(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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Here is my favorite (and easy) Bread & Butter Pickle recipe. I have had it for years, but have tweaked it a bit the past few years & I believe they are the best/crispest I make. Others agree!
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 7 or 8 pints.
Ingredients
Cucumbers – scrubbed & sliced – about 4 quarts
1 1/3 cups non-iodized salt
sliced onions (amount is your choice)
NOTE – in 2006, I started using frozen pearl onions –
what a hit they have been!
slivered red bell pepper (amount is your choice)
3 cloves garlic, sliced
5 cups sugar
3 cups white vinegar
1 Tbsp. turmeric
2 Tbsp. mustard seed
1 1/2 tsp. celery seed
1 tsp. alum
Pickle Crisp
Directions
I layer the vegetables in a one gallon glass jar, sprinkling on the salt as I go. However, this can also be done in a clean dishpan, stainless stockpot, etc.
Cover all with cold water, add a few ice cubes.
Refrigerate at least 5 hours or overnight.
Thoroughly rinse the vegetables in three changes of water.
Drain well. Set aside.
In large non-reactive pot combine the vinegar, sugar, and spices.
Bring vinegar mixture to a boil. Add drained & rinsed vegetables to pot all at once. Stir often for 2 or 3 minutes to heat the vegetables, but turn off heat if mixture approaches the boiling point.
Ladle hot mixture into hot pint jars, adding Pickle Crisp as per package directions for REALLY crisp pickles, wipe rims, cap.
Process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
* I now use the 30 minute low-temperature pasteurization treatment. Maintain water bath between 180 and 185 degrees for 30 minutes.
** These are really extra good if you add a “bite” to them – put a 1″ slice of a hot pepper in the bottom of the jar before ladling in the cuke mixture. I also made a few jars of these
from small sliced zucchini – good!
OR – just use ALL sliced onions for Bread and Butter Onions – YUM!
Categories: Boiling Water Bath, BWB Pickles & Pickled Stuff, BWB Vegetables
Submitted by: wvhomecanner on April 28, 2010
David says:
The Pickle Crisp (calcium chloride) makes pickles so much more crisp
B’n’B pickles are truly the food of the Gods
On May 3, 2010 at 12:06 pm
Woodwife says:
My Mom says the onions are the best part. I’m gonna try the bread and butter onions!
On July 24, 2010 at 9:36 pm
Pete says:
Got the pickle crisp, but now don’t have ALUM!! Egads – will NEVER get to make these!! Grrrrrr.
On August 13, 2010 at 7:07 pm
CindyP says:
Ok, what does alum do for pickles? For some reason, I thought the Pickle Crisp took the place of alum….must be not.
On August 13, 2010 at 8:32 pm
Dede ~ wvhomecanner says:
Alum is a crisping/firming agent also. In my years of tireless labor searching for the secret to crisper pickles, I first came across the use of alum. Big help. But the Pickle crisp is the bomb. I still use both, but you can do without the alum. Some people will not use it due to aluminum association but I am OK with it in this small amount.
On August 13, 2010 at 9:10 pm
judydee says:
I’ve used alum and/or lime as a soaking agent for cukes and other vegetables before pickling. I’m not sure if I’m reading this recipe correctly, but are you adding the alum with the other spices?
In the past I’ve not made B&B because they were not crisp enough–I might try again tho’ with this recipe. Thanks in advance for the clarification.
On August 14, 2010 at 8:27 am
Dede ~ wvhomecanner says:
Yes, I add the alum to the brine. What I said above was tongue-in-cheek about the ‘tireless labor’ but I did work on the recipe again and again because they were great tasting but NOT crisp enough. Try this one! As written, this recipe WILL give you crispy B&B’s!
On August 14, 2010 at 9:00 am
Pete says:
These are fall on your knees good! I didn’t add alum, and was more than satisfied.
I grew up with limp pickles, so do not find them even slightly offensive – probably take the other view that too crisp means they aren’t home made! These resulted in something in between for me – crisper than the pickles from my childhood, but weren’t so crisp that they seemed artificial.
A winner here as well, Dede. Thanks!!
On August 18, 2010 at 2:51 pm
Dede ~ wvhomecanner says:
SUPER! Glad they hit the mark for you!
On August 18, 2010 at 4:39 pm
Tow Lady says:
Finished making a batch of these this morning…oh my my…they are fabulous! Didn’t add the red bell pepper, but they are fabulous without it! My son-in-law was eating them hot as I was packing them in the jars! Had a half jar left, so my 20 year old daughter sat and ate the whole thing. They sure are a hit at our house!
On August 24, 2011 at 3:53 pm
Dede ~ wvhomecanner says:
Wonderful! Glad you are happy with them! Nothing like a first-time home run, eh? LOL
dede
On August 24, 2011 at 8:24 pm