Refrigerator Sweet Pickles Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How long do homemade sweet pickles last in the fridge? ›

The pickles will keep in the fridge for 3-4 weeks, 4 weeks if you keep them in canning jars. This pickles remain crunchy which is the best part! They are sweet and flavorful, not overbearing, fresh, and the perfect side to your grilled cheese sandwiches!

The cucumbers will start off bright green, but will become darker and more "pickle-colored" as they cool. Place them in the refrigerator. Wait at least 24 hours before eating the pickles in order to let the flavors develop. Enjoy them within 1 month.

The temperature can bring out flavors, which leach into the brine. She recommends using hot brine to pickle opaque vegetables or spices such as root vegetables, kabocha squash and garlic. Cold brines are useful if you're looking to preserve the texture and crunch of a vegetable.

For years, refrigerator pickles have been regarded as safe. However, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that studies have concluded that Listeria monocytogenes bacteria survive and multiply in low-acid, refrigerator pickles.

Olive all use the term on their websites, in advertisem*nts, and in the product descriptions of their pickle varieties. When asked why the word isn't on the front of the jars, all three companies provided nearly the same answer: They feel the word “pickle” isn't necessary on pickles packaged in clear glass containers.

The pickles are brined and turned upside down on the counter for one hour. They are then stored right side up in the refrigerator where the heat and the pressure have created a seal on the jar. Pickles done this way can last a few months in the refrigerator, and … they stay crispy!

Most pickle recipes call for distilled white vinegar. This is the clear, colorless vinegar made by fermenting grains. It has a mellow aroma, tart acid flavor and does not affect the color of light-colored vegetables or fruits.

The basic ratio for quick pickles is 1:1 vinegar to water, and includes some combination of salt and sugar. Another ratio that is commonly followed is the 3:2:1 method, using three parts vinegar, two parts water, and 1 part sugar.

Pickles can go bad, but even so, they are rarely a cause for food safety concerns. Try and use up your pickles within three months of purchase, if you can. And be on the look out for any off colors, tastes, smells or textures—let your senses be your guide!

“Absolutely yes, you can reuse pickle brine,” says Phillip Bec of McClure's Pickles. Mark Hungarland, the co-founder of Doux South Pickles, agrees. "We have always encouraged our customers to reuse our brines," Hungarland tells Southern Living. "It is such a waste to dump the brine after the pickles are gone."

How do you prepare jars for refrigerator pickles? ›

Refrigerator Pickles – Preparation

Wash glass jars with hot, soapy water, then place on a baking tray and heat in the oven at 160°C for 10-15 minutes. Place the lids (and any spoons) in a pan of boiling water for 5 minutes. Salt, sugar and vinegar are all preservatives so avoid reducing these.

It's actually a liquid brine, which is used to preserve fruits and vegetables. Do you have to boil brine for pickles? No, there are other methods for pickling, including quick pickling and refrigerator pickling.

The sugar doesn't actually make the refrigerator pickles sweet. Instead, it balances the pungent vinegar and salt to create an irresistible sour pickle flavor. Heat the brine on the stove until the sugar and salt dissolve and pour it over the jarred cucumbers. Then, set the jars aside to cool to room temperature.

Refrigerator pickles are quick and easy to make — no sterilizing jars or special equipment required. The kids and I discovered a jar of these homemade refrigerator pickles in my parents' refrigerator door one day and since then, no deli or store-bought pickles have ever come close.

What happens if a jar of Real Pickles is left out of refrigeration? The fermentation process will resume. After a few hours at warm temperatures, some carbonation may develop in the jar, leading to a fizzy or tingling sensation on the tongue.

Here are a few general guidelines: Sweet pickles that are store-bought and unopened can typically be stored in the pantry for about 1 year. Once opened, they should be stored in the refrigerator and are generally good for about 3-4 weeks.

"Pickles will eventually spoil if given enough time. Some may think the acid will prevent mold from growing, but given enough time, the mold will prevail." Tiner says the pickle brine has a lot to do with pickles lasting up to a year past the "use by date".

Pickled fruits and vegetables can go bad if the jars are inproperly sealed, if the ratios of vinegar or salt in a brine are off, or if the pickles are exposed to air because there isn't enough brine in the jar, or they aren't weighted down.

Commercial pickles will last a few years unopened in your cupboard and 4–6 months after opening in your fridge. Homemade pickles won't last as long, but you can still get up to two years in a cupboard and 3–4 months in the fridge. In either case if the fluid turns cloudy it is time to discard them.