How to Pickle Pickles (Refrigerator Pickles that is)

5 from 9 votes
82 comments

Pickles on a long tray with a piece of dill besides them

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

Peter picked a peck of pickled pickles. I had to get that out. We refer to these as Mалосольные Oгурцы (Low Sodium Dill Pickles). This is a recipe for quick dill pickles. It’s ready after sitting overnight (unlike most recipes that take 6 or 7 days!).

The pickles marinate in the “brine” which is less salty and acidic than most pickling brines. The resulting cucumber is lower sodium and retains it’s crispness; leaving you with a much fresher tasting peck of pickles (couldn’t help myself).

It’s kind of like the kosher-style dill pickles you’d buy in the refrigerator section. When properly refrigerated, the pickles can last 1-2 weeks (maybe longer, but we’ve always eaten them before that).

Ingredients for Refrigerator Pickles:

3 liters or 3 quarts jar
3 lb of small-medium cucumbers
7 cloves of garlic
4 stems of dill
2 small roots of horseradish, optional
10-15 whole black peppers
3 Tbsp of table salt
Filtered cold water

Ingredients for homemade pickles on the table

How to Make Kosher-Style Dill Pickles:

1. Wash and cut off both ends of the cucumbers. Pack them into a jar with some room left at the top.

Whole cucumbers in a glass jar

2. Cut garlic cloves into 2-3 pieces, roughly cut up dill, slice up your horseradish root* and add everything in the jar, including black pepper. *Mom happens to have horseradish root growing in her yard. It grows back on it’s own every year. It is optional in this recipe but supposedly helps the pickles stay fresh longer.

Garlic cloves added into a glass jar with cucumbers

Dill added into jar with garlic and cucumbers

A glass jar of cucumbers being pickled

3. Dissolve 3 Tbsp of salt in 6 cups(1.5 quarts) of filtered water and fill the jar. Make sure that cucumbers are covered completely in water.

A close up of a glass jar with pickles

4. Let the jar sit at room temperature, covered loosely with a cheesecloth or lid for 24 hours (cucumbers should be fully submerged. If they are not, weight them down with something). Refrigerate pickles afterwards. They are best served cold. It will keep at least 1 week in the fridge.

A jar of pickles

A long plate with pickles, one is cut in half and others are whole with a piece of dill beside them

How to Pickle Pickles (Refrigerator Pickles that is)

5 from 9 votes

Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com

Pickles on a long tray with a piece of dill besides them

Save Pin Review Print

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 1

Total Time: 1 20

Ingredients

Servings: -10

Instructions

Wash and cut off both ends of the cucumbers. Pack them into a jar with some room left at the top.
Cut garlic cloves into 2-3 pieces, roughly cut up dill, slice up your horseradish root and add everything in the jar, including black pepper.
Dissolve 3 tbsp of salt in 6 cups(1.5 quarts) of filtered water and fill the jar. Make sure that cucumbers are covered completely in water.
Let the jar sit at room temperature, covered loosely with a cheesecloth or lid for 24 hours (cucumbers should be fully submerged. Refrigerate pickles afterwards. They are best served cold.

Course: Condiments, Side Dish

Cuisine: Russian, Ukrainian

Keyword: How to Pickle Pickles

Skill Level: Easy

Cost to Make: $4-$6 (nearly free if you grow your own cucumbers)

Note: Some varieties of homegrown cucumber can taste a little bitter. If cucumbers are bitter, cut off the ends and let them soak for 2 hours in water to get rid of bitterness.

Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.