Spicy Garlic Refrigerator Pickles submitted by Donald Bruun
~ 1 lb pickling fresh pickling cucumbers
1 ¼ cup water
1 cup white vinegar
1 ½ tablespoon Kosher or Sea Salt
1 teaspoon sugar
12 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 tablespoons or more red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
2 tsp whole mustard seed.
2 Wide mouth quart jars with rings and seals
Prepare the jars by washing jars and seals in very hot water. Dry well.
Wash cucumbers well.
To prepare cucumbers slice off the ends. They may then be sliced, cut into spears or left whole as you prefer ( if you leave them whole they may get mushy)
Bring the water, vinegar, salt and sugar to low boil in a small saucepan until the sugar and salt dissolves. Remove from heat and let sit for a while to cool a bit.
Pack the cucumbers into the jars leaving about an inch of head space at the top of the jar.
Divide the garlic, pepper flakes, peppercorns and mustard seed between the 2 jars.
Pour the liquid over the cukes until they are covered. Seal the jars with the canning lids.
Put the jars in the refrigerator and shake every day to mix the spices. They should be ready in a day or so but a week or more is better to allow the flavors to develop.
They should be consumed within about 4 weeks after they are opened. (They probably won’t last that long anyway.)