Quick and Spicy Refrigerator Pickles
User Reviews
4
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Total Time
15 mins
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Servings
2 pints
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Calories
10 kcal
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Course
Condiments
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Cuisine
American
Quick and Spicy Refrigerator Pickles
Description
This recipe uses fresh pickling cucumbers cut into quarters, packed tightly in jars with whole spices including star anise, cinnamon, cardamom pods, and coriander, along with fresh herbs like tarragon and bay leaf. Thinly sliced Serrano peppers add heat throughout. The spiced brine is made by simmering white vinegar, water, sugar, and salt, then combining with toasted aromatic spices before cooling.
The resulting pickles have a crisp texture due to the fresh cucumbers and a lively balance of sweet, sour, and spicy flavors from the vinegar and chili. Toasting the whole spices before adding them to the brine intensifies their aroma and flavor. The cinnamon and star anise provide subtle warmth, while mustard seeds and peppercorns offer bright bite.
These pickles are stored in the refrigerator and can be eaten immediately but taste best after a day for flavors to meld. Their shelf life is about two weeks in the fridge, making them a quick, fresh alternative to traditional fermented pickles. Serve them as a tangy addition to sandwiches, grilled meats, or as a crisp condiment on salads.
Ingredients
- 8 small cucumber pickling variety
- 2 Serrano chili pepper thinly sliced, seeds and all, fresh
- tarragon fresh sprigs
- 2 bay leaf fresh if you can find them
- 1 cup white vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 Tbsp kosher salt
- 1 Tbsp yellow mustard seeds
- 1 Tbsp peppercorn rainbow
- 1 tsp allspice berries
- 1 tsp Coriander
- 2 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick broken in half
- 6 cardamom pods
Instructions
- Cut off the stem end of your cucumbers so that they fit inside your jars, with their tips ending just below the rim. Cut them lengthwise into quarters. Fit the cucumber spears tightly in the jars, with a couple of sprigs of tarragon, the bay leaves, and the Serrano pepper slices fitted in between the spaces.
- Put the spices in a dry pan and toast over medium heat for a few minutes, shaking the pan often. Set aside.
- In a saucepan, heat the vinegar, water, sugar and salt, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar. Heat to a simmer, then turn off the heat and add the spices. Let cool.
- Pour the liquid into the jars, filling to cover the cucumber spears. Make sure the spices get into the jars as well.
- Cap the jars and refrigerate. You can eat them right away, but they will be more flavorful the next day. They will keep a couple of weeks in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 2pints
Amount Per Serving
Calories 10 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1spear | |
| Calories | 10kcal | 1% |
| Carbohydrates | 2g | 1% |
| Protein | 0.4g | 1% |
| Fat | 0.3g | 0% |
| Saturated Fat | 0.02g | 0% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.04g | 0% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 0.1g | 1% |
| Sodium | 219mg | 9% |
| Potassium | 64mg | 1% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 30IU | 1% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 11mg | 1% |
| Iron | 0.2mg | 1% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4
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