Recipe - Bread and Butter Pickles

photo:  Michael Beyer 

For a adapted recipe with 5 pounds of pickles, see  Michael Beyer's blog, Oishii. <http://michaelbeyer.wordpress.com/2010/08/17/your-classic-bread-and-butter-pickles-2/>

Thank You to CSA Member Nicki M.!

Classic Bread & Butter Pickles 

Recipe from “Quick Pickles Easy Recipes with Big Flavor,” by Chris Schlesinger, John Willoughby, and Dan George

Yield: About 8 cups

INGREDIENTS

• 3 pounds pickling cucumbers (less than 5 inches long)

• 1 large or 2 medium onions (about 1 pound)

• 3 tablespoons kosher salt or other coarse salt

• 1 teaspoon celery seed

• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves or allspice (optional)

• 3 cups cider vinegar

• 2 1/2 cups brown sugar

PREPARATION

Trim and discard the blossom ends of the cucumbers, then peel the onions and cut both into rounds about 1/4″ thick. In a nonreactive bowl, toss them with the salt, then cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. Drain well, rinse, drain again, and then set the cucumbers and onions aside.

In a nonreactive pot, combine all the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring once or twice to dissolve the brown sugar. Reduce the heat to low, simmer for 3 minutes, and then pour the liquid over the cucumbers and onions. The cucumbers should be amply covered or slightly afloat.

Allow to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate. These pickles have good flavor as soon as they are cool, but the flavor will deepen if you let them sit for 24 hours. They will keep, covered and refrigerated, for a month or more. 

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AT A GLANCE

main ingredients: 
cucumbers, onions, vinegar, spices

cuisine: 

American

dietary considerations: 

vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free

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