Quick Pickles

From EatingWell: May/June 2007 — Subscribe Now!

Here's a way to make better-than-store-bought pickles in under an hour. The secret is pouring the hot vinegar mixture over slices of cold, crisp cucumber. These pickles have the perfect balance of sour and sweet—though closer to a “bread and butter” taste, they still satisfy the vinegar-loving pickle crowd. In our humble opinion, there's no reason to ever buy another jar of pickles.

READER'S COMMENT:

"very good! [ used pickling spice mix and white vinegar with spenda]. i eat them them at night while reading emails and morning blood sugar is within normal range. sure my husband will say "too spicy" but perfect for me. "

16 servings, about 1/4 cup each

Active Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

1 1/4 pounds pickling cucumbers, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup slivered onion
2 cloves garlic, slivered
1 teaspoon dill seed
1 teaspoon mustard seed

Preparation

Place cucumber slices in a colander set in the sink. Sprinkle with salt; stir to combine. Let stand for 20 minutes. Rinse, drain and transfer to a large heatproof bowl.
Meanwhile, combine cider vinegar, white vinegar, brown sugar, onion, garlic, dill and mustard seed in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Pour the hot liquid over the cucumbers; stir to combine. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes to bring to room temperature.