Post on Pickles

This post is about refrigerator pickles. With lots of summer produce around, I wanted to try and make refrigerator pickles. My first attempt at pickling, was in the preservation chapters of a college Food Science class. This same class also brewed beer for the fermentation chapter!

I used the Good Eats! recipe from prominent food scientist, writer and chef, Alton Brown. Inspiration was found here. This is a super easy recipe, and takes about 3 hours start to finish (2 if you are super organized and have everything ready to go (as in you don't run out of cider vinegar midway).

1. Get some good quality cukes. I bought these from the Carrboro Farmer's Market. They are smaller and have no waxy coating. (organic and local too)

2. Next, get out clean utensils, cutting boards, jars, and pots

3. Dress up bottles - fill with cukes and onions as slices and spears.


4. Prep ingredients - measure out and get ready to make pickling juice.

Pickling juice on stove

5. Refrigerate end product


These should be ready in about 7-10 days. Although they may taste ready in as few as 2 days, if you can wait that long! Good luck!


Note: you can buy a commercial pickling spice, or make your own. I added whole bay leaves, broken cinnamon sticks, peppercorns, caraway seeds, celery seeds, cardamom powder, a little powdered allspice and cloves. I added this after the 4 minute simmer.