Quick Refrigerator Cucumber Pickles: No Canning Required

Freezing cucumber pickles is a simple, reliable way to preserve your summer cucumbers. They freeze well and thaw into crisp, flavorful pickles you can enjoy any time of year.

If you’re skeptical about freezer pickles, give them a try — they’re surprisingly good. I usually make quick refrigerator pickles, but when my fridge filled up I tested a freezer method and was very pleased with the results.

These pickles are easy to prepare, freeze neatly in jars or containers, and taste great once they’re thawed. They retain a pleasant crunch and a bright, tangy flavor.

Instructions.

Start by gathering and washing your cucumbers. Aim for about 7 cups of thinly sliced cucumbers, though you can scale the recipe up or down—just adjust the brine accordingly.

Trim the ends of each cucumber; many sources recommend cutting off the blossom end, but I usually trim both ends to be safe.

Slice the cucumbers thinly. A mandoline speeds this step and yields even slices, but a sharp knife works fine too.

In a bowl large enough to hold the sliced cucumbers, combine the brine ingredients: sugar, vinegar, celery seed, and salt. Mix until the sugar and salt are dissolved.

Add the cucumber slices to the brine and toss to coat. The brine does not need to fully submerge every slice at this stage; tossing ensures the cucumbers are well coated.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 24 hours. During this time the cucumbers will soften slightly and absorb the flavors of the brine. They also firm up a bit and should be mostly coated in the brine when you remove them.

Transfer the cucumbers along with the brine into freezer-safe jars or containers, leaving about an inch of headspace to allow for expansion during freezing. If you need a bit more brine to fully cover the cucumbers, make a small extra batch and add it.

This amount typically fills about two pint jars, depending on how tightly you pack the slices.

Seal the jars and freeze. These pickles freeze well for up to a year. When you’re ready to enjoy them, thaw a jar in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight.

Once opened, freezer pickles are best eaten within about two weeks. They keep their best crispness during the first few days after thawing, and while they begin to soften after a couple of weeks, they rarely last that long thanks to how tasty they are.

More ways to freeze your summer bounty.

Recipe.

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