Refrigerator "Party" Pickles

     Forgo the heat and mess of canning, as these are “ice-box” pickles. The idea comes from Carolyn Woefhoff whom I interviewed in May 2010 for my monthly food column in the Abilene Reflector-Chronicle. She “puts them up” in six pint jars that she stores in the fridge but I made her “easy” recipe even easier by just putting the pickles in a pottery bowl (a crock or even a stainless or plastic bowl would work too). I let them set overnight and they were ready to take to a party.

     These pickles are especially crisp and crunchy since do not undergo the heat of processing.

Party Pickles    Makes about 12 cups

Carolyn Woelhoff’s pickle recipe with a few adjustments.

Pickles

7 cups thinly sliced (1/8”) cucumber  - use peel and all  

1 cup thinly sliced white onion

1 cup green pepper, optional

2 tablespoons table salt

Syrup

2 cups granulated sugar

1½ cups white vinegar

Additives

3 tablespoons celery seed, or more if desired

4 to 5 bunches of dill (or about 2 to 3 tablespoons of dried dill weed)

1.  Combine pickle ingredients and stir.  Put in the refrigerator for 1 hour; transfer to a colander and drain for 5 to 10 minutes; do NOT rinse.

2.  Bring the sugar and vinegar to a boil over medium heat – sugar should dissolve completely.

3.  For party pickles, put the drained pickle mixture in a bowl, pour syrup over and add the celery see and dill. Cover with plastic wrap or lid and refrigerate at least overnight for maximum flavor. Taste and adjust flavorings if desired.

I drained some of the excess "juice" off the pickles and put them in a serving/storage container.

This is how Carolyn prepared the pickles jars (she uses more celery seed and dill than I did in the party pickle version):

Make 6 pints.

1. Sprinkle at least 1 tablespoon of celery seed in the bottom of each of 6 clean and sterilized pint canning jars or other 2-cup capacity container. 
2. Add 3 bunches of dill to the bottom of each jar. 
3. Divide drained cucumber mixture among jars and add 2 more sprigs of dill; pour sugar and vinegar solution over cucumbers, leaving ½” headspace or more. 
4. Cool. 
5. Cover with plastic wrap or lid and refrigerate for several days before eating for maximum flavor.