How do I make quick pickles without canning?
Make quick pickles without canning by pouring a cold brine of one cup vinegar, one cup water and one tablespoon kosher salt over thinly sliced cucumbers in a clean jar, then refrigerating. After about 30 minutes they are lightly pickled and crisp, and the flavor deepens overnight. No boiling or sterilizing is needed.
How to do it
- Stir 1 cup vinegar, 1 cup water and 1 tbsp kosher saltStir until the salt fully dissolves. Any plain vinegar with about 5% acidity works. Add a teaspoon of sugar if you want a softer taste.
- Slice the cucumbers thinCut them into coins about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick. Thin slices let the brine reach the center within 30 minutes.
- Pack a clean jar and pour the cold brine overFill a washed glass jar with the slices, leaving a little space at the top. Pour in the brine until every piece is covered.
- Refrigerate for at least 30 minutesClose the lid and chill. At 30 minutes the pickles are lightly tangy and crisp. After a night the flavor is fuller.
- Keep them cold and eat within about two weeksThese are refrigerator pickles, not shelf-stable ones. Keep the jar in the fridge and serve with a clean fork.
Questions that come up
Can I use table salt instead of kosher salt?
Yes, but use less, about 2 teaspoons per batch. Table salt has finer grains, so a tablespoon of it holds more salt. Iodized salt can make the brine slightly cloudy and taste a little sharper. It is safe to use, just less clean-tasting.
Do red onion and carrots also pickle in 30 minutes?
Red onion softens and turns pink in about 30 minutes. Carrots work if you slice them into thin coins, about 1/8 inch. They turn lightly tangy in 30 minutes but stay firm, and they taste fuller after a few hours or overnight. Thick carrot sticks usually need an overnight soak.
How long do refrigerator pickles last?
Most keep well for about two weeks in the fridge, as long as they stay cold and covered by brine. They are not canned, so they are not shelf-stable: never store the jar at room temperature. Throw them out if they smell off, turn slimy or grow mold.
Full transcript
Cold brine: crunchy pickles in thirty minutes. One cup vinegar, one cup water, one tablespoon kosher salt. Stir, then pour it over thin-sliced cucumbers and refrigerate. Same brine works on red onion and thin carrots. Thirty minutes later: snap.