Description
Summer gardens yield delightful bread and butter pickles perfect for crunchy sandwich companions. Crisp cucumber slices kissed with sweet vinegar and spices create a classic American condiment you’ll savor all season long.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2.5 lbs (1.13 kg) pickling cucumbers, fresh from market
- 1 lb (454 g) white or yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 2.25 cups (450 g) sugar
- 1.25 cups (296 ml) white distilled vinegar (5% acidity)
- 1 cup (237 ml) apple cider vinegar (5% acidity)
- ¼ cup (60 ml) pickling salt
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) mustard seeds
- 1 tsp (5 ml) crushed red pepper flakes
- ¾ tsp (3.75 ml) celery seeds
- ½ tsp (2.5 ml) ground turmeric
- 1 inch (2.54 cm) cinnamon stick
- 6 allspice berries plus pinch ground allspice
- 6 whole cloves plus pinch ground cloves
Instructions
- Preparation: Cleanse cucumbers under running water, gently scrubbing to remove dirt. Trim ends and slice into uniform rounds.
- Salting: Transfer cucumber slices to a large mixing bowl, sprinkle with pickling salt, and add sliced onions. Cover with a thin cloth and ice, then refrigerate for 4 hours to draw out moisture.
- Rinsing: Discard ice and thoroughly rinse cucumber and onion slices to remove excess salt.
- Jar Preparation: Set up a canning pot with a metal rack. Warm glass jars by submerging in water and bring to a gentle simmer. Sanitize jar lids with hot, soapy water.
- Syrup Creation: In a separate pot, combine pickling herbs and sugar. Heat gradually, stirring until sugar dissolves completely.
- Vegetable Infusion: Add cucumber and onion slices to the syrup, bringing the mixture to a rolling boil.
- Jarring: Using a slotted spoon, transfer vegetable mixture into heated jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace. Pour hot vinegar sugar syrup over vegetables, leaving 1/2 inch of space from the jar’s rim.
- Sealing: Wipe jar rims clean with a sterile paper towel. Place sanitized lids and secure with metal screw bands.
- Processing: Lower filled jars into the canning pot, ensuring they are covered by at least 1 inch of water. Maintain a steady boil for 15 minutes, then remove jars carefully.
- Cooling and Storage: Allow jars to cool naturally, listening for the sealing pop. Store properly sealed bread and butter pickles in a cool, dark location for up to one year. Refrigerate any unsealed jars and consume within 3 months.
Notes
- Prep Carefully: Thoroughly wash and trim cucumbers to ensure clean, uniform slices for consistent pickling quality.
- Salt Smartly: Use the salting technique to draw out moisture, creating crisp and flavorful pickle texture.
- Sanitize Completely: Sterilize jars, lids, and utensils to prevent bacterial growth and extend pickle shelf life.
- Process Precisely: Maintain proper boiling time and water coverage to guarantee safe preservation and delicious results.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Snacks, Appetizer
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 10
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg