Quick Picks!

I love a crunchy dill garlic pickle—but sometimes, I need something faster. While canning, preserving, and jarring are amazing ways to capture the best of the local harvest, there are days when you’re in a pinch... or just can’t wait to dive into your farm haul!

That’s where this quick and tasty 10-minute “Quick Pick” cucumber recipe comes in.

You can cut your cucumbers any way you like—just try to keep the pieces as uniform in size as possible so they marinate evenly. If I’m using long cucumbers, I cut them into 4–5 inch segments before slicing into ribbons. For pickling cucumbers, I trim the top and tail, then slice. Whether you dice, ribbon, spiralize, or curl—this method works with any cut.

Once your cucumbers are ready, it’s time for the magic: granulated garlic and Tajín.

I’d love to give exact amounts, but really—use what you like! We love heat and garlic in my family, so we go all in (hot sauce included!). But if you're starting out, a good base is ½ tablespoon each of granulated garlic and Tajín for 2 cucumbers. Toss the cucumbers, taste, and adjust to your liking.

A word of advice from my dad, and something I always remember when seasoning food:

"You can always add more—but you can never take it out."

So go slow, taste, and build.

Once seasoned to your taste, set the cucumbers aside to marinate for 10–20 minutes. The lime and citric acid in Tajín act like a quick pickle brine, brightening everything up.

These make an awesome sidekick to grilled shrimp or barbecue chicken—perfect for summer meals!