Spicy dill refrigerator pickles are easy to make at home - no canning equipment required. They make the perfect topping for your next burger on the grill!
Recipe summary
Flavor: Your favorite dill pickles with a kick of heat!
Pickling time: 2 days in the refrigerator
Yield: 32 ounces
Similar to: Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles, Refrigerator Pickled Jalapeños, Sweet & Spicy Refrigerator Pickles
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Cucumbers - Pickling cucumbers, English cucumbers, or slicing cucumbers work in this recipe. Pickling cucumbers create a firmer pickle, while the others create a softer pickle.
- Brine ingredients - Vinegar (white or apple cider works), kosher salt, water, peppercorns, red pepper flakes, and dill create a spicy dill brine. Cut the red pepper flakes in half for a milder pickle.
- Salt - Kosher can be substituted with sea salt or non-iodized table salt. Do not use iodized salt, it can change the color and flavor of your pickles.
How to make spicy dill pickles
- Add seasoning and veggies to pint size jars.
- Pour pickling brine over veggies until completely covered. Seal and refrigerate for 2 days before enjoying.
Tips and tricks
How to make spicier pickles - We're adding red pepper flakes for spicy flavor. As written, this recipe makes pickles with a medium spice level. For spicier pickles, add more red pepper flakes. For a mild dill pickle, cut the red pepper flakes in half or omit entirely.
No need to cook the brine - There is no need to heat or cook your brine before adding it to the jars. In refrigerator pickle recipes that include sugar, the brine is heated to melt the sugar. Since there's no sugar in this recipe, there's no need to heat the brine. The pickling happens whether the brine is warm or room temperature.
Use a mandoline slicer - For even vegetable slicing, use a mandoline slicer. These pickles are ⅛", but slightly thicker ¼" pickles are also a great choice.
Pack jars tightly - Fit as many cucumbers as possible into your jars. If you don't have enough cucumbers, you may need additional brine to fill your jars to the top.
Frequently asked questions
Refrigerator pickles are pickles made without traditional canning methods. They are not shelf-stable like regular canned goods, so they need to be stored in the refrigerator. They're ready to enjoy after two days of pickling.
Refrigerator pickles will keep for up to two months stored in the refrigerator. Since they're not canned, they are not shelf stable and need to be stored in the refrigerator.
Any cucumbers you have on hand can be pickled. Pickling cucumbers are an ideal choice, but English cucumbers or slicing cucumbers will also work. Pickling cucumbers make a firmer, crunchier pickle, whereas English or slicing cucumbers make a slightly softer pickle.
This recipe makes 32 ounces of pickles, so you can make one single 32 ounce jar, or two 16 ounces (pint size) jars instead.
No. Any clean, dry jars will work for this recipe. Jars need to be sterilized for canning because they must be entirely free of bacteria and fungi to sit for long periods of time at room temperature without spoiling. Refrigerator pickles are stored in the refrigerator at all times, so there's no need to take the extra step of sterilization. However, you are absolutely welcome to sterilize your jars if you simply want to.
This recipe is specifically written for those who don't want to can their pickles. I haven't tested canning this recipe, so I can't say how it would turn out. I recommend searching for a canning specific recipe for best results.
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📖 Recipe
Spicy Dill Refrigerator Pickles
Ingredients
- 1 pound cucumbers, thin sliced
- 8 sprigs fresh dill
- 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, *
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup vinegar, apple cider or white
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
Instructions
- In two pint size jars, add fresh dill, peppercorns, and red pepper flakes. Then, pack jars tightly with sliced cucumbers and set aside.
- In a bowl, add water, vinegar, and salt. Stir until salt is dissolved. Pour into jars to completely submerge cucumbers. Any remaining brine can be discarded.
- Tightly seal, gently shake to disperse ingredients, and refrigerate for 2 days to allow cucumbers to pickle. Store pickles in refrigerator for up to 2 months.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Cucumber types: Pickling cucumbers produce a firmer pickle, and slicing/English cucumbers produce a softer pickle.
- Storage: Your refrigerator pickles need to be stored in the refrigerator. Since they are not canned, they are not shelf-stable and need to be refrigerated.
- Pickling time: The cucumbers need 2 days to pickle in the brine before enjoying. They are edible immediately, but need at least 2 days of rest for best results.
- *As written, this will produce a medium heat pickle. For spicier pickles, double the amount of red pepper flakes, and for a mild dill pickle, use half as much.
I used small whole Kirby pickles. Final results too sour. Won't make again .
Hello,
This looks really interesting! I've been looking for a salt-free pickle recipe to make for my father, who is trying to reduce salt. Is the salt in your pickle recipes for flavor or for preservation? What would happen if one skipped the salt?
I haven't personally tried this recipe without salt, so I can't say for sure how they'd turn out. Since they're refrigerated, they're less reliant on salt for preserving (it's mostly there for flavor). They may not last quite as long, but should turn out fine!