Old-Fashioned Bread and Butter Pickles
A crispy, sweet, and tangy recipe for old-fashioned bread and butter pickles that are perfect for snacking straight from the jar.
Ingredients
- 4 lbs cucumbers small pickling variety
- 2 medium yellow onions sliced
- ¼ cup kosher salt
- 3 cups white vinegar or apple cider vinegar for a twist
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp celery seeds
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper
- Ice cubes
Instructions
- Slice cucumbers into ¼ inch thick slices and slice the onions.
- Toss cucumbers and onions with kosher salt in a large non-reactive bowl. Massage in the salt, then cover with ice cubes and refrigerate for a few hours.
- In a saucepan, combine sugar, vinegar, mustard seeds, celery seeds, turmeric, and crushed red pepper. Heat until sugar dissolves and the mixture is aromatically fragrant.
- Drain and rinse the cucumber and onion mixture to remove excess salt.
- Pack the cucumber and onion mixture tightly into canning jars.
- Pour the hot brine over the vegetables, ensuring they are fully covered. Wipe jar rims clean before sealing.
- For long-term storage, process jars in a water bath for 10 minutes or refrigerate if consuming within a month.
Notes
These pickles develop better flavor with time, so try to wait a week before enjoying.