Table · field guide
Bread-and-Butter Pickles
Bread-and-butter pickles are the sweet cousin of the dill. Thin cucumber and onion slices soak in a spiced vinegar brine that comes out tangy, a little sweet, and crisp. They are one of the easiest canning projects to learn, because the vinegar does the safety work for you. Here is the tested method.
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Why this one works
The magic is in two steps. First a salt soak pulls water out of the cucumber slices so they stay crisp. Then a hot vinegar brine with mustard seed, turmeric, and a little sugar gives that classic sweet-tangy flavor.
This recipe makes about 6 pints. That is a full canner load and a good use of a big cucumber harvest.
Pick and prep the cucumbers
Use pickling cucumbers, not slicers. Pickling types are firmer and less watery, so they stay crunchy. Pick them small, 4 to 5 inches, and use them within a day of picking for the best crunch.
Cut a thin slice off the blossom end of each cucumber and throw it away. The blossom end holds an enzyme that softens pickles. Slice the cucumbers about 1/4 inch thick so the brine soaks through evenly.
Keep it safe
These pickles get their safety from vinegar, not from added lemon juice. Use vinegar labeled 5% acidity, which is standard white or cider vinegar, and do not water it down. Cutting the vinegar to make them less sour makes them unsafe to can.
Leave 1/2 inch of headspace in each jar. Process pints 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner, and adjust the time up for your altitude. After the jars cool, check that every one sealed and refrigerate any that did not. If you are ever unsure of a process time for your jar size, follow a tested recipe from the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
Make it your own
The base recipe is a good starting point. Adjust the sweet and the spice to taste, but keep the vinegar amount exactly as written.
- Less sweet: cut the sugar to 1 1/2 cups for a sharper pickle.
- More spice: add a pinch of red pepper flakes to each jar.
- Extra crunch: add 1/4 teaspoon of Pickle Crisp (calcium chloride) per pint.
- Add color: mix in a few slices of red bell pepper.
How long it keeps
Sealed jars keep their best quality for about 12 months in a cool, dark pantry. Give them at least 2 weeks before you open the first jar, so the flavor has time to soak all the way through.
Once you open a jar, keep it in the fridge and use it within 2 months. One honest note: the process boil softens the crunch a little compared to a fresh fridge pickle. That is the trade for a shelf-stable jar.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 lbs pickling cucumbers, sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup canning or pickling salt
- 4 cups white vinegar (5% acidity)
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 tbsp mustard seed
- 1 tbsp celery seed
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- Ice, for the soak
Method
- Toss the cucumber and onion slices with the salt in a big bowl. Cover with ice and let stand 3 to 4 hours.
- Drain and rinse the slices well, then drain again.
- Wash jars and keep them hot. Heat water in the canner.
- In a pot, bring the vinegar, sugar, mustard seed, celery seed, and turmeric to a boil.
- Add the drained cucumbers and onions and heat just until the brine returns to a boil.
- Pack the pickles into hot jars and cover with brine, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
- Wipe rims, set lids and bands finger-tight, and lower jars into the canner.
- Process pints 10 minutes at a full rolling boil, adjusting for altitude, then cool 12 to 24 hours and check seals.
Keep going
Questions, answered straight
You can, but they will be softer. Slicing cucumbers hold more water and have thicker skins. Pickling cucumbers stay crisp because they are firmer and less watery. If slicers are all you have, use them fresh and expect a softer pickle.
Three common causes: skipping the salt soak, forgetting to trim the blossom end, or over-processing. Do the ice soak, cut off the blossom end, and process for exactly the time listed. Adding a little calcium chloride also helps keep them crunchy.
No. The vinegar is what makes these safe to can. Use 5% acidity vinegar at full strength. If you want them less sharp, add a little more sugar instead of cutting the vinegar.