Refrigerator Garlic Dill Spears
These pickles rely on a simple brine of vinegar, water, and salt, flavored with fresh aromatics. They stay crisp because they are never boiled; they spend their time curing in the refrigerator, ready to eat after three days and best at two weeks.
The fresher the cucumber, the sharper the crunch.
Select small, firm pickling cucumbers and process them immediately. Avoid standard slicing cucumbers, as their skins are too thick and their flesh too soft for this method.
- quart-sized glass mason jar with lid
- chef's knife
- small saucepan
What goes in.
- 1 lbpickling cucumbers, scrubbed and quartered into spears
- 1 cupwhite vinegar (5% acidity)
- 1 cupfiltered water
- 1 tbspkosher salt
- 4 clovesgarlic, smashed
- 3 headsfresh dill
- 1 tspmustard seeds
- 1/2 tspblack peppercorns
Cold versus hot
By bringing the brine to a simmer just to dissolve the salt and then cooling it before pouring over the cucumbers, you preserve the raw snap of the vegetable that heat-processing destroys.
The method.
Prepare the aromatics
Place the smashed garlic, dill, mustard seeds, and peppercorns at the bottom of a clean quart jar.
Pack the jar
Stand the cucumber spears upright in the jar, packing them tightly so they do not float when the liquid is added.
Make the brine
In a saucepan, combine vinegar, water, and salt. Heat over medium until the salt dissolves. Remove from heat and let it reach room temperature.
Fill and store
Pour the cooled brine over the spears, ensuring they are completely submerged. Seal the jar tightly and place in the back of the refrigerator.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If the cucumbers are floating, use a small weight or a clean, non-reactive object to hold them beneath the brine line.
Add a small piece of grape leaf or oak leaf to the jar if you want to increase the tannins for extra crunch.
The flavor profile deepens significantly after the first week; do not be discouraged if they taste flat on day three.
The ones that keep coming up.
How long do these keep?
These remain high-quality for up to three months in the refrigerator, provided they stay submerged in the brine.
Can I use apple cider vinegar?
You can, but it will tint the spears and introduce a fruitier note that alters the classic dill sharp profile.
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