Refrigerator Pickle Mix

My son LOVES a good sandwich! He especially loves hot sandwiches. He was a very picky eater growing up, but as he entered into his high school years, his tastebuds must have gotten bored because he all of a sudden opened his mind to new flavors and textures. Now that he is in his college years, he certainly has grown in his culinary tastes.

One thing he always likes on his sandwiches is pickles. As he got older, he started to branch out from the typical kind of pickle to other types of pickles. Now, the following recipe is a bit of a stretch for him, but he is interested. You can use whatever vegetable combination that your family likes; the brine is definitely the key to a good pickle mix.

You don’t need any special equipment for these pickles because they are not meant for vacuum sealing. These refrigerator pickles can store in the refrigerator for at least two weeks, but usually can last well beyond that.

Ingredients

Instructions

In a pot, combine the cider vinegar, salt and brown sugar. Bring the liquid to a boil; then, turn off the heat. Let cool slightly while packing the jars with the vegetables. On this day, I packed my jars with carrot chips, sliced cucumbers, sliced red onion and jalapenos. You can use any vegetable/herb combination you like, such as green beans, fresh dill, radishes, fresh basil, garlic, zucchini, asparagus, cherry peppers, beets, habaneros, blueberries, eggs…..you can basically pickle anything.

Pack the jars tightly with the vegetables. Stuff that stuff in there! Using a ladle, add the hot brine to the jars. You can let the jars cool slightly before placing the lids on the jar, but I usually slap those puppies on top and stick them in the refrigerator as soon as I fill them. Let them chill for at least 24 hours, so all the flavors can marinate your veggies.

To serve, layer them on a sandwich, toss with a salad or eat them straight out of the jar.

Makes: 2 large jars