My favorite way to process and keep fresh cucumbers from the garden… MAKE PICKLES! I made seven additional pints of quick fridge pickles out of this batch of cucumbers (half spears and half slices).

There are a few different types of pickle processes you can try (and I don’t mean sour versus sweet in flavor, though there is also that). You can make Quick Pickles, Fermented Sour Pickles (or Half Sour), and then there are Canned Pickles.

Quick Pickles are quite different from fermented sour pickles because they are made with a hot vinegar brine and then stored in the refrigerator.

Fermented pickled are covered in a salt brine and become pickled through the fermentation process as the bacteria eat the sugars present in the cucumbers. I haven’t mastered the process for fermenting pickles yet and do not care for the ones I’ve made that way, so I stick to quick pickles. If I ever find a recipe that works well for fermenting, I will be sure to share it! If you have one that works well, please share it with me.

I also have not found a recipe for canned pickles that works well. I’ve heard you can add grape leaves (tannins) to the jar, or cook them longer and slower to sterilize, but I have yet to try it. Most canned pickles lose their texture from the processing time on the stove to sterilize, leaving them mushy and unappealing. Though this method would work well for making a dill relish if you have a way to finely mince/chop the ingredients. A relish isn’t as connected to the texture staying crisp, as regular pickles are.

Quick Dill Fridge Pickles

NOTES:

• This is not a recipe that is certified as safe for canning.
• Pickles should be used in a few months or they get mushy and break down.