The Quick Pickle

If you have an abundance of vegetables that you aren’t sure what to do with, making quick pickles, aka, refrigerator pickles, is a great solution for extending their freshness. If you have canning equipment and know how to use it, wonderful. But quick pickling doesn’t require any special equipment and you don’t need a whole bushel to make a few batches.

Quick pickles are simply vegetables pickled in a brine solution and stored in the fridge. (They are not shelf stable and must be kept refrigerated.) They only need to marinate a few days before you can enjoy them. Gather up any glass jars with lids you have lying around your kitchen, or get some canning jars and lids and a few basic ingredients, and you’ll be ready to pickle up a storm.

VEGGIES YOU CAN QUICK PICKLE

Green beans, cucumbers, cauliflower, peppers, carrots, Brussels sprouts, zucchini, summer squash, beets, radishes, onion, kohlrabi, turnips, cherry tomatoes, corn, cabbage, ramps, fennel, and fruits as well.

BASIC BRINE Recipe to make 2 pints

1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon non-iodized salt
1 tablespoon cane sugar
seasonings:
2 sprigs fresh dill
1 teaspoon each black peppercorns & mustard seeds
2 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic, smashed

Boil the vinegar, water, salt and sugar until sugar and salt are dissolved. Clean and prep your veggies. Pack veggies and seasonings into clean pint jars and pour the brine over the veggies. Cover, cool to room temp, and refrigerate for at least 2 days before enjoying. They will last a couple months in the fridge.