Refrigerator Sweet Pickles Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the ratio of vinegar to water for refrigerator pickles? ›

The basic ratio for quick pickles is 1:1 vinegar to water, and includes some combination of salt and sugar. Another ratio that is commonly followed is the 3:2:1 method, using three parts vinegar, two parts water, and 1 part sugar.

Let the pickles marinate for a few days (longer for stronger flavor) to really soak up the brine. The pickles will keep in the fridge for 3-4 weeks, 4 weeks if you keep them sealed in canning jars.

Refrigerate. Close the jar, give it a good shake, then refrigerate, shaking occasionally. Refrigerator pickles are ready to eat after 2 hours, but best after a full day. ENJOY!

Refrigerator Pickles – Preparation

Wash glass jars with hot, soapy water, then place on a baking tray and heat in the oven at 160°C for 10-15 minutes. Place the lids (and any spoons) in a pan of boiling water for 5 minutes. Salt, sugar and vinegar are all preservatives so avoid reducing these.

Use this BA-endorsed formula as a brine base for pretty much everything: Bring 1 cup distilled white vinegar, 2 Tbsp. kosher salt, 2 tsp. sugar, up to 2 Tbsp. spices (e.g., peppercorns, coriander seeds, and/or mustard seeds), and 2 cups water to a boil in a saucepan.

The classic ratio is super easy to remember and is easily scale-able depending on how many pickles you're making. It's 100% vinegar, 50% water, 25% sugar and 12.5% kosher salt by weight. So for example, 200g vinegar, 100g water, 50g sugar and 25g kosher salt (again, you can scale this up or down!).

If you can find those in your grocery store or in your garden, you can make your own sweet pickles with a brine containing sugar. The brine gives these pickles just a touch of sweetness (don't worry—these types of pickles aren't candy-sweet). Recipes vary and call for all sorts of spices and aromatics.

Dill pickles are known for their tangy and slightly sour taste, while sweet pickles are sweeter and more delicate in flavor. One of the best ways to use dill pickles is to chop them up and add them to sandwiches, burgers, and hot dogs for a zesty crunch. They can also be used as a topping for salads, pizzas, and tacos.

Pickled fruits and vegetables can go bad if the jars are inproperly sealed, if the ratios of vinegar or salt in a brine are off, or if the pickles are exposed to air because there isn't enough brine in the jar, or they aren't weighted down.

Sterilizing jars and standing over a steamy water bath for hours is not the most pleasurable way to spend a summer day! You can skip that whole process and make the next best thing – refrigerator pickles.

Do I have to boil my pickle brine? ›

It's actually a liquid brine, which is used to preserve fruits and vegetables. Do you have to boil brine for pickles? No, there are other methods for pickling, including quick pickling and refrigerator pickling.

"As long as the pickles are kept cold, they can last upwards of 75 days unopened in the fridge," Andre shares. Once opened, any pickles should be stored in the fridge, submerged in brine, to maintain freshness for at least up to three months, according to the USDA.

The sugar doesn't actually make the refrigerator pickles sweet. Instead, it balances the pungent vinegar and salt to create an irresistible sour pickle flavor. Heat the brine on the stove until the sugar and salt dissolve and pour it over the jarred cucumbers. Then, set the jars aside to cool to room temperature.

The pickles are brined and turned upside down on the counter for one hour. They are then stored right side up in the refrigerator where the heat and the pressure have created a seal on the jar. Pickles done this way can last a few months in the refrigerator, and … they stay crispy!

For use around the home, combine vinegar with water in a 1:1 solution to clean and freshen many surfaces. Use this solution on glass, windows, walls, cupboards, floors, sinks, stovetops and coffee makers.

Picklers should look for a pickling vinegar with 5% acetic acid concentration or higher. This is to ensure your vinegar is acidic enough to prevent the growth of bacteria and mould in your pickle jars. The more acidic the vinegar, the longer your pickles will last.

They will be more sour than brine pickles. Believe it or not, I add a wee pinch of vanilla to my refrigerator pickles. Mellows them out without sweetening and you can't taste the vanilla. Also be sure your pickles aren't soft.

Vinegar used for pickling must at least 5% acidity. Look at the label to be sure that the vinegar you are using is 5% acidity. Sometimes vinegar will be labeled as grain; 5% acidity is the same as 50 grain. Most white and cider vinegars used for making pickles and salsa are 5% acidity, but not all.