Hand Me Downs
When a recipe is handed down from person to person to person, you know it’s a keeper. This recipe came from a neighbor, to my dad, to me, then to my husband, who then used them in his restaurants on the burger menu.
This is a simple recipe for preparing equally sweet and tart pickles, with the bounty of English cucumbers from the garden. English cucumbers are also known as the seedless and burp-less varieties. If you do not have this variety in your garden, look for availability at the Farmer’s Market. Store-bought cucumbers will also work well. You will find them in the produce department tightly wrapped in plastic, as they have a thinner skin.
Bread and Butter Pickles
Description
This is a simple recipe for preparing equally sweet and tart bread and butter pickles with seedless/burp-less English cucumbers. If you are not overloaded with cucumbers from the garden and want to make only one quart, divide the ingredients by 4.
Ingredients
Directions
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Prep Jars
Have two 1/2 gallon, or four 1 quart, mason jars at the ready.
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Simmer the Brine
In a sauce pot, combine vinegar, sugar, salt, celery, mustard seeds and turmeric. Heat to a simmer, stirring to dissolve sugar. Once sugar is dissolved, turn off heat, and let the brine cool back to room temp.
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Prep Cucumber and Onion
With a sharp knife (Chef's, Nakiri, or Santoku), or by using a mandolin, slice cucumbers into rounds about 1/4 inch thick. Julienne the onions to 1/2 inch thickness.
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Fill Jars with Produce
Layer cucumber slices with cloves of garlic and onion, dividing into even portions between the jars.
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Top with Cooled Brine
Once brine has cooled, pour over cucumbers filling to the brim. Cap the jars and place in the
refrigerator for 5 days to pickle. Keep stored in the refrigerator.
Note
- Thicker slices will give a crisper texture to the pickle and will take a few days longer to brine; however, you can make these pickles with thinner slices, and they will be ready to eat sooner.
- Cucumber quantity is approximate. To completely fill the jars, reduce or increase the cucumbers and onions accordingly.
- If you do not have whole garlic cloves and would prefer to use prepared chopped/minced garlic, add approximately 2 Tbsp to the brine, adding more or less to taste.
- This pickling brine can also be used for other vegetables (e.g. carrots, cauliflower).
- You can also "cheat" and not heat the brine before adding it to the cucumbers. It still has a wonderful bright flavor (that's the way my dad makes them).
