Hi there,
Growing up with a Pennsylvania Dutch grandmother guaranteed a jar of “Bread and Butter” pickles would always be in the refrigerator.
These delicious pickles were the condiment of choice for every meal. Of course, they were eaten with the typical summer fare.
They were ground into pickle relish.
If you were raised Catholic like me, you had them with the Friday special – tomato soup and grilled cheese
So here is my simple-to-make recipe for refrigerator Bread and Butter pickles. It’s not Grandmom’s, but everyone enjoys them.
Time to put on your apron!
Peter Piper picked a peck of REFRIGERATOR pickles
Difficulty: easy peasy8
servings30
minutes40
minutesIngredients
4 cups 4 Kirby cucumbers sliced on a mandoline
1 cup 1 sugar
1 cup 1 white wine vinegar
1 cup 1 water
2 tablespoons 2 pickling salt
1 tsp 1 mustard seeds
1 teaspoon 1 dill seeds
1/2 teaspoon 1/2 black peppercorns
1 small 1 onion sliced on the mandoline
2 sprigs 2 fresh dill chopped
Preparation
- Combine white vinegar, water, sugar, pickling salt, mustard seeds, dill seeds, and black peppercorns in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let it cool completely.
- Start to layer cucumbers, onions, and chopped dill.
- Pour a little vinegar mixture with the whole spices between layers.
- Continue until the jar is filled compressing the layers as you are filling the jar.
- Allow pickles to marinate for 24 hours in the refrigerator before using.
45 responses to “Peter Piper picked a peck of REFRIGERATOR pickles”
My grandmother and mother-in-law always had home made pickles on hand, and it was a wonderful treat.
My grandchildren always expect them to be in the refrigerator. It makes me happy to have carried on my Grandmother’s tradition.
When we had a house in France and a large terrace, I used to make apple chutney. (We had a lot of apple trees.) I did it outside on a camping stove. The trouble with making pickles is that it smells the house out of boiling vinegar.
These pickles do sound delicious, though.
You are right about the smell Viv. My husband complains terribly about that but it doesn’t stop him from eating them🤣
A terrific recipe – I never make pickles but they are so much better than store bought – you have challenged me to do so now…sharing!
Now, I find it very hard to believe that with all your cooking experiences you have never made pickles. Crazy! Thanks for the shout out.
And I LOVE pickles! Here in New York, the legendary Zabar’s has incredible smoked fish and lox, and they sell housemate whole pickles either “sour” or “half sour”…they are incredible…but I am going to make some at home this week following your recipe!
Love food from Zabars. You are so lucky that you live close enough to purchase their fresh pickles.
Love this! I’ve been wanting to try a recipe for refrigerator pickles, my husband loves them. But my motto is trying to avoid added ingredients when it’s not necessary, if I can make it myself.
I am Catholic and growing up we missed the memo. We did not get any good pickles with tomato soup and grilled cheese. My mom did take us to McDonald’s for the fish sandwich. I can’t say that their pickles were any good, but my childhood memory was 🌻
I think you are younger than me. McDonald’s was just starting out and the fish sandwich wasn’t on the menu. Our other options were fish sticks and pizza. I was always up for pizza. Thanks for stopping by.
If it moves I pickle it-smile- my mother and grandmothers like you and yours, Bernadette always had pickles in the fridge and the store cupboard. Cutting them on a mandolin is a good idea I will try that next time I pickle cucumbers…
As I get older, it makes me smile to think I am carrying on a tradition and I know you feel that way also.
Me too, its how it should be I think 🙂
These sound so fun and easy! How long will they keep in the fridge?
They will keep in the fridge for a month if they are fished out with fingers and last a few months if the people you live with a fork for retrieval. Thanks for stopping by Amie.
Oh, what a treat! My Mom and Grandmother always had pickles. And a pickled pepper relish too.
Thanks for the recipe and the sweet memories!
Nancy, I think we grew up eating a lot of the same foods.
I’m using the mandolin next time!
These sound really good, and tickle some memory cells for me as well!
I’ll bet it does. I like the pickles this thin but Dom said he liked the more traditional slice. But when they are this thin they sit on the sandwich, etc much better.
Mom and grandma made similar pickles.
I think we had very similar foods growing up.
Love bread and butter pickles, your recipe is a good one!
Thanks so much. It is a tried and true recipe that has been used for three generations.
Homemade pickles are the best. I’ll give your recipe a try soon. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Thanks Ronit. I hope you like them. They are handy to keep in the refrigerator. I add them to tuna salad, chicken salad, etc.
Love fridge pickles! I must make a batch too.
They are great to have on hand. I like to mix them with tuna salad.
Hmm, I will love to give these a try.
Thank you for stopping by and please let me know how you like thm.
Alright 👍
Thanks for the pickle memories – I need to make these!
I started making refrigerator pickles this summer, Bernadette, and I’ll pickle just about anything! Zuchini has been great since we’re drowning in it. Thanks for the recipe. I’m going to try it out. 🙂
Dianna, this brine works with most anything. You could substitute zuchini for the cucumber.
That’s what I’m planning. Plus green beans and cauliflower. 🙂 We can eat a jar of this stuff in one sitting!
Hi Bernadette, thanks for this great recipe. Michael loves pickles but the store bought ones have to much salt so he can’t have them. These look perfect.
They are easy to make Robbie even if you are short on time Robbie. Enjoy Michael!
these look delicious. the older i get, the more i like pickles!
I know as I have aged my palate desires stronger tasting foods. thanks for stopping by Sherry.
Yum, I could eat half a jar of these with a bite of sandwich “on the side!” I love all kinds of pickles, but your refrigerator variety sounds easy-peasy enough for me to try. I missed class the day my Gram explained about canning. 😉
They are “simply” delicious. I don’t can pickles because they lose their snap.
Oh, I agree! Nothing worse than a mushy pickle. The refrigerator pickles are more visually appealing, too.
Your grandmother is looking down and smiling at you! These are simply the best!
My mother used to make these pickles, they are so good!
Love your pickles, they look so crisp.
Thanks for stopping by Karen. Have a wonderful holiday weekend.