Bread and Butter Pickles (Home Canning)

I have been swimming this year...
swimming in CUCUMBERS!

They are still producing strong in September.  This is today's harvest!


So what's a woman to do?

Make bread and butter pickles, of course.

This tried and true recipe is adapted from from the Ball Blue Book Guide to Canning and Preserving  

Bread and Butter Pickles
8 cups cucumbers, cut into 1/4 - 1/2 inch slices

2 onions, sliced

1/3 cup salt

2 cups sugar

2 tablespoons mustard seed

2 teaspoons tumeric

2 teaspoons celery seed

1 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon peppercorns

3 cups apple cider vinegar

Combine cucumber slices and onion slices in a large bowl.

Add salt and cover with ice water.

Let stand 1 1/2 hours.

Drain.  Rinse and drain again.

Combine remaining ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil.

Add drained cucumbers and onions and return to a boil.

Pack hot pickles and liquid into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.

Remove air bubbles. 

Adjust lid and ring to jar.

Process 10 minutes in a hot water bath.

To develop a satisfactory flavor, jars should not be opened for 4 to 6 weeks.

Oops - I only waited 2 1/2 weeks!  Still a bit vinegar-y tasting, but good ;-)

zucchini pickles

Last year I had an abundance of zucchini, so I made zucchini pickles.

The taste was comparable to bread and butter pickles.

Get the recipe here.