Bread and Butter Pickles
From: Sue, Manitoba, Canada
Comments: If possible, use Kirby cucumbers or other small, unwaxed cucumbers.
Hint: either use garlic or ground cloves.
Servings: 8 cups [2 L]
  • 6 cups [1.5 L] thinly sliced cucumbers
  • 1 pound [454 g] tiny white onions
  • 1 sweet green pepper, chopped or sliced
  • 2 whole cloves garlic [optional]
  • 1/4 cup [60 mL] pickling salt
  • 2 cups [500 mL] brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon [2.5 mL] turmeric
  • 1/4 teaspoon [1 mL] ground clove [optional]
  • 1 tablespoon [15 mL] mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon [5 mL] celery seeds
  • 2 cups [500 mL] cider vinegar
  • Crushed ice
  • Hot sterilized jars
  • Combine cucumber slices, tiny white onions, chopped or sliced green pepper and, if desired, whole garlic cloves.
  • Add pickling salt; cover with crushed ice and mix.
  • Let stand for 3 hours.
  • Drain well; remove garlic cloves, if any.
  • Into a large casserole, mix together brown sugar, turmeric, ground clove [optional], mustard seeds, celery seeds and cider vinegar.
  • Bring slowly to a boil; boil for 5 minutes.
  • Drain vegetable pieces into a colander and rinse well under cold running water.
  • Add vegetable pieces to boiling syrup; reheat to just below boiling stage.
  • Spoon vegetables into hot sterilized jars; fill with cooking syrup, leaving 1/8-inch [3-mm] headspace and seal.
  • Or, process into a boiling-water bath for 5 to 10 minutes.