Recipe: Low-Carb Refrigerator Pickles

Every Summer, my mom would make batch after batch of "refrigerator pickles" from all the cukes growing in our garden. Unlike regular canned pickles, these aren't shelf stable and must be kept cold. Allegedly they can still last from 2-3 months preserved this way, but neither mom nor I have had a batch last more than a week, so we can't say for sure.

Refrigerator pickles are so easy to make and are a great way to use up cukes you grow yourself or bulk purchases from the farmer's market. You don't even have to limit yourself to cucumbers. Many recipes call for using bell peppers and I even added some jicama to my last batch. All the pickled veggies tasted fantastic. This basic recipe, besides tasting good, allows you to save money by not having to trash produce you don't use fast enough...just give it the "fridge pickle" treatment and enjoy!

Wifezilla's Low-Carb Refrigerator Pickles

Ingredients:

6 large cucumbers - skinned and sliced

1 large sliced red onion

1 bell pepper (red or orange) cut in strips

1 cup of jicama cut in strips

1 cup white vinegar

1/2 cup erythritol (or more depending on taste)

1/4 cup Da Vinci's Simple Syrup (or powdered Splenda equivalent)

2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp minced garlic or dried powdered garlic

1/2 tsp mustard seed

1/2 tsp celery seed

1/2 tsp powdered cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions:

Heat the vinegar (either on the stove or in the microwave in a medium-sized bowl) and then stir in the erythritol to dissolve. Add spices and allow to cool. Place sliced veggies in to a large jar or ceramic dish that has a tight fitting lid. Pour the cooled brine over the sliced cucumber mix and stir. Allow to set overnight in the refrigerator.

Variations:

Any regular refrigerator pickle recipe can be adapted to low carb by using erythritol and splenda instead of regular sugar. Just use the same amount of erythritol as sugar called for in the recipe, and then add splenda to taste. Here are a few interesting recipes you may want to give a try....

This refrigerator pickle recipe uses carrots and daikon radishes. Interesting combination!

Veggie Venture

How about a green tomato version?

Kuskokwim Campus

This recipe uses cauliflower and beets which gives you "Purple Pickled Cauliflower". (Scroll down past the pickled egg recipe)

A Chicken In Every Granny Cart

Be sure to post your versions in the comment section!