Old-fashioned Bread & Butter Pickles

Four Bread & Butter Pickles in jars on a blue counter, after processing.

These crisp, tangy old-fashioned bread and butter pickles strike just right balance between sweet and sour. Perfect for burgers, sandwiches, picnics, or simply snacking.

Makes roughly 6 pints.

Course Condiment, Snack

Cuisine American

Diet Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 15

Iced Vegetables 3

Total Time 3 45

Servings servings

Calories 68kcal

Author Renee

Equipment

1 Large Stockpot
1 Colander
1 Water bath canner with a canning rack
6 pint jars (or 4 24-ounce jars, plus 1 half pint jar*)
6 sets lids & bands (new lids; bands can be reused)
1 canning funnel
1 jar lifter
1 Lid Lifter ;optional

Ingredients

Pickling Mix

4 pounds pickling cucumbers sliced into ¼" rounds
2½ pounds sweet onions peeled and sliced thinly root to stem end
½ pound small red, yellow, and/or orange sweet peppers sliced horizontally into ⅛" rounds (like a jalepeño)
½ cup pickling salt
3 pounds crushed ice

Pickling Syrup

2¾ cups sugar
2 cups apple cider vinegar 5% acidity
2 cups white vinegar 5% acidity
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1½ teaspoons celery seeds
1 teaspoon whole cloves 16-20 cloves

Optional

6-12 whole fresh grape leaves

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

If this is our first experience canning, or you haven't canned in awhile, check out this article on water bath canning at the National Center for Home Food Preservation website.
Slice cucumbers, onions, and peppers. Toss together with pickling salt and ice water in a large bowl or stockpot. Let sit 3 hours.
Sterilize jars, lids, and rings, and prep your canner.
Using a colander, drain and rinse the cucumber mixture thoroughly under cold water.
Make brine: bring vinegar, sugar, and spices to boil, then simmer.
Add the rinsed veggies and heat just long enough to return to a simmer, then remove from heat.
If you are using grape leaves, line the bottom of each warm jar with one or two leaves.
Using a canning funnel, ladle the hot pickle and syrup mix into warm, prepared jars, leaving ½-inch headspace. Make sure all of the vegetables are submerged under the pickling syrup. Finger-tighten jars.
Carefully place jars in the canning rack, and then lower into the hot water bath. There should be at least one inch of water over the tops of the jars. Add more water if necessary.
Return canner to high heat, cover, and quickly bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat slightly and process for 15 minutes.
Start timing after the water returns to a simmer; 180° - 185°F | 82° - 85°C.
After the processing time is over, remove the canner from the heat and remove the canner lid.
Carefully raise the canning rack out of the water (use pot holders!) and then wait 5 minutes before removing the jars from the canner.
Use the jar lifter to carefully remove the jars from the canner and place them on a towel on the counter. Allow the hot jars to rest until completely cooled before storing.
Once the jars have cooled, test the seals. Store jars in a cool, dark location. Best after 4–6 weeks.

Notes

Spicy Bread & Butter Pickles: To make spicy pickles, simply add a sliced jalapeño or two to the pepper mix. (If you really like it spicy, add a Serrano or even a habanero pepper.) You can also add some red chili flakes to the pickling brine.

Never put hot liquid into a cold jar, or a cold jar into a hot water-bath.

When we are canning, we usually put everything in the dishwasher on a rinse cycle (no soap!), and let them stay warm until we are ready to use them.

If you don't have a dishwasher in which to keep the jars warm, put the lids on the jars (do not tighten!) and rest them on the canning rack above the water while the the water heats up.

Makes roughly 6 pints.

Nutrition