Nothing beats the crunch of fresh refrigerator pickles! This recipe was handed down to me by my grandma who got it from her mom.
Refrigerator Pickles
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 are how many cucumbers 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 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!
More Side Dishes
AMISH REFRIGERATOR PICKLES
Ingredients
- 3 medium cucumbers, sliced about ¼-inch thick
- 1 green pepper, sliced into short strips
- 1 onion, sliced into rings
- 2 cups cider vinegar
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons celery seed
- 4 tablespoons kosher 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
Did you make this recipe?
You can tag me at @iamhomesteader.
Photography by The PKP Way.
to make the dill pickles would i omit sugar and celery seed and replace with dill and garlic if i want with this recipe /also could i use green beans instead of pickles ty
Are these sweet pickles or bread and butter? What if I want a sour pickle? Just reduce/eliminate sugar?
That’s a lot of sugar! Can it be reduced to 1 cup without ruining the final product?
I substituted the sugar with Splenda. Cup for cup. No one knew the difference and everyone loved them.
I am making this recipe for the first time but do not plan to can them, as we are going to eat them straight out of the Tupperware bowl in the fridge over the next few days. My question is how much water do I add if not canning? I had only one cup cider vinegar so i substituted the second cup with white vinegar as well. Thank you for the recipe!
Thanks so much for this recipe……
This reminds me of what my grandmother always made. She just called it “cucumbers and onions” . Sliced cucumbers, onions in a vinegar and water with just a bit of sugar and salt. They keep a long time just in a tupperware. I wonder if I could just seel then in jars like this. I wouldn’t want this much sugar.
Sounds like some my Mother used to make. Can They be left in the fridge indefinitely. ( until they are all eaten )
Sounds great,I will be trying
Amish have refrigerators, just powered by gasoline motors instead of electricity.
How long do they last and do they need to stay in the refrigerator? Thanks
Once you make them how long will they keep and do they have to stay in the refrigerator
I thought the Amish didn’t have refrigerator’s
They have gas powered fridges
Can these be frozen
How long do they keep in the refrigerator?
Didn’t say anything about sugar
Why do you say not to remove the garlic from the skin?
Because it will emit too strong if you do
That would be impossible for me! I would probably add two peeled cloves per jar
I am so with you on that. No such thing as too much garlic 😊
If you are talking about the recipe for the bread and butter pickles, I did not read anything about garlic in that recipe. Mary
Are these sweet and sour, like bread and butters?
You don’t have to boil the liquid to dissolve the sugar?
Nope. I make these even in the winter for a small batch for myself!
Every summer I tell myself I need to make pickles. This is the reminder I need!