My grandmother (dad’s mother) and my parents used to pickle a lot when I was a kid. My dad’s favorite was spicy carrot and cauliflower pickles (I’m still waiting for the recipe); my favorite was sweet watermelon rind pickles (can’t find watermelons with thick enough rinds to make these anymore). Sweet pickles like these bread and butter pickles (who came up with that name?) never lasted that long around here; we kids gobbled them up.
How to Make Bread and Butter Pickles
Bread and butter pickles are easy to make, and if you are planning to make them as refrigerator pickles (storing them in the cold fridge, to be eaten within weeks), you can skip a lot of the canning steps. This is a basic recipe which we happen to love, cobbled together from various editions of the Joy of Cooking plus some online research. The ice helps keep the cucumbers crispy, as does cooking them just a short time. You can experiment with the pickling spices, and the pickling vegetables for that matter. We have a jalapeño bread and butter pickle recipe for people who love their pickles spicy. Do you have a favorite bread and butter pickle recipe? If so, please tell us about it in the comments. Kosher salt can be used as a substitute for pickling salt. Regular table salt has additives in it that will turn the pickles dark and muddy the color of the pickle juice. The yield for canning recipes varies depending on a number of factors. This recipe makes between 3 and 5 pints worth of cucumbers and pickling syrup.
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
Put in the refrigerator and let chill for 4 hours. Discard the ice. Rinse the cucumber and onion slices thoroughly, then drain. Rinse and drain again. To heat the jars for canning, place the empty jars on a metal rack in a large, 16-quart canning pot. (Jars must rest on a rack in the pot, not on the bottom of the pot). Fill with warm water at least 1 inch above the jars and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to warm to keep the jars hot and ready for canning. If you are planning to eat the pickles right away and store them the whole time in the refrigerator, you can skip the water bath step. Wash the lids in hot, soapy water. Wipe the rim clean with a paper towel. Place a dry, clean lid on the jar. Secure with a metal screw band. Repeat with remaining jars. Return filled jars to the same canning pot with its already hot water. The water level needs to be at least 1 inch above the top of the jars. Bring to a boil and boil hard for 15 minutes. Remove jars from the pot using tongs or jar lifters. If you live over 1,000 feet above sea level, adjust your processing time using the directions here. 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 fridge and use within 3 months. If you skipped the water bath canning, transfer the cooled jars directly to the fridge and eat within 3 months. Did you love the recipe? Leave us stars below!
