Easy Sweet Refrigerator Pickle Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Which vinegar is best for sweet pickles? ›

Sugar: This sweet pickle recipe calls for granulated sugar. Using organic sugar as a substitute is acceptable, although it will make your pickling liquid slightly darker. Vinegar: Both white and cider vinegars are used in this recipe, which gives the sweet pickles a more robust taste than using white vinegar alone.

Homemade refrigerated pickles last at least three to four weeks in the fridge, McClellan says. Any longer and the quality will start to decline. You'll notice the brine goes from clear to murky and cloudy, and the pickles start to lose their texture.

Include a couple grape leaves, horseradish leaves, oak leaves, blackberry leaves, or black tea leaves in each jar. The natural tannins found in these leaves help make pickles crunchy. Keep the cucumbers cold before making pickles by storing them in the refrigerator.

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.

Most pickle recipes call for distilled white vinegar. This is the clear, colorless vinegar made by fermenting grains. It has a mellow aroma, tart acid flavor and does not affect the color of light-colored vegetables or fruits.

Because apple cider vinegar is made from apples rather than barley, corn rice or wine, it gives pickles a mellower taste. Using a white distilled vinegar, for example, will create a harsher flavour. But as well as being gentler on your palate, using apple cider vinegar also adds health benefits to pickles.

Olive all use the term on their websites, in advertisem*nts, and in the product descriptions of their pickle varieties. When asked why the word isn't on the front of the jars, all three companies provided nearly the same answer: They feel the word “pickle” isn't necessary on pickles packaged in clear glass containers.

Be patient.

Vinegar-preserved pickles may also need time: most refrigerated pickles taste best if they sit for at least 2 days, and processed pickles generally want to be stored a few weeks before they're open so that they fully develop their flavor.

Use Calcium Chloride

Calcium chloride (CaCl2), sometimes known as “pickle crisp”, is a type of salt that helps preserve the crunchiness of food. It is used in the food industry to help preserve the texture of canned fruit and vegetables. Sea salt is sodium chloride. In this case, we're talking about calcium chloride!

Cut off the blossom end of cucumber.

The blossom-end of a cucumber is said to contain enzymes which can cause mushy pickles. Cutting it off is your best bet. Try cutting off at least 1/16 inch off the blossom end for crisp pickles. The blossom end is the opposite end of the pickle side that was attached to the plant.

Why do you soak cucumbers in ice water before pickling? ›

Better yet, grow them in the garden and ferment the day you pick them! Tasting the stem end can give you a sense of whether the pickle will be bitter since that's the end where bitterness concentrates. Soaking your cucumbers in ice water 30-60 minutes before fermenting seems to help keep crispness.

An easy pickling recipe to follow is the 3-2-1 method; three parts water, two parts vinegar, and one part sugar. This 3-2-1 pickle brine is on the sweeter side, making it great for bread and butter pickles or spicy pickled beets. For a more savory pickle, use less sugar.

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!).

Water. Hard water may cause cloudy brine, off-flavors and discoloration. It is best to used distilled water for canning processes. If you'd like to use tap water, boil it hard for 15 minutes and then let it sit (covered) for 24 hours.

Rice vinegar, or rice wine vinegar, is made from fermented rice wine. It has a sweet, delicate flavor and is less acidic compared to most types of vinegar.

What Is White Vinegar? White vinegar, also known as distilled vinegar or spirit vinegar, is made by fermenting grain alcohol (ethanol) which then turns into acetic acid. Water is then added to the vinegar, so white vinegar is made of five to ten percent acetic acid and ninety to ninety-five percent water.

Though your standard white vinegar is considered neutral in flavor, it is highly acidic and has a pronounced sharp bite. Use it as an equal swap for apple cider vinegar, but consider adding a splash of fruit juice or a pinch of sugar to balance out the flavor. On its own, distilled white vinegar can be a bit harsh.

Any basic vinegar is game — white vinegar, apple cider, white wine, and rice vinegar all work well. You can use these vinegars alone or in combination. Steer clear of aged or concentrated vinegars like balsamic or malt vinegar for pickling.