Make Quick Pickles with Spring Veggies

You may remember a blog post from a while ago about Pickles 3 Ways (quick, canned, or fermented.) Well this is a deeper dive into the 'quick' kind. Also known as ‘refigerator pickles.’

It's a very easy way to use up extra veg and there's much less risk than canned pickles. It's also a great way to enjoy new/unfamiliar veggies that you are on the fence about! Check out Michelle's most recent fridge pickle batch here.

Chopped veg ready to pickle: fennel (shown here) plus scarlet queen turnips, garlic scapes, and beets.

I used unique spice blends for each type, so I added them directly to the jars instead of the brine itself.

DIRECTIONS

  1. Chop raw veg to desired shape + add to jars

  2. Heat brine to a boil

  3. Add spice(s) to brine or directly to jars (approx 1/2 tsp per jar)

  4. Pour hot brine over veggies

  5. Let stand until cold enough to put in the fridge

  6. Refrigerate and keep refrigerated. 

  7. Pickles are ready in about 5-7 days of soaking in their brine.

  8. Pickles will keep 3 weeks, possibly more, in the fridge once they are ready

BRINE RECIPE
1 part vinegar or vinegar blend of choice
1 part water
1 tsp salt for every quart of brine
OPTIONAL: 1-2 TBS sugar per quart of brine if you want a sweet pickle. 

PICKLING SPICE
You can purchase a ready-made pickling spice mix to make it easy. I often make my own. It is always a little different but contains the following: whole allspice, whole peppercorns, crushed bay leaf, yellow and/or black mustard seeds, dill seed. I typically add chile flakes or powder separately and to taste. You can also add/subtract based on whatever you are making. For example: dill-only cucumber pickles or mustard-only carrot pickles.
Regardless, you should use about 1/2 tsp-1 tsp per pint jar.

RECIPE RECOMMENDATIONS

  • Use plain vinegar brine with: cucumbers, turnips, radishes, kohlrabi

  • Sweet brine: turnips, beets, fennel, radishes, cucumbers, sweet peppers, carrots

  • SPICY brine: kohlrabi, summer squash, turnips, beets, fennel

  • Lemon or lime juice instead of vinegar: onions, radishes, salad turnips, cabbage, shredded carrot

Scarlett Queen turnips and garlic scape pickles

Michelle McKenzie