Pickled Vegetables

Kyleigh West Active Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 4 hours Servings: 4

This recipe was inspired by a family recipe called refrigerator pickles. With quarantine, my family and I grew a variety of vegetables, including all different types of peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, and more. A great way to use all of the vegetables is to pickle them. This recipe can be made with other vegetables than just listed in the recipe. I have tried it with cauliflower, carrots, onions and cucumbers. I suggest experimenting with different combinations of vegetables and using whatever you have on hand! The most challenging part of this recipe is the length of time it takes and the cutting of the vegetables; however, you do not need a lot of equipment, and you only have to heat the brine. This recipe is easy to make, and it takes less equipment than a traditional pickling and canning recipe. This recipe can lighten up a hearty dish or pair well with a lighter dish like a salad.

Directions Ingredients On a cutting board, prepare vegetables. Spear the cucumbers 3 medium-sized cucumbers, quartered into into about ½ inch pieces. Chop onion into slices. Chop bell spears pepper into ¼ inch pieces. 1 small sweet Vidalia onion, sliced Using a large container with a lid, add the water and salt. Shake 1 red bell pepper, chopped vigorously to dissolve the salt. ¼ cup iodized salt In a medium-sized bowl, add the cucumbers, onion and bell 3 ½ cups of water pepper. If the vegetables are not fully covered by the water, add 1 cup sugar more. 2 cups apple cider vinegar Soak the vegetables in the saltwater for at least 2 hours. ½ teaspoon black pepper Drain vegetables in a colander and rinse well to remove salt. Place the vegetables on a tea towel or a layer of paper towels to dry. Over medium-high heat, bring the apple cider vinegar, sugar and black pepper to a rapid bowl. Stirring the mixture frequently to dissolve the sugar.Once the mixture is boiling turn off the heat and cool. Place the vegetables into glass jars or a large bowl. Once the mixture has cooled, pour the mixture over the vegetables. Fill to cover the vegetables only. Cover vegetables with a lid or wrap tightly. Place in the fridge. This can be eaten immediately, but the flavor will be stronger once it sits in the fridge for a couple of hours or days. This can last for up to 3 weeks in the fridge.