Mennonite Refrigerator Pickles [Recipe]

Food, Recipes, Savoury, Sweet, Vegan / Tuesday, April 16th, 2024

Okay, so today’s the day you learn how to make my favourite Mennonite refrigerator pickles.

This recipe is easy to make, and it requires absolutely zero pickling skills. You don’t have to sterilize the jars or anything. Just make sure you have the ingredients and a fridge, and you’re good to go! My Oma used to have a big jar of these pickles in her fridge all the time, and while I must confess that my childhood self didn’t particularly care for them, they have grown on me over the years. Even though I still don’t like sweet pickles in general… These are an exception.

Now before I get into this, I’d like to give credit where credit is due. These beautiful pickles were made by my sister Becky, with the help of another sister, Keturah. Since Becky is the one in charge here, I’d like to introduce her a little bit.

Meet Becky:

Becky is my fabulous website making, P.G. Wodehouse reading, gadget loving, makeup artist extraordinaire sister. She says that the fact that she rarely cooks makes her creations extra special when they do come around; like that rare treat that you only get on holidays. I have to say, it’s kind of true. She’s pretty much good at anything she puts her hand to.

I took these photos when Becky made these pickles for my sister Leah’s wedding. She made about 30 jars, I think – 1 per table. After the wedding, a lot of people kept asking for the recipe, so I figured: why not write a blog about it? It’s a lot easier to send them to a blog post than it is to write out the recipe a thousand times. So, here we are.

What are refrigerator pickles?

Refrigerator pickles are basically just pickles made without the canning process. This is possible because they are kept in the fridge, where colder temperatures allow the pickling to occur without spoiling the contents of your jars. Regular canned pickles can be stored at room temperature, since the tight sealing process of canning protects the contents of the jars from bacteria spoiling the jars.

If you are interested to learn some of the basics of canning, you can check out my Basic Canning Method post (not exactly the method used for pickles usually, but still interesting if you are curious).

How long will refrigerator pickles last?

Refrigerator pickles made this way will last for a few weeks, but you’ll notice that they become a little bit more soft over time and start to lost their bright colouring, even before they have gone bad. I would say for optimal flavour, try to make these pickles and consume them within 2-3 weeks.

Are refrigerator pickles good for you?

Yes, and no. This recipe does contain sugar, and if you’re wondering if there are benefits to the pickling process here (as in fermented pickles), these are definitely a different thing. Fermented pickles are made using the natural good bacteria that allow the fermentation process to occur in the first place, whereas these pickles get their “Sour” flavour from regular vinegar. The main benefit to eating these pickles is that they are made with vegetables, giving you whatever the veggies have to offer.

What makes these refrigerator pickles special?

To me, this recipe is special because it belonged to my Oma and reminds me of good days gone by. It’s also special because it somehow yields a sweet pickle that even I can enjoy (I traditionally don’t care for sweet pickles). The pickles have a flavour that is both sour and sweet, and the mustard seeds in there give it a little something extra that’s really delicious. They’re also really fun (and easy!) to make, so that’s another bonus.

You will need: