Bread and Butter Pickles - Great for Snacking or Sandwiches

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Bread and Butter Pickles - Great for Snacking or Sandwiches

Boxes full of cucumbers from the farmer's market, dozens of jars, large jars, lots of activity in the kitchen, fresh homemade pickles.

These are some of my memories from summers growing up.

Sweet pickles like these Bread and Butter Pickles (who came up with that name?)

have never lasted this long around here; children devour them.

How to make bread and butter pickles

Bread and butter pickles are easy to make, and if you plan to make them as refrigerator pickles (store them in the fridge cold, to eat within a few weeks)

You can skip many of the canning steps.

Here's a basic recipe we love, collected from various issues of Joy of Cooking, as well as some research online.

The ice helps keep the cucumbers crisp and cooks them in no time. You can experiment with pickled spices and pickled vegetables.

We have a Bread and Butter Jalapeño Pickles Recipe for people who love their pickles spicy.

Do you have a favorite bread and butter pickle recipe? If so, tell us in the comments.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds pickled cucumbers, fresh from the market
• 1/4 cup pickled salt (see recipe note)
• 1 pound white or yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 1/4 cups distilled white vinegar (5% acidity)
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar (5% acidity)
• 2 1/4 cups sugar

Pickled Spices:

• 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 3/4 teaspoon celery seeds
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 6 allspice berries plus a pinch of ground allspice
• 6 whole cloves plus a pinch of ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

Method

Wash and cut the cucumbers:

Carefully wash the cucumbers, removing any dirt that may have adhered to the ribs.

Cut 1/8 inch off the ends and discard.

Cut cucumbers into 1/4-inch-thick slices and place in a large bowl.

Salt, cool and drain the cucumber slices:

Add the sliced onions and all the pickling salt. Stir so that the salt is evenly distributed among the cucumber slices.

Cover it with a thin, clean kitchen towel (not a towel). Cover with a few inches of ice.

Take to the fridge and let freeze for 4 hours. Discard the ice.

Wash the cucumber and onion slices well and drain. Rinse and drain again.

Vial heating:

If you plan to store your pickles outside of the refrigerator for an extended period, you'll need to heat the canning jars in a hot water bath after canning.

To heat the canning jars, place the empty jars on a metal rack in a large 16-quart stockpot.

Pots should be on a rack inside the pot, not in the bottom of the pot. Fill with warm water to at least an inch above the pots and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to lukewarm to keep jars warm and ready to pack.

Wash lids in hot soapy water.

Make the pickled syrup:

In a 4- or 6-quart saucepan, place the vinegars, sugar, and all the pickling spices (do not add salt).

Bring to a boil As soon as the sugar dissolves, add the sliced cucumbers and onions.

Let it boil again. As soon as the syrup starts to boil again, use a slotted spoon to start filling the hot pots with the cucumbers and onions.

Arrange the jars, add the pickling syrup:

Pack the jars 1 inch from the rim with the cucumbers and onions. Then pour the hot vinegar-sugar syrup over them to within 1/2 inch of the edge.

Wipe edge with a paper towel. Place a clean, dry lid on the jar. Secure with a metal screw band.

Repeat with the remaining vials.

Water bath process:

If you plan to store pickles outside of the refrigerator, process the filled jars in a hot water bath.

Return the filled jars to the same saucepan with the already hot water. The water level should be at least one inch above the top of the jars.

Bring to a boil and boil hard for 15 minutes. Remove the jars from the pan with tongs or jar lifters.

If you live more than 300 meters above sea level, please adjust the processing time by following the instructions here.

Let cool and reserve:

Let cool at room temperature. The jars should make a popping sound when their lids are closed.

If a cap does not close properly, do not store the jar outside of the refrigerator.

Properly canned bread and butter pickles can be stored in a cool, dark place (like a pantry) for up to 1 year.

Store opened jars in the refrigerator and use within 3 months.

If you skipped canning in a double boiler, transfer cooled jars directly to the refrigerator and eat within 3 months.

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