Recipes for icebox pickles?

[CathyA]

Anyone have an easy, tried-and-true recipe for icebox pickles? (These are ones you prepare and then just keep in the fridge, rather than canning).
I have lots of cucs coming in and we're eating a ton of Danish cuc salads and fresh cucs, but I'd like to make some easy pickles.
Thanks!

[Blackdog Lin]

Are you interested in dill, or bread-n-butter, or other.....? I have a killer bread-n-butter easy recipe, and a Japanese Tsukemono one (savory and good, but not dill.)

[CathyA]

I was thinking mostly dill, but I would be open to any of them!

[bunnys]

My grandmother just did vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper on sliced cucumbers and served them as a side dish for dinner. I like that with bread and butter, too. Also my grandmother did it with red and yellow tomatoes and I do it with red peppers as well. As it's vinegar based, I'm sure you could make that and just let it sit a few days if you wanted before eating it.

[Blackdog Lin]

Okay. Bread-n-Butter style:

Excellent Microwave Sweet Pickles

1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. turmeric
1/4 tsp. mustard seed
1/4 tsp. celery seed
1/2 c. cider vinegar
1 scant c. sugar
2 cucumbers, unpeeled, thinly sliced
1-2 onions, thinly sliced

In small bowl or measuring pitcher combine salt, turmeric, mustard seed, celery seed, vinegar and sugar. Combine cucumbers and onions in microwave-safe bowl. Pour vinegar mixture over. Microwave, uncovered, on high power 5 minutes. Stir well and return to microwave 5 more minutes. Cool, pour into quart jar and refrigerate. Pickles are ready to eat when thoroughly chilled. Makes 1 quart.

And.....

Cucumber Tsukemono

4 lbs. cucumbers, unpeeled and cut into 1/2" slices
4 tbs. canning salt
3 c. water

2 stalks green onion, shredded (or 1 small onion cut into chunks)
3 c. water
5 tbs. white vinegar
4 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. Accent
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, cleaned and halved (optional)
3 whole red chili peppers, crushed (or 1 tsp. hot red pepper flakes)
2 slices ginger (or 1/2 tsp. ground ginger)

Boil the 3 c. water w/the salt for brine. Pour over cucumber slices in casserole dish, place heavy weight over and press for 2 hours. Remove cucumbers from brine and place in 1/2-gallon jar, along with the onions. Discard brine. In large saucepan bring remaining ingredients to a boil; cool slightly and pour over cucumbers/onions in jar. Chill.

[CathyA]

Thanks Blackdog Lin and bunnys.

I guess you could say I already make icebox pickles, sort of. All summer long I make Danish cucumber salad. I peel and slice thin a bunch of cucs, and onions and salt them pretty heavily. I let them sit for 2 hours and then let them drain. Then I add a syrup of cider vinegar and sugar. I mix it all up and add a fair amount of dill weed. It doesn't last long in the fridge. It is soooooo good.
Thanks for your recipes Blackdog Lin!
bunnys........I'm just hoping my cucumber plants last until my tomatoes ripen. We love cutting up tomatoes and cucumbers and and marinating them in olive oil/vinegar/herbs. YUM!

[Blackdog Lin]

Cathy: I am envious of your cucumber crop! We had one plant this year, which would have been plenty, but lost it to the squash bugs. It's the first year we've ever had squash bugs in the garden, and DH was slow to recognize the signs and apply the Sevin.

We did get 10 pints of dill pickle slices canned, and gorged ourselves on old-fashioned cucumber slices (similar to your recipe but without the dill) and lots of plain ol' sliced cukes. I had planned to can a batch of the bread-n-butter pickles (above) next, but when the bugs hit, they hit fast. Our plant went from thriving to mostly dead in 3 days. :(

If your family likes sweet pickles at all, I KNOW you'll love the microwave recipe. It's too easy and the pickles are way good.....

[CathyA]

Sorry about your cucs BL, but at least you got some from them before the squash bugs arrived. I'm struggling with the squash bugs now. I guess I didn't realize they bother cucs, but I did see a couple of adults on the cucs.
I'm trying out a new method to deal with the squash bug eggs. I'll let you know if it works. I don't use any chemicals.
I absolutely love cucumbers, and get depressed when they finally die off.