I cleaned out the fridge a few days ago and realized I had a lot of open jars of pickles, jalapeños, and salad peppers! I did a little consolidating but with left with 3 jars of brine. I did a little googling and found I could make refrigerator pickles with the leftover brine, but I couldn't find a recipe so this one is a true Miranda Southern original.
INGREDIENTS
4 cucumbers, speared
2 cups leftover brine (you can use a combination of brines - I used 1 cup pickle brine and 1/2 cup each of jalapeño brine and sweet salad pepper brine)
1/2 cup brown sugar
5 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
2 tbsp dill
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
*If you like spicy pickles you could add in some red pepper flakes too. I didn't on my first batch because I wasn't sure how spicy the jalapeño pepper brine would be. There was a slight heat to those pickles, but we do like things spicy so next time I'll be adding in red pepper flakes.
DIRECTIONS
1. In a medium stock pot, over medium heat, simmer together brines, brown sugar, garlic cloves, dill and apple cider vinegar. Stir gently until the brown sugar is dissolved and then remove from heat.
2. Cut cucumbers into spears and line in an empty pickle jar or mason jar.
3. Pour brine mixture over cucumbers and let sit until cooled completely.
4. Put the lid on the jar and place in refrigerator and let set for a minimum of 24 hours before serving.
We did notice the pickles become less crunchy as they remain in the pickle brine.
