🥒 Old-Fashioned Bread and Butter Pickles
Sweet, tangy, and crisp — these classic pickles are perfect for sandwiches, burgers, or snacking straight from the jar.
🛒 Ingredients (Makes about 4 pint jars)
- 6 cups thinly sliced cucumbers (about 4–5 medium cucumbers)
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup pickling salt (or kosher salt)
- 2 cups white vinegar (5% acidity)
- 1½ cups sugar
- 1 tbsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp celery seeds
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground cloves (optional)
🔥 Instructions
1️⃣ Salt the cucumbers
- In a large bowl, combine sliced cucumbers and onions.
- Sprinkle with salt and toss.
- Cover with ice cubes and let sit 1½–2 hours.
- Rinse well and drain thoroughly.
2️⃣ Make the brine
- In a saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, celery seeds, turmeric, and cloves.
- Bring to a gentle boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.
3️⃣ Combine & heat
- Add drained cucumbers and onions to the brine.
- Heat just until cucumbers are warmed through (do not overcook).
4️⃣ Jar the pickles
- Pack into clean, hot jars.
- Pour hot brine over cucumbers, leaving ½ inch headspace.
5️⃣ Store
- For refrigerator pickles: cool and refrigerate. Ready in 24–48 hours.
- For shelf-stable canning: process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
🌿 Tips for Crisp Pickles
- Use fresh, firm pickling cucumbers.
- Slice evenly for consistent texture.
- Add red pepper flakes for a sweet-spicy version.
- Let flavors develop at least 2 days before eating.
If you’d like, I can also give you:
- Sweet & spicy bread and butter pickles
- Garlic-dill bread and butter pickles
- Small batch refrigerator version (1 jar)
Which version would you like? 🥒✨
