Bread and Butter Pickles

Makes 2 quarts

I rarely share recipes that I haven’t already tested, but I’ve been wanting to make pickles and haven’t had a chance to spend the appropriate amount of time on them. So I’m stealing a recipe from a friend of mine, Anna Benjamin, who graciously shares her finest on Facebook. I’ve benefitted from her luscious recipes before (bourbon vanilla extract, anyone?) and I can trust whatever she’s put together will be delicious and easy. So, here’s Anna’s adapted Bread and Butter Pickle Recipe. Which I will be making soon!

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs Kirby cucumbers

  • 2 medium white onions, sliced

  • ¼ cup kosher salt

  • 1 cup sugar

  • 1 cup white vinegar

  • 4 whole cloves

  • 1 tablespoon mustard seeds

  • ½ tablespoon celery seed

  • ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

Directions

  1. Slice the unpeeled cucumbers ¼ inch thick.

  2. Combine the cucumbers, sliced onions, and salt in a large bowl. Cover with 2" of ice cubes and refrigerate for 3-4 hours, adding more ice as it melts.

  3. Drain the vegetables in a colander and rinse with cold water.

  4. In a large pot, combine the sugar, vinegar, and spices. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat but DO NOT boil. Simmer for 10 minutes, then add the cucumbers and onions.

  5. Heat until the mixture returns to a gentle simmer, then immediately remove from heat.

  6. Cool, then transfer to covered containers and store in the refrigerator for up to a week. (I put them in sterilized glass mason jars while still warm and keep them for as long as they last.)

*This recipe was originally from Tyler Florence’s “Family Meal”.

Appetizers, VegetarianJ.T. EllisonComment