The Perfect Quick & Easy Pickle Recipe from Joy Of Cooking

Pickle making transforms ordinary cucumbers into extraordinary culinary delights with surprising simplicity and creativity.

Homemade pickles bring unexpected zest and personality to your kitchen adventures.

Salt, vinegar, and spices work magical chemistry to create crunchy, flavor-packed preserves that elevate everyday meals.

Fermentation turns basic ingredients into something remarkable through patient transformation.

Each jar represents a personal touch of culinary craftsmanship, capturing seasonal freshness in a single crisp bite.

These tangy treasures connect us to traditional preservation techniques while offering modern taste sensations.

You can master this time-honored technique with confidence and flair: prepare to surprise your taste buds.

Expert Advice on Pickle Recipe

• Preserve Crispness: Thinner cucumber slices pickle faster but turn softer, so cut carefully to maintain maximum crunchiness and texture.
• Explore Flavor Combinations: Experiment with spicy red pepper flakes, fragrant dill, or zesty garlic cloves to transform basic pickles into unique taste sensations.
• Select Vinegar Strategically: Rice vinegar delivers mild sweetness, distilled white vinegar provides sharp intensity, and apple cider vinegar brings fruity complexity to your pickle recipe.
• Manage Liquid Coverage: Pour vinegar solution completely over cucumber slices, ensuring every piece gets evenly pickled and seasoned perfectly.
• Control Temperature Wisely: Allow pickle jars to cool naturally before sealing, preventing overcooking and protecting delicate cucumber textures.

Expert Advice on Pickle RecipeStorage

• Vacuum Sealing: Lock in peak freshness by vacuum sealing pickles in specialized bags, removing all air to prevent bacterial growth and maintain crisp texture. This method extends shelf life up to 3 months, preserving the original flavor and crunch of homemade pickles.
• Mason Jar Preservation: Transfer pickles to clean, sterilized mason jars with tight-fitting lids, ensuring they're completely covered in brine. Store in the coolest part of your refrigerator, away from temperature fluctuations that can compromise their quality and taste.
• Quick Chill Method: Allow freshly made pickles to cool completely at room temperature before refrigerating. Rapid temperature changes can cause jar cracking and potential texture loss, so patience ensures perfect pickle preservation.

Pickle Recipe Recipe Variations

• Spicy Pickle Punch: Add 1-2 sliced jalapeños or a pinch of red pepper flakes to the vinegar mixture for a fiery kick that transforms your mild pickles into a zesty snack.
• Herb-Infused Crisp: Incorporate fresh dill, thyme, or rosemary sprigs directly into the jar before pouring the hot vinegar mixture, creating an aromatic and garden-fresh pickle experience.
• Asian-Inspired Quick Pickle: Replace apple cider vinegar with rice vinegar, add a tablespoon of soy sauce, and include crushed garlic and ginger for an East Asian flavor profile that brings complex, tangy notes to your cucumber pickles.
• Mediterranean Pickle Medley: Mix in thinly sliced red onions, crushed peppercorns, and a splash of white wine vinegar to create a Mediterranean-style pickle with subtle, sophisticated undertones.

Wrapping Up Pickle Recipe

Quick pickle magic happens right in your kitchen with minimal effort and maximum flavor.

Crisp cucumber slices swim in a tangy vinegar bath, creating restaurant-worthy condiments without complex techniques.

Mustard seeds add subtle earthy notes, elevating simple ingredients into culinary excitement.

Salt and sugar balance the pickling liquid, transforming ordinary cucumbers into zesty treats.

Home cooks can master this technique faster than ordering takeout, guaranteeing fresh, crunchy results every time.

You’ll want to share these pickles with friends, snap a tempting photo for social media, and watch the likes roll in as fellow flavor enthusiasts marvel at your newfound pickling prowess.

What Makes Pickle Recipe Special

• Savor Quick Pickling Simplicity: This recipe transforms ordinary cucumber into a tangy, crisp delight with minimal effort and just a few basic ingredients.
• Customize Flavor Explosion: Experiment with different vinegars like apple cider or rice vinegar, and optional mustard seeds to create a personalized pickle experience that suits your taste buds.
• Master No-Fuss Preservation: Achieve professional-quality pickles at home without complex canning techniques, using a straightforward method that takes just 10 minutes of active cooking time and delivers delicious results in 24 hours.
• Enjoy Healthy Snack Hack: Create a low-calorie (only 35 kcal) condiment packed with crunch and zesty flavor, perfect for adding excitement to sandwiches, salads, or enjoying as a standalone snack.

Key Ingredients for Pickle Recipe

Main Ingredients:

• Cucumber: A crisp vegetable perfect for pickling, seedless varieties work best for smooth texture and clean appearance.

• Apple Cider Vinegar, Distilled White Vinegar, Unseasoned Rice Vinegar: Provides tangy flavor and preservation, each type offering a slightly different taste profile.
• Water: Helps dilute the vinegar and balance the pickling solution's intensity.

• Cane Sugar: Adds a subtle sweetness to balance the vinegar's acidity and helps develop flavor.
• Kosher Salt: Enhances overall taste and assists in preservation process.
• Mustard Seeds: Optional ingredient that provides a gentle spicy and nutty background note to the pickles.

How to Make Pickle Recipe

Step 1: Prepare Cucumber

Slice 1/2 seedless cucumber into thin rounds or spears based on your preference. Choose your cutting style to match your desired pickle look and texture.

Step 2: Select Vinegar

• Apple cider vinegar
• Distilled white vinegar
• Unseasoned rice vinegar

Step 3: Create Pickling Liquid

• Vinegar
• Water
• Cane sugar
• Kosher salt
• Optional: mustard seeds

Step 4: Bring Liquid to Boil

Heat the mixture over medium-high heat, stirring continuously until sugar and salt dissolve completely. Watch for a full, rolling boil.

Step 5: Pack Cucumber in Jar

Place sliced cucumber in a clean, heatproof glass jar. Carefully pour the boiling vinegar mixture over the cucumbers, ensuring they are fully covered.

Step 6: Cool and Refrigerate

Allow the jar to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, seal with a lid and refrigerate for at least 24 hours. This resting period allows flavors to develop and intensify.

Joy Of Cooking Pickle Recipe

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• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: 1 1x

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Description

Homemade pickles from the Joy of Cooking deliver crisp, tangy perfection with classic dill and garlic notes. Salt, vinegar, and fresh cucumbers create a simple yet irresistible condiment you’ll want to savor with every crunchy bite.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Main Ingredients:

• ½ Seedless Cucumber

Pickling Liquid:

• ½ Cup (120ml) Apple Cider Vinegar
• ½ Cup (120ml) Distilled White Vinegar
• ½ Cup (120ml) Unseasoned Rice Vinegar
• ¾ Cup (180ml) Water

Seasoning:

• 2 Teaspoons Cane Sugar
• 1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds (Optional)

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Instructions

1. Prepare a clean, heatproof jar large enough to accommodate the cucumber slices comfortably.
2. Transform the seedless cucumber into delicate rounds or elongated spears, approximately 1/8 inch (0.3 centimeters) thick, creating uniform pickling pieces.
3. Select your preferred vinegar variety – apple cider, distilled white, or unseasoned rice vinegar – measuring precisely 4 fluid ounces (120 milliliters).
4. In a medium saucepan, combine the vinegar with 6 fluid ounces (180 milliliters) of water, adding 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt.
5. Optionally enhance the pickling liquid by incorporating 1 teaspoon of whole mustard seeds for additional aromatic complexity.
6. Ignite the burner to medium-high heat, stirring the liquid mixture continuously until the sugar and salt dissolve completely, creating a transparent pickling solution.
7. Gently transfer the cucumber slices into the prepared jar, arranging them to maximize space efficiency.
8. Carefully stream the bubbling vinegar mixture over the cucumber slices, ensuring complete submersion and eliminating potential air pockets.
9. Allow the jar to naturally cool to room temperature, which typically requires approximately 45-60 minutes.
10. Securely seal the jar with a tight-fitting lid, then refrigerate for a minimum of 24 hours to allow flavor development and pickling transformation.

Notes

• Explore vinegar varieties that transform pickle flavor, from apple cider’s fruity essence to distilled white’s sharp bite and rice vinegar’s subtle sweetness.
• Customize your pickle’s personality by tossing in optional spices like mustard seeds, dill, garlic, peppercorns, or red pepper flakes for an extra flavor punch.
• Slice cucumber thickness dramatically impacts pickle texture and pickling speed, with thinner cuts pickling faster but potentially losing crunch.
• Cover cucumbers completely with vinegar solution to guarantee uniform pickling, topping up with extra liquid if necessary.
• Allow jars to cool before sealing and refrigerating, preventing over-softening and ensuring safe handling of your freshly made pickles.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Category: Snacks, Appetizer
• Method: Boiling
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1
• Calories: 12 kcal
• Sugar: 0.25 g
• Sodium: 0.19 g
• Fat: 0 g
• Saturated Fat: 0 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 3 g
• Fiber: 0.5 g
• Protein: 0.1 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg