Easy Refrigerator Dill Pickles recipe is the recipe my mom used. She made dozens of quarts of dill pickles every year. I’m sharing her recipe with one variation. After the pickle jars are filled, I put these pickles in the refrigerator and my mom put them into the “root cellar.”

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What is a Root Cellar?

A root cellar is a traditional method of food preservation that has been used for centuries. It is essentially an underground storage space that helps keep fruits, vegetables, and other perishable items fresh for an extended period. The cool and consistent temperature of the cellar, combined with the right humidity level, creates an ideal environment for storing produce. This method was prevalent before the invention of modern refrigeration. Root cellars are typically constructed with thick walls and a well-insulated roof to maintain the desired temperature. They are an excellent way to store and preserve the harvest, ensuring a steady supply of fresh food throughout the year.

Our root cellar was large enough to store the 1000-plus jars of fruit, pickles, and vegetables we would preserve every summer. It also stored our winter squash, carrots, potatoes, and other root vegetables like turnips, etc.

What do I Need to Make Refrigerator Dill Pickles?

Kirby Cucumbers: Make sure your cucumbers are Kirby or Pickling cucumbers. Pickling cucumbers have bumpy, rough skin with spots. These cucumbers stay crispy when they are pickled. The slicing cucumbers (smooth-skinned) will turn soggy when pickled due to their high water content.
Canning Jars: Clean pint or quart canning jars.
Rings and Lids: You can reuse the rings, but you will want to purchase new lids for the jars.
Salt: Use pickles salt or coarse sea salt.
Vinegar: This recipe asks for white distilled vinegar. I’ve never made it with other vinegars.
Garlic: Fresh cloves of garlic, peeled and slightly smashed.
Dill: Fresh-picked dill works best. If you don’t have fresh dill, use dill seed—one Tbsp per quart jar. The dill taste isn’t as strong as if you used fresh.
Grape Leaves: My mom always puts grape leaves in her pickle jars. She swears that the leaves keep the pickles crisp. Grape leaves may be hard to find, so if you don’t have any, make the pickles without them.
Optional: Black Pepper corn or Coriander seeds.

Step by Step Instructions for Refrigerator Dill Pickles.

Make the Brine:

For one pint of pickles, you will need 3/4 cup of brine, which is made by mixing equal parts of water and vinegar.

For 8 pints of pickles, you will need:

3 cups of water
3 cups of white distilled vinegar
3 Tbsp of salt.

Add all the ingredients to a stainless steel saucepan. Don’t use aluminum or anything that might react with the acid in the vinegar. The vinegar can leach the metal of an aluminum pan into the pickles, resulting in an off-flavor for the final product. Gently heat the brine on medium until the salt is dissolved. Set aside to cool.

Fill the Pickle Jars:
Start with a clean pint or quart jar.

Add one grape leaf, a small amount of dill, and a clove of smashed garlic to the bottom of the jar. Put the grape leaf in first.
Add the washed cucumbers to the jar. Place them in the jar so they are standing on end. Tuck in extra dill and garlic between the cucumbers. If you like pickle slices or spears, cut the cucumbers into the desired shape and size before adding them to the jar.
Fill the jar 1 inch from the top and top with more dill and a grape leaf.
Pour the cooled brine over the contents in the jar. Cover the contents entirely with the brine.
Add a lid and ring.
Place in the refrigerator. The pickles will be half sour in about a week.

These dill pickles are tasty all by themselves. However, you could also add them to a Red, White, and Blue Potato Salad or an Antipasto dish; they would also be perfect for a Plant-Based Smash Burger or in a Double Cheeseburger.

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