Fermented Dill Pickles (Refrigerator Pickles, Not Canned)

If you’ve ever wanted to try fermenting but weren’t sure where to start, dill pickles are a great project. This recipe comes from the book Nourishing Traditions, and it’s simple: cucumbers, a few spices, salt, and a starter culture called whey. No canner, no processing time, no special equipment.

Please note, Important: these are not canned pickles. They are not shelf-stable and they should not be stored at room temperature long-term. You’ll let them ferment on the counter for a few days, then move them to the refrigerator for storage. If you came here expecting a canning recipe, you’re in the right place — just a different method. (Try this recipe if you want a shelf-stable dill pickle.)

What Is Lacto-Fermentation?

Lacto-fermentation is one of the oldest methods of food preservation, long before canning or refrigeration existed.

Here’s the basic idea: naturally occurring bacteria (Lactobacillus) feed (this is good bacteria) on the sugars in the cucumbers and convert them into lactic acid. That lactic acid is what preserves the pickles and gives them their tangy, sour flavor — the same process that gives you sauerkraut, kimchi, and traditional sour pickles.

The fermenting process depends on a salty brine.

This recipe also uses whey as a starter culture. Adding whey (which we’ll cover below) gives this process a head start by introducing a healthy dose of those beneficial bacteria right from the beginning.

If you don’t have whey, it’s very easy to make. See the notes in the recipe card below. All you need is plain yogurt with live cultures. (check the ingredients but most plain yogurts have live cultures)

This is a completely different process than canning, and it’s worth understanding the difference so you know what to expect.

Lacto-Fermentation vs. Canning: What’s the Difference?

Neither method is “better” — they just serve different purposes. Canning gives you shelf-stable jars you can store for years. Fermenting gives you a probiotic-rich pickle with a shorter window to enjoy it in, but with almost no special equipment required. Many home canners, myself included, do both.

This sauerkraut recipe can be fermented and stored in the fridge… OR canned for shelf storage

About the Recipe: Nourishing Traditions

This recipe comes from the book Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon, a well-known book in traditional foods circles. It covers a wide range of traditional food preparation methods, with a strong focus on fermentation. I highly recommend it if you want to go deeper into fermenting beyond just pickles. I’ve learned a lot browsing through the recipes.

What about the Whey?

This is a fermented recipe that uses whey to kickstart the fermenting process. I’ve explained how to get whey below. If you don’t have whey it’s fine. You’ll just need to use more salt. Amounts are included in the recipe below.

Optional Garlic

The original recipe does not include garlic. We are a garlic loving family! I added one big clove that I cut in half. You can certainly leave it out if you don’t like garlic.

Low Salt Pickles

This is actually a good option for those who don’t want a lot of salt. There is salt… but since it has whey there is less salt than many ferments.

Storage: Temperature and How Long They Last

Refrigerator Pickles

This recipe is considered a refrigerator pickle. It is not processed for storage on the shelf. Once the cucumbers are fermented they do need cold storage.

Temperature

The ideal storage temperature for fermented pickles is around 40°F. That said, a little variation won’t hurt anything — most people don’t have a spot in their home that holds a consistent 40°F, so a regular refrigerator works just fine. That’s what I use, and what many people fermenting at home use too.

How long do they last?

This is where you’ll find some variation depending on who you ask. Estimates range anywhere from a couple of months to close to a year, depending on the source and the specific conditions. Most estimates land in the 3-6 month range, which is a reasonable average to plan around.

Here’s the important part: this is a quality issue, not a safety issue. Much like canned food doesn’t suddenly become unsafe the day after its recommended storage window of one year, these pickles don’t “go bad” on some fixed date either. Past the 3-6 month mark, they’ll gradually get softer and more sour. If yours are getting past that window, there’s no need to toss them — just make a plan to work through the jar sooner rather than later.

Don’t Over-Make These

Because fermented pickles have a shorter quality window than canned pickles, this isn’t the recipe to make a dozen jars of at once. Make what you and your family will realistically eat within a few months.

If you want a larger stash to last you through the year, that’s exactly what canning is good for. I still make plenty of regular canned dill pickles alongside these fermented ones — the two methods aren’t competing, they just serve different purposes in the pantry.

Give It a Try

Fermented pickles are a low-equipment, low-cost way to dip a toe into fermentation, and this recipe is about as simple as it gets. If you want to explore fermenting further, [link to fermenting course/other fermented recipes], or check out Nourishing Traditions for more recipes like this one.

The full recipe card is below.

Lacto-Fermented Dill Pickles

Crisp, tangy dill pickles made the traditional way — fermented with a whey starter, no canning or vinegar required. Store in the refrigerator after fermenting.

Print Recipe

Prep Time:15 minutes mins

Total Time:3 days d

Ingredients

• – Pickling cucumbers enough to pack your jar
• – 1 large garlic clove per quart jar – optional
• – 1 tablespoon mustard seed per quart jar
• – 1-2 tablespoons dill 2 tablespoons if using fresh dill; 1 tablespoon if using dried dill seed

Brine

• – 1 T Salt — use canning salt or sea salt only not table salt (table salt has anti-caking additives that will cloud the brine)
• – 4 tablespoons whey see notes for how to make this
• – 1 cup water

Instructions

• Wash cucumbers and cut off the blossom end of each one. (This end contains enzymes that can make pickles go soft, so trimming it helps keep them crisp.)
• Pack the jar tightly with the cucumbers. Whole is fine — cut oversized cucumbers in half to fit.
• Add the garlic, mustard seed, and dill seed to the jar.
• Add the salt.
• Make the brine: mix 4 tablespoons of whey with 1 cup of water. Make more as needed to fully cover the cucumbers.
• Pour the brine over the cucumbers, making sure they are fully submerged and the jar is topped off.
• Cap the jar and leave it on the counter for 3 days to ferment.
• Move the jar to the refrigerator for storage.

Notes

How to make whey: Place plain yogurt in a cheesecloth bag and let it hang and drip over a bowl. The liquid that drips out is your whey. What’s left in the bag turns into a thick, cream-cheese-like product — don’t throw that out. Whey can also be made from kefir.

If you don’t have whey , you can still make this recipe.  Just add 1 extra Tablespoon of salt.  (so 2 T total) 

Storage: Keep refrigerated at around 40°F. A little temperature variation is fine — a standard refrigerator works well. Best quality within 3-6 months; after that they’ll gradually soften and turn more sour, but this is a quality change, not a safety issue.

This is a fermented recipe, not a canning recipe. Do not store at room temperature after the initial 3-day ferment.

Adapted from Nourishing Traditions by Sally Falon. 

Servings: 1 quart jars

Author: Sharon Peterson