Bread & Butter Pickles

Growing up in the South, Heather Earnhardt used to help her Granny in the kitchen whenever she would can, pickle or preserve fruit and vegetables in the summer. Big Food Big Love: Down Home Southern Cooking Full of Heart of Seattle's Wandering Goose has a whole chapter called "All About the Pickles: Jar it Up". One of her most popular is this quick-pickle version of Bread & Butter Pickles. This recipe that you'll want to make over and over again comes from Heather L. Earnhardt's Big Food Big Love: Down Home Southern Cooking Full of Heart of Seattle's Wandering Goose.

From the Author: "Our front-of-house staff asks the kitchen for sides of these pickles with their meal. They're great for gifting to friends and family. You can find a crinkle cutter at kitchen supply stores or online; if you don't have one, regular slices are just fine."

Ingredients

For the Cucumbers:

5 pounds pickling cucumbers, ends trimmed
2 sweet onions, cut in half and then into -1/4 inch slices
8 cups cubed ice
1/2 cup Kosher Salt

For the Pickling Liquid:

4 cups apple cider vinegar
3 cups sugar
1/2 cup cold water
1/4 cup Yellow Mustard Seed
2 tablespoons Kosher Salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground Black Tellicherry Peppercorn
1 tablespoon India Red Chile Flake
2 teaspoons Celery Seed
2 teaspoons Turmeric

Directions

For the Cucumbers: Cut the cucumbers into 1/4-inch slices with a crinkle cutter. In a colander with a bowl underneath, toss the cucumbers and onions with the ice and salt, and let them sit in the refrigerator for 6 to 12 hours. This will remove the moisture and make for a crisper pickle. Rinse the cucumbers and onions thoroughly to remove the salt and drain well.

For the Pickling Liquid: To prepare the pickling liquid, in large stock-pot over high heat, bring all the ingredients to a boil in order to dissolve the sugar and salt. Boil for 2 minutes. Take the pot off the heat and let the liquid cool to room temperature.

Divide and pack the cucumbers and onions in four glass quart jars, pour the liquid over to cover, lid the jars, and store them in the refrigerator. The pickles will taste best if you let them sit for 1 week before eating. They will keep for up to 1 month.

Tags: BBQ Black Pepper Celery Seed Chile Flakes Kid-Approved Mustard Seeds Side Dish Summer Turmeric Vegan Vegetarian Veggies