my three go-to pickle recipes are:
- a sweet bread-and-butter refrigerator pickle (gallon jar, my daughter can eat it over just a few days in hot weather)- very similar to Jay's, maybe a bit less sugar, white vinegar, I fool around with the spices a lot but get the best reviews from whole AND ground mustard seeds, turmeric, and whole black peppercorns.
- lacto-fermented Sichuan-style pickles (whatever I've got that needs to be used, sometimes it's carrots or chayote or nappa cabbage, keeps for weeks in the fridge, makes an excellent side dish squeezed, chopped, and topped with chili crisp and a shot of soy sauce)
- a quick refrigerator dill pickle (
https://selfproclaimedfoodie.com/easy-refrigerator-dill-pickles/ this recipe is everything it promises to be)
I have never gotten fermented dill pickles right here, possibly because our salt has iodine in it? tropical heat when cucumbers are in season? they always either come out mushy or just flat out rot. But this recipe, you would swear they were the real thing made in a barrel with brine, crunchy and everything (and that's without even using any sort of "crunchy leaves" like oak or grape).
ooh and i forgot to add: giardineira is a great option when you want to also use up various things and make something that everyone swoons over.
https://www.thekitchn.com/giardiniera-22977810