Thanks geyes,
But my pickles are refrigerator pickles, no boing nothin’! All a cold process.
1 quart jar with a lid (find quart jars here)
2-3 pickling cucumbers (as many as you can fit in the jar)
5 sprigs of fresh dill (or 1 Tbsp dry dill)
2-4 cloves of garlic (or garlic scapes), crushed and minced (we use 4)
3 Tbsp white distilled vinegar (find white vinegar here)
½ - 1 Tbsp kosher salt, to taste (I use ¾ Tbsp) (find this here)
distilled or filtered water – enough to top off jar (where to find water purification systems)
20 black peppercorns, optional (find high quality peppercorns here)
¼ tsp red pepper flakes, optional (find high quality chili flakes here)
Directions
Cut pickles into discs, spears, or sandwich slices and add to the jar with all ingredients except the water. Once everything is in the jar, fill to the very top with distilled or filtered water and screw lid on very tightly. Shake the jar up to distribute flavors and leave on your countertop for 12 hours. Shake again and turn upside down for another 12 hours, making sure the lid is screwed on tightly to avoid leakage. After pickles have sat for a total of 24 hours go taste your creation – you won’t believe how good they are! Store in refrigerator and enjoy within a month for maximum freshness.
Then I am mystified. I have never ever had a jar of refrigerator pickles made without boiling liquid turn mushy.
I supose they do get that way eventually, but not if you eat them right away, or else the cukes were not of good quality.
Question - Did you cut off the blossom end? Leaving the blossom end on can result in mushy pickles when processed, so I suppose that might also apply to refrig cukes.