Refrigerator Pickles: An Extension Quick Brine and Storage Times
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Refrigerator pickles skip the canner entirely. You make a hot vinegar brine, pour it over vegetables and let the fridge do the work. They're quick and crunchy, but they aren't shelf stable, and they don't keep as long as canned pickles.
The two Extension brines
University of Maine Extension's recipe (written for spring vegetables like asparagus, radishes and pea pods), which NC State Extension also uses and lists for cucumbers and onions, comes in sour and sweet versions:
| Ingredient | Sour brine | Sweet brine |
|---|---|---|
| White or cider vinegar | 3 cups | 3 cups |
| Water | 3 cups | 3 cups |
| Canning/pickling salt | 3 tablespoons | 2 tablespoons |
| Sugar | 2 tablespoons | 1-1/2 cups |
Step by step
- Prep the jars. UMaine packs vegetables into washed pint jars or other glass or heatproof plastic containers. UW-Extension's refrigerator recipes say to sterilize the jars by boiling them for 10 minutes before filling.
- Pack the vegetables. Slice them and pack them in. Add up to 2 tablespoons of herbs or spices per jar.
- Boil the brine. Bring it to a boil and let it boil for 2 minutes.
- Fill and cap. Pour the brine to within 1/2 inch of the rim, put on the lids and refrigerate.
- Wait. Give them 1 to 2 days for the flavor to develop, then use within 2 weeks.
Slicing tools
Even slices pickle evenly. The OXO handheld mandoline has three settings (1, 2.5 and 4 mm) and hooks over a bowl, per the listing. A crinkle cutter gives you the classic wavy chip.
OXO Good Grips Handheld Mandoline Slicer
- Three thickness settings: 1, 2.5 and 4 mm, per the listing
- Non-slip handle and foot; hooks over a bowl
- Window to see how much you've sliced
Dragon Creek Crinkle Cutter Knife
- Stainless steel wavy blade, per the listing
- Listed for cucumbers, carrots and potatoes
- Contoured wood-finish handle
Jars and lids
Pint jars are the usual size. Ball lists these one-piece plastic lids, sized for wide-mouth jars, for storage after canning or everyday use, per the listing.
Ball Wide Mouth Pint (16 oz) Canning Jars, 12-Pack
- Twelve 16-ounce wide mouth jars
- Lids and bands included, per the listing
Ball Leak-Proof Plastic Storage Lids, Wide Mouth (12)
- Reusable plastic lids for wide-mouth jars, per the listing
- Listed for storage after canning or for everyday organization
- 12 lids (2 packs of 6)
Spice blends and mixes
Pickling spice is the easy way to use those 2 tablespoons of flavoring per jar. McCormick's is a blend of 11 spices including mustard and coriander seed and bay leaves, per the listing.
McCormick Pickling Spice, 1.5 oz
- Blend of 11 spices, per the listing
- Includes cinnamon, allspice, mustard and coriander seeds, and bay leaves
- Listed for dill and bread & butter pickles
Mrs. Wages sells refrigerator pickle mixes: you add vinegar and water, and each pouch makes 4 pints, per the listing. Plan on 2 weeks once they're made, like the Extension recipes on this page. The listing says the mix-made pickles have been known to last longer: up to 6 months refrigerated, unopened, per the manufacturer. Follow the package directions exactly if you use a mix.
Mrs. Wages Kosher Dill Refrigerator Pickle Mix (12 packets)
- Twelve 1.94 oz pouches; each makes 4 pints, per the listing
- Add vinegar and water; no water bath processing
- Listing says ready within 24 hours and keeps up to 6 months refrigerated, unopened
Mrs. Wages Bread & Butter Refrigerator Pickle Mix (12 packets)
- Twelve 1.94 oz pouches; each makes 4 pints, per the listing
- Refrigerator method, no water bath processing
- Listing says ready within 24 hours
How long they keep
- UMaine and NC State: use within 2 weeks.
- UW-Extension: some recipes with enough 5% vinegar can be stored at 40°F or colder for up to 1 month. Its cucumber-and-onion refrigerator recipe says up to 2 weeks. It also warns that quality deteriorates quickly and these pickles may become unsafe if stored for extended periods.
- Freezer pickles (a different recipe type): UW-Extension says up to 6 months at 0°F; once thawed, refrigerate and use within 2 weeks.
What about leftover brine?
NCHFP says leftover brine from a canning recipe can be used to flavor vegetables that will only be stored in the fridge, but to treat them like a fresh vegetable salad and eat them within several days. Brine that vegetables were heated or soaked in is now of unknown acidity, so don't reuse it for a canned batch.
Want shelf-stable pickles instead?
That takes a tested canning recipe. NCHFP's quick fresh-pack dills, for example, are processed in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes for pints and 15 minutes for quarts at 0 to 1,000 feet (longer at higher elevations: pints 15/20 and quarts 20/25 minutes at 1,001-6,000 ft and above 6,000 ft). For crunch, see our guide to pickling salt and Pickle Crisp.
FAQ
How long do refrigerator pickles last?
Plan on 2 weeks. They've been known to last longer; some UW-Extension recipes give up to 1 month.
Do they need to be canned?
No, but they must stay refrigerated.
Can I use less vinegar?
No.
Can I reuse the brine?
Only for fridge vegetables you'll eat within several days, per NCHFP.