Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe Homemade Sweet Pickles
Make delicious bread and butter pickles recipe homemade sweet pickles with this easy guide. Crisp, tangy, and sweet perfect for canning or refrigerator storage.
Equipment
- knife
- cutting board
- measuring spoons
- measuring cups
- mixing bowl
- colander
- large pot
- wooden spoon
- slotted spoon
- tongs
- ladle
- canning jars
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 2 pounds pickling cucumbers Kirby cucumbers are ideal, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
- 2 medium yellow onions thinly sliced
- 1 cup ice
Brine and Pickling Liquid
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 2 cups apple cider vinegar
- 1.5 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon celery seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
Instructions
- Combine the sliced cucumbers and onions in a large, non-reactive bowl, such as glass or ceramic. Sprinkle the kosher salt evenly over the vegetables. Add the cup of ice, then toss everything together until the salt is well distributed. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 2 hours. The ice will help keep the cucumbers crisp as they draw out moisture.
- After 2 hours, drain the cucumber and onion mixture thoroughly in a colander. Rinse them under cool running water to remove excess salt, then drain very well again by gently pressing on the vegetables with your hands. This step prevents overly salty pickles.
- In a large, non-reactive pot (like stainless steel or enameled cast iron), combine the apple cider vinegar, granulated sugar, mustard seeds, celery seeds, black peppercorns, and ground turmeric. Heat the mixture over medium-high heat, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until it comes to a boil and the sugar is fully dissolved.
- Once boiling, carefully add the drained cucumbers and onions to the hot vinegar mixture. Stir gently to ensure all the vegetables are submerged. Return the mixture to a full boil, then immediately remove the pot from the heat.
- Using a slotted spoon or tongs, pack the hot pickles and onions tightly into clean, sterilized pint-sized canning jars, leaving 1/2-inch of space at the top of each jar. Carefully ladle the hot pickling liquid over the vegetables, completely covering them and maintaining the 1/2-inch headspace.
- Wipe the rims of the jars clean, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes if you plan to store them at room temperature. For refrigerator pickles, simply let the jars cool to room temperature on the counter before placing them in the refrigerator.
Notes
Kirby cucumbers are ideal for pickling. For refrigerator pickles, simply let the jars cool to room temperature before storing.