Canning Bread and Butter Pickles

Hello! During the Great Depression, cucumber sandwiches were a popular meal—mainly because there wasn't much else to eat. People would pickle their excess cucumbers to make sandwiches during the winter. While a pickle sandwich might not sound amazing to you, it's certainly better than nothing. Today, we're making these pickles simply because they're delicious!

Ingredients:
2 pounds of mini cucumbers (also known as Persian cucumbers)
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 red Fresno chilies (or any pepper of your choice, such as green bell peppers)
½ cup kosher salt (pickling salt if kosher salt is unavailable)
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon mustard seeds (golden or brown)
1 tablespoon celery seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 cups white distilled vinegar
½ cup water

Instructions:
Slice the Cucumbers and Vegetables:
Slice cucumbers into ¼-inch rounds using a sharp knife or a slicer.
Slice the onion and chilies thinly. Add them to a large bowl with the cucumber slices.

Salting the Vegetables:
Generously sprinkle kosher salt over the cucumbers, onions, and peppers. Toss everything together to coat the vegetables evenly.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-4 hours. Stir the mixture a couple of times during this period to ensure the salt draws out moisture evenly.

Rinse the Vegetables:
After 2-4 hours, you’ll notice liquid has pooled at the bottom of the bowl. Transfer the vegetables to a colander and rinse them thoroughly under cold water for 3-4 minutes to remove excess salt. Let the vegetables drain while you prepare the brine.

Make the Brine:
In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the sugar, mustard seeds, celery seeds, black peppercorns, ground cloves, turmeric, garlic, vinegar, and water.
Stir the mixture and bring it to a simmer over medium-high heat. Allow it to simmer for 2 minutes to help the flavors meld together.

Pickle the Vegetables:
Add the rinsed cucumber mixture to the simmering brine. Stir to ensure all the vegetables are submerged in the liquid.
Let the brine come almost to a boil—tiny bubbles should form around the edges, but it shouldn’t fully boil. Once it reaches that point, turn off the heat.

Cool and Store:
Allow the pickles to cool to room temperature. You can transfer them to a bowl to cool faster if you prefer.
Once cooled, transfer the pickles into screw-top mason jars or any airtight containers. They can be stored in the fridge for a long time. For longer preservation, you can use the hot water bath canning method.

Enjoy:
While these pickles taste best after a couple of days in the fridge, they’re delicious as soon as they’re cold. The texture is soft yet crunchy, with that signature pickle crispness.
Serve on sandwiches, alongside burgers, or just enjoy them as a snack!
And that’s it! A super simple recipe that brings you delicious homemade bread and butter pickles. And as always, enjoy!

Created by : Food Wishes