Names have been changed to protect the innocent...and my husband...and me...but not the dog. His name is Dexter.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Recipe Swap Wednesday-Bread & Butter Pickles

These pickles are a HUGE hit around our house. The recipe came from one of my favorite canning books. It has simple instructions for any kind of canning. It's so simple, even I can do it!

Bread & Butter Pickles
4 pounds pickling cucumbers
3 onions
Ice water, about 4-6 quarts
1/2 cup kosher or pickling salt (I use pickling)
5 cups granulated sugar (no wonder they're so popular)
4 cups distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons mustard seed
2.5 teaspoons celery seed
1.5 teaspoons turmeric
Step 1: Slice the cucumbers into 1/4 inch think rounds (I use a crinkle cutter). Peel the onions and cute them in half length-wise from the tip to the bottom core. Lay them on a cutting board, cute side down and slice them to a 1/4 inch thickness. Place the cucumber and onion slices in a pickling crock or large bowl. Sprinkle them with salt. Add ice water to cover the vegetables. Stir them once, then cover the bowl and let the veggies stand at room temperature for 3 hours. Transfer the veggies to a colander and rinse them thoroughly with running water. Drain well. Roll the pieces in a clean, dry kitchen towel to partially dry them.
Step 2: Prepare your canning jars and two piece caps (lids and screw bands) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Keep the jars and lids hot.

Step 3: Combine the sugar, vinegar, mustard seed, celery seed and turmeric in a large stock pot. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar and mix the spices. Add the vegetables and return the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-high and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Warning....inhaling this concoction can be painful. So don't do it. You'll thank me later.

Step 4: Pack the hot pickles into the prepared jars, leaving headspace of 1/4 inch. Add the hot liquid, leaving a headspace of 1/4 inch. Release any air bubbles with a nonreactive tool.
Step 5: Wipe the jar rims; seal the jars with the two-piece caps, hand tightening the bands. Process your filled jars in a water bath for 15 minutes from the point of boiling. Remove the jars with a jar lifter. Place them on a clean kitchen towel away from drafts. After the jars cool completely, test the seals. If you find jars that haven't sealed, refrigerate and use within 2 months.

And after all that hard work you will end up with beautiful jars of this......

7 comments:

Kristina P. said...

I've never made pickles before. These sound delicious.

hairyshoefairy said...

You're so freakin' cool.

gretchen said...

You just totally took me back to my childhood! My mother and her best friend used to make these every year, and they were one of my favorite after school snacks! Thanks for the memory.

Camille said...

oh, the canning season is upon us! Good for you for getting a start on it! :)

~Thought's By Dena~/ JDs Gift Shack said...

oooh yummy!!!!!!

rychelle said...

my grandma makes these too. i'm not a fan, but i love dill pickles.

Momza said...

Reminds me of my mom's canning...loved her pickles! looks delish!

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