a dish towel and cover with dish towel & let cool.

11. Check for seal (indented lid). If they are not sealed, you can try re-sealing them in the near boiling water.

12. Label the jars/lids with content, date, recipe (so you will know which ones you like better).

13. Store in a cool, dark place

Your cucumbers will be ready to eat after 2 weeks and will keep for months. You will find that there is some variance in texture and taste as they age, so you may wind up preferring to age them longer. If you were not able to get any of the jars to seal, you will want to refrigerate them immediately and you can eat the contents after a couple days. Unsealed jars will not keep well for very long.

Mark is an avid organic gardener and writes for offthegridsurvival which promotes off the grid living, providing for yourself, and disaster preparedness.

Making Pickles Without A Stove - Guide To Making Refrigerator Pickles

refrigerator pickle recipe

One of the few things that did even mildly well in my greenhouse this summer were my two cucumber plants. I say mildly because after getting about 10-12 fruits, everything else died before it could get a growth spurt going. This small number of cucumbers did not, in my opinion, warrant heating up my kitchen and slaving over a hot stove. But, I couldn't possibly eat them fast enough. So, I went searching on the internet for suggestions about what to do with them. To my great surprise, I found out that yes, you can pickle recipe without cooking.

The ingredients called for white wine vinegar, distilled white vinegar, brown sugar, mustard seed, peppercorns, fresh dill, and a couple herbs that I don't have. Since I adore garlic, lots of fresh cloves were added as well. Habaneros would have been added as well, but then my husband and young son wouldn't touch them. I didn't have dill and went to the grocery store to buy some. There were a few bunches in a water-filled bucket and not being sure if that really was dill, I stood in the middle of the produce area holding some in my hands, looking completely lost because there wasn't a store employee anywhere in sight. A woman walked by and asked if I lived in her general vicinity, and as it turns out, we live only a mile away from each other. She told me to go put back what was in my hand, saying she had plenty of dill that reseeded itself from last year, she wasn't going to make any more pickles and didn't know what to do with all the remaining dill. After giving me her address, we parted ways.

As it became later in the evening, I realized the refrigerator  pickles recipe weren't going to be made. In the process of putting the dill into a vase of water, I looked down and noticed my arms were covered in little green aphids. Gross. I gingerly took the vase outside and sat it on the front deck for the evening. The next day, after multiple shakes and rinses in water and some diatomaceous earth to rid the dill of aphids, I began putting together all the ingredients for my much-anticipated pickles. I sliced the cucumbers lengthwise and put them into clean quart jars. Next, all the ingredients were mixed in a stainless steel bowl and then poured into the cucumber-filled jars until everything is covered. Lids were put on and jars placed in the refrigerator for 48 hours. They probably could have come out at 24 hours, but I went camping that night, so they had an extra day of pickling.

Two days later, I took a jar out of the refrigerator, opened it up to pull out a pickle recipe and realized my efforts at aphid-cleansing had not been completely successful. There were a few floating in the pickling liquid. Oh well, I thought to myself, just some added protein. My husband and another friend each tried them and didn't have any gastric upset. For something so incredibly easy, the pickles were absolutely delicious. And, you couldn't taste the aphids.
No cooking, no hot kitchen, no sterilizing jars. Simply mix the ingredients and pour over your jarred pickle wedges and put in the refrigerator for a day. Easy!

Refrigerator dill pickle recipe alton brown 2015

refrigerator dill pickle recipe alton brown 

Directions

Combine the salt and water in a pitcher and stir until the salt has dissolved.

Rinse the cucumbers thoroughly and snip off the blossom end stem. Set aside.

Place the peppercorns, pepper flakes, garlic, dill seed and fresh dill into a 1-gallon crock. Add the cucumbers to the crock on top of the aromatics. Pour the brine mixture over the cucumbers in order to completely cover. Pour the remaining water into a 1-gallon ziptop plastic bag and seal. Place the bag on top of the pickles making sure that all of them are completely submerged in the brine. Set in a cool, dry place.

Check the crock after 3 days. Fermentation has begun if you see bubbles rising to the top of the crock. After this, check the crock daily and skim off any scum that forms. If scum forms on the plastic bag, rinse it off and return to the top of the crock.

The fermentation is complete when the pickles taste sour and the bubbles have stopped rising; this should take approximately 6 to 7 days. Once this happens, cover the crock loosely and place in the refrigerator for 3 days, skimming daily or as needed. Store for up to 2 months in the refrigerator, skimming as needed. If the pickles should become soft or begin to take on an off odor, this is a sign of spoilage and they should be discarded.

More sources : http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/dill-pickles-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Rinse the cucumbers thoroughly and snip off the blossom end stem. Set aside. Combine the salt and water in a pitcher and stir until the salt has dissolved.
Place the peppercorns, pepper flakes, garlic, dill seed and fresh dill into a 1-gallon crock. Add the cucumbers to the crock on top of the aromatics.
Pour the brine mixture over the cucumbers in order to completely cover. Pour the remaining water into a 1-gallon ziptop plastic bag and seal.
Place the bag on top of the pickles making sure that all of them are completely submerged in the brine. Set in a cool, dry place.
Check the crock after 3 days. Fermentation has begun if you see bubbles rising to the top of the crock. After this, check the crock daily and skim off any scum that forms. If scum forms on the plastic bag, rinse it off and return to the top of the crock.
The fermentation is complete when the pickles taste sour and the bubbles have stopped rising; this should take approximately 6 to 7 days. Once this happens, cover the crock loosely and place in the refrigerator for 3 days, skimming daily or as needed. Store for up to 2 months in the refrigerator, skimming as needed. NOTE: If the pickles should become soft or begin to take on an off odor, this is a sign of spoilage and they should be discarded.

More sources : http://www.food.com/recipe/good-eats-dill-pickles-from-alton-brown-2007-266032



6-8 small (3-4 inches long) un-waxed cucumbers. Look for pickling or “Kirby” cucumbers which are an ideal size. Persian cucumbers can also be used but don’t always stay as crispy.
1 1/2 cups filtered water
2 tablespoons sea salt (or other non-additive salt)
4-8 sprigs of fresh dill
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and cut in half and smashed with a knife
1 teaspoon peppercorns
Plus: 1 wide-mouth 16-ounce glass canning jar (sterilized in boiling water and air-dried)
Optional seasonings: red pepper flakes, hot chiles, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, celery leaves, bay leaves, fresh herbs, onion, cinnamon stick, cloves

More sources : http://www.marksdailyapple.com/naturally-fermented-dill-pickles/#axzz3Veq3K1WJ

refrigerator dill pickle recipe alton brown 

8 Rules For Making the Best Homemade Pickles : (refrigerator pickle recipe )

refrigerator pickle recipe 

There are two types of pickle families, those made by using the quick process method and those made during the brine curing method. Most people now use the quick process method to save on time. Using the quick process method, you cook the fruit or vegetable in vinegar and spices to preserve it.
When using the brine curing type method, you keep and hold the fruit or vegetables in a brine for about a month. The next step is to soak them in cold water to remove any excess salt. After the excess salt is removed, you add vinegar, sugar and spices to make pickles. This can be a lengthy process, but people who use this method swear by it. It usually makes crisper pickles than the quick processing method, although many quick processed pickles are delicious.
No matter which type of pickles you decide to make, there are a few rules you should follow for success. You should keep them in mind when making homemade pickles.
1. Use fresh fruits and vegetables as soon as possible after picking them. Store them in the refrigerator if you can't make pickles with an hour or two after picking them. Don't wash them before placing in the refrigerator.
2. Use fruits and vegetables that are free of any bruises or blemishes. If the have to cut out blemishes, cut deeply to make certain all damaged flesh is removed.
3. Thoroughly wash all fruits and vegetables to remove any dirt which may cause spoilage. If you are using cucumbers to make your pickles, be sure to remove the blossom end as well. It has an enzyme in it which may also cause your pickles to spoil.
4. Use a vinegar of at least 5% acidity. Check the label for acid content. You can use either white vinegar or apple cider vinegar. Homemade vinegar isn't recommended as one can't be sure of acidity level. White vinegar makes for clearer pickles, but apple cider vinegar will lend more flavor to your pickles.
5. Use canning or pickling salt when making pickles. This is mandatory when using the brine curing method. You can use table salt in quick process pickles, but don't use table salt with iodine added. It may darken the pickles.
6. Use the freshest spices available for the best flavored pickles. Whole spices work well. Tie them in a cloth bag so they can be removed from the brine easily. If left in the brine when poured into jars, the spices will darken the pickles as they age.
7. Use white granulated sugar. Only use brown sugar if the recipe you are using calls for it.
8. Use fresh water. If you are using city water, or water that has been chemically treated, boil the water and let it cool completely before using it for pickle making.
There are all sorts of pickle recipes. You can find recipes for sweet pickles, dill pickles and even hot pickles. There may be recipes in your cookbook, but if not, the internet is a great resource for finding pickle recipes.
You can pickle many types of fruits and vegetables. Pickled cucumbers and cauliflower are some of the more common ones. Find a pickle recipe that you would like to try, and keeping these steps in mind, you will soon have your own delicious homemade pickles to enjoy.

K. Hupp enjoys cooking and gardening. Visit Instant Life Insurance Quote [http://instant-lifeinsurance-quote.com] to be certain you aren't overpaying for life insurance.

refrigerator pickle recipe

Tips For Preparing Middle Eastern Pickles (refrigerator pickle recipe)

refrigerator pickle recipe

Middle Eastern pickles have a unique, excellent taste. Commercial ones do not come anywhere near this special Middle Eastern taste. These are artificial pickles made with un-healthy ingredients, and they usually have a mediocre taste. If you are looking for quality there is another option.
Prepare delicious Mideast pickles at home. They are so much tastier and healthier than the commercial ones. Homemade pickles can be a special, gourmet gift for you and your friends.
There are many great Middle Eastern pickle recipes, some recipes like Iraqi pickled cucumber are easy to prepare, and others like pickled green olives require more works. Every pickle lover will find his favorite Mideastern pickle recipes.
You need no more than 30-40 minutes for preparing them.Get the right ingredients, follow the basic pickling rules and you are on the right track.
If everything is done properly, you can expect your tasty pickles to last for quite a long time. In some cases you would not even need to refrigerate them.
Now, take a look at these 4 important tips for successful pickling, They are a must for achieving great results.
1. To succeed in homemade pickling: do not use your hand to remove the pickles from the jar; it will ruin the liquids. Rather use a fork or wooden tongs.
2. Always get high quality, fresh vegetables; it is a must.
3. Unless you have different directions, use 1 Tsp sea-salt to each cup water.
4. For successful pickling use a glass jar.
5. In most cases, use warm water.

If you follow this tips you will certainly achieve great results in Middle Eastern pickling. Remember that you also need experience. The more times you prepare pickles, the better tasting they will be.Go to: middle eastern pickle recipes to get more advice and tips on pickle preparation.
Azriel is an expert in Middle Eastern cooking. He also works as an educator and translator.
Visit his website at: http://www.amideastfeast.com

Easy Refrigerator Home Made Hot Garlic Dill Pickles Recipe

refrigerator pickle recipe

Years ago in Sacramento, California, I ran across an old man selling pickles at a swap meet. He made the pickles in his own kitchen in large plastic barrels and sold them on week-ends. I went to this swap meet every Saturday all during the summer and noticed the lines of people gathered in front of his booth, but I always walked by.

Then, one Saturday, I stopped. He had many types of home made refrigerator pickles recipe, with bite-sized samples of the various pickles laid out for tasting. They were all good but when I tried the Hot, Garlic, Dill Pickle... I was hooked. So, for what would have been the equivalent of about six dollars in today's money, I bought a quart of pickles served up in a cardboard Chinese take-out carton. They were the absolute, best pickles I had ever tasted.

I made pickles myself several times over the years, but they were nothing special. In fact, pickles from the store were better. I thought, if only I knew how he made them, I could make my own. But I was sure he would not give out his recipe since he made his living selling them. So, I never asked.

Instead, I went through every recipe book in the library looking for pickles. I tried dozens of recipes, but never came close to the old man's formula.

Several years passed with me buying pickles from the old guy until one Saturday, he was not there. Nor was he there the next Saturday. So, after several weeks, I went to the Swap Meet Office and asked what happened to the pickle man. As I feared, he had died.

So, I accepted the fact that I would never taste those fabulous hot, garlic, dills again. Until, one morning, as I was reading the Sunday paper, I spotted a small article on "The Pickle Man Passes Away". The old man's daughter provided her father's life story and to keep his memory alive, she included his best pickle recipes. She felt that he would want his pickles to continue being enjoyed.

When I read the recipe for the hot, garlic dill pickles, I was not sure it was the real thing. It was too simple. There had to be some exotic, secret ingredient. But there it was... with no secret ingredient.

Of course, I made the pickles that same day and they were perfect. They were the old man's pickles!

Since they were so simple, I wondered why my efforts over the years were never as good as his. After much thought, I concluded that the secret is not only the ingredients, it is also the procedure.

The first secret is, FRESH INGREDIENTS.

Like the pickle man, I grow all the ingredients, except salt and vinegar, in my own back yard. The cucumbers are picked and processed within one hour of leaving the garden. Likewise, with all the other ingredients. I am convinced that this freshness adds a little extra something to the flavor and crunch of the pickles.

O.K., ready for the recipe? A note first: this recipe assumes you are familiar with the basics of canning food. If not, you should probably read an article on safe canning techniques before making pickles.

INGREDIENTS: 

Quantities of ingredients vary according to how many pickles you want to make. It will be clear as you read the procedure below.

FRESH cucumbers (how many?...how many pickles do you want to make?) 

water 

pickling salt 

jalapeno peppers 

grape leaves (fresh) 

whole peppercorn 

whole garlic cloves (peeled) 

fresh dill sprigs 

white vinegar (5% distilled - commonly sold in stores) 

crushed red pepper (optional)

NOTE: 

Select cucumbers that are about 3-5 inches long, with no blemishes! You can use any type cucumber, not just pickling cucumbers. I have always made the pickles using whole cucumbers, like the Pickle Man did.

PROCEDURE 

1. Prepare jars and lids in boiling water. Allow to stand in boiling water at least 15 minutes 

2. In a LARGE pot, combine two quarts water, 1/2 cup pickling salt, 1 quart (4 cups) white vinegar (5%). Bring to a boil until all the salt is dissolved. 

3. In each sterilized jar place: one large sprig of dill weed, 1 medium jalapeno pepper (sliced length-way), 3 cloves garlic, 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorn and 2 grape leaves. 

4. Fill jar with cucumbers (previously washed in cold water) and pour hot vinegar mix in jar to within 1 inch of top. 

5. Seal jars hand tight and process in hot water bath 15 minutes.

One good thing about making your own pickles is that you have control over how they taste. You like them hotter? Add more jalapeno or 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper. You want them milder? Use only 1/2 jalapeno. You like strong garlic flavored pickles? Use 5 garlic cloves per jar.

The point is, do not be afraid to adjust the recipe to make the pickles you like. The recipe above is basically the original and what I like.

You can start by making just one jar (use original ingredients for salt/vinegar mix, even if making only one jar). The pickles can be tasted in about 3 days and you can adjust the ingredients to your taste when making a full batch. Just be aware that all the flavors will intensify slightly over time.

The grape leaves give the pickles a little extra crunch. You may have trouble finding fresh grape leaves, since we have never found them in stores. If you can not grow your own or have a neighbor that grows them, don't worry.. I would not use alum or any other firming agent as a substitute in my pickles. You will still get a pretty good crunch without the grape leaves if you do not over process and refrigerate before eating.

A final note on safety: as with any food, if an off-color or foul odor develops in your pickles, dispose of them. They may be O. K. but It's better to be safe. If you follow proper canning procedures you should not be concerned.

Good luck with the Hot, Garlic, Dill Pickles.

K. A. Miller is a free lance writer and webmaster for Homemade Pickles where you will find more pickle recipes and preserving techniques. Ken also manages www.olsouthrecipes.com where you can find recipes for the most popular, authentic Southern dishes like fried chicken, fried okra, biscuits and gravy, cornbread and many more.

refrigerator pickle recipe