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My Refrigerator Pickles

Actually I perfer the fresh taste of homemade pickles as you can tell. It is because anything that is homemade tastes much better and has more nutritional value then store bought. At least I know what I put in there and how many fingers has been in my food.

In store bought even for dill pickles there is hidden sugar, preservatives, artificial colors and God knows what else.

I never put sugar in my pickles because I hate sweet pickles with a passion. They taste just plain yucky to me.

I never liked them and that goes for pickle relish that goes on top of hotdogs here. USA is a melting pot of different ethnic backgrounds and our food shows it.

My favorite things to eat is a grilled cheese sandwich that is pulled back and have dill pickle slices in between is the bomb. Actually it is one of my favorites but I don’t eat it so much.

Obviously pickles is what I enjoy making and eating. they are also great on sandwiches and wraps too. They are also too perfect if they are on the side too and you can even put some of the pickle juice on your French fries.

Take between 3 to 6 cucumbers depending on how big the batch you are making. The 1 qt mason jar has 3 cucumbers in cut in to round slices but you can cut in to spears too by cutting lengthwise.

First cut the ends off the cucumbers and use the ends to rub on the end of the cucumbers to release the gas. Wash in cold water then either cut in to spears or make round slices. Get out a large mixing bowl and add 1 pinch of alum to disolve in the water.

Place the freshly cut cucumbers in this solution and rub the solution all over the cucumber slices or spears then empty this in to a colander drain and rince the alum solution off with cold water and rinse out the mixing bowl. Return your cucumbers to it.

Now these cucumbers are not going to turn soggy. Nothing is worse then a soggy pickle. The alum solution helps to retain the crispness of the cucumbers.

Next add 2 cloves of garlic chopped, 1 shallot sliced, 3 pinches of red pepper flakes only if you like a spicy pickle, 1 pinch of any color peppercorns, 3 pinches of pickling spice ground in mortar and pestle.

The stores sell pickling spice. If not ask your manager or get it on Amazon. Add 3 sprigs of fresh dill weed, 3 handfuls of kosher salt which is ideal for pickling, 1/2 cup of white vinegar. I don’t measure at all and I pretty much eyeball everything and it turns out right.

The Kosher salt and white vinegar makes a great brine by itself and there is no need to add any other ingredients and stop right there. Just mix and place the salty cucumber mixture in a mason jar and you have enough brine to cover the cucumbers. Place it in the refrigerator for 3 days then you can open and enjoy as you wish.

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