Quickles (Quick Pickled Cucumbers and Onions)
Quickles are also known as Vinegar Cucumbers and Onions and they are a delicious summer snack!
Quickles are also known as Vinegar Cucumbers and Onions and they are a delicious summer snack!
- Carbohydrate 26.790436669478 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.465673333333333 g
- Fiber 3.01216662720839 g
- Protein 3.2878 g
- Saturated Fat 0.112023333333333 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (824g)
- Sodium 37.1693333484482 mg
- Sugar 23.7782700422696 g
- Trans Fat 0.240853333333333 g
- Calories 173 calories
Step-by-step
- Place your cucumbers and onions in a tupperware or large jar and fill with the vinegar, water, salt and pepper.
- Stir to combine.
- Keep covered in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Standard measurements on a page cannot reveal how slicing thickness dictates the speed of acid penetration, meaning paper-thin cucumber half-moons absorb brine within thirty minutes while thicker cuts demand hours. Mandoline settings produce uniform slices that stack efficiently inside a quart-sized glass jar, eliminating dead space and reducing the volume of liquid required to submerge the vegetables. Dissolving the teaspoon of salt entirely in the apple cider vinegar and water mixture before pouring it over the produce prevents pockets of salinity from clinging exclusively to the top layer.
Acidity acts as a natural preservative that alters cellular walls through osmosis, drawing out internal moisture while forcing flavorful acetic acid inward. Sweet onions contribute natural sugars that balance the sharp bite of fermented apple juice, though white onions or shallots serve as viable substitutes at a one-to-one ratio if sweet varieties remain unavailable. Black pepper adds aromatic heat that settles at the bottom of the container, so shaking the sealed jar vigorously distributes the particulate matter evenly across every surface.
Refrigeration below 40 degrees Fahrenheit halts further microbial activity once the initial pickling process finishes, maintaining crisp textures for up to seven days. Freezing destroys this preparation entirely because ice crystals rupture the cell walls of both cucumbers and onions, turning the crisp slices into a limp, watery pulp upon thawing. Reheating is never recommended for vinegar preserves since thermal exposure degrades the bright snap of the vegetables and introduces undesirable cooked-vegetable notes.
Yield management depends entirely on vessel geometry, requiring just enough liquid to cover the solids without floating them out of reach. Glass containers resist staining and odor absorption far better than porous plastic containers, extending equipment longevity across multiple batches. Utilizing leftover brine for a subsequent round of vegetables works effectively once, provided fresh salt is added to replenish depleted mineral concentrations.
