A few weeks ago I got on a pickle kick and found this recipe - easy, delicious, not such a sharp vinegar taste as it uses rice vinegar.

Refrigerator Pickles with Rice Vinegar

6 cups sliced cucumbers, Kirby or hothouse English
1 sweet onion, thin sliced
1 1/2 t. pickling salt
2/3 to 1 cup sugar
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1 t. mustard seed - opt.
1 hot pepper, cut a slit in it - opt.

1.Slice cucumber and onion on thickest setting of mandoline; put in a stainless bowl, sprinkle on salt and toss.
2.Let sit 30 minutes, drain off liquid.
3.Heat sugar, vinegars, and optional mustard seed until sugar is dissolved; cool.
4.Place cucumber and onions in clean, quart canning jar.
5.Add pepper to jar if using.
6.Pour vinegar mixture over all.
7.Cool to room temp, then put in refrigerator and chill 24 hours or more.
8.Keeps for 2 weeks, maybe longer?

Source: lynnskitchenadventure.com

I used the English seedless hot house cucumbers and they were delicious!

Teresa

This post was edited by teresa_nc7 on Wed, Mar 5, 14 at 16:49

Thanks for the recipe Teresa! I never even thought of rice vinegar. Great idea.

Do you think the sugar contributes to the mildness of the brine? I don't/can't eat sugar anymore...I wonder if a pinch of stevia would substitute?
CMK

These are sweet pickles, but not cloyingly sweet. If you want sour pickles, you need to find another recipe. I don't know anything about stevia and its use in pickles.

FWIW, I used the lesser amount of sugar when I made this recipe.

Teresa

Thanks guys ;-) From what you two said, I'm definitely going to try the rice vinegar as well as warming in pan w/spices.

-sleevendog, I'm thinking the onions (local Walla-Walla onions are quite sweet- make superb onion rings!!) might have contributed in some way to the sweet note in the pickles. Interesting idea adding citrus...sounds good.

Ps. I am duly impressed that you make your own vinegar! :-)
CMK

I made this recipe a couple of days ago, and I've made it several times since first reading this thread. This is my own version of refrigerator pickles:

For the brine:

2 cups water
10-12 cloves garlic, peeled
2 cups white vinegar
3 Tbsp kosher salt
Several sprigs of fresh dill (can substitute 1 Tbsp dill seed, if necessary)
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 Tbsp coriander seed
1 teaspoon mustard seed
6-9 Bay leaves

For the vegetables:
6 cucumbers, halved lengthwise and ends removed (about 1-1/2 pounds)
1 carrot, cut into eighths, lengthwise (trim to length for jars)
1/2 onion sliced horizontally into strips
1-3 Habanero chilies (to taste – can use Cayenne instead for less heat)

In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups water to a boil, reduce the heat so the water simmers
and add the garlic. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the vinegar and salt, raise the heat and bring to a boil, stirring until the salt dissolves. Remove from the heat.

In 2 clear 1-quart jars, place a few sprigs of dill. Divide the seeds and peppercorns between the jars. Using tongs, remove the garlic from the brine and place 4-5 cloves in each jar. Then pack the jars full of cucumbers, carrots, onions, and chiles. You want them to be tightly stuffed. Add the Bay leaves last, as they will easily slip into the jars when
full of vegetables. Use 3 Bay leaves per jar.

Bring the brine back to a boil, pour it over the vegetables to cover completely, let cool, then cover and refrigerate. I vacuum seal them with the jar attachment of a FoodSaver. The pickles will taste good in just a few hours, better after a couple of days. And they'll keep for about 2 months if vacuum sealed, although I generally use them in one month.

This time I had to use part coconut vinegar because I did not have enough white vinegar, and I was also out of rice vinegar, except for red and black, neither of which I would use for this. I did buy another gallon of white vinegar the other day, so that I will have it on hand for more pickles. I got the cucumbers at the farmers' market and will go again soon for more. I'm posting this because cucumbers should be in season now. I did use some "pickling seasoning mix" from the grocery store instead of coriander and mustard seeds, as that was what it mostly contained.

I haven't tasted them yet, but I'll let you know how the coconut vinegar worked out.