Bread & butter pickles in a white bowl on a tan cloth with the pickle jar in the background

Bread & Butter Pickles

A perfect combination of sweet & salty, these pickled cucumbers give a delicious crunch to burgers and sandwiches

My friend Amelia was nice enough to share some Kirby cucumbers from her garden with me.  Since we’re socially distancing these days, she left them for me at the edge of her garden.  When I saw these fat cukes, I immediately knew I was going to make my husband’s favorite bread and butter pickles

These weighed in at about 3 pounds.  Thinly slice the cucumbers as well as a medium sized vidalia onion or other sweet onion

Next we’ll need to salt and chill the vegetables.  This will draw out any excess water in order to maintain their crispness.  Place a layer of the cukes & onions in a colander over a bowl or sink and sprinkle with kosher salt.  Add a layer of ice and repeat with the rest of the veggies.  I let them sit for about 2 hours

While the veggies are chillin’, let’s measure out the ingredients for the pickling brine

We’ll need 2 cups of white vinegar, 1/2 cup of water, 1 1/2 cups of white sugar, 1 cup of brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of pickling spice and one teaspoon of turmeric

Why use turmeric in pickles?

Turmeric adds an earthy flavor and lends the vivid yellow color to the brine common in many jars of pickles

Another note, I like to make my own blend of pickling spice to use in various recipes.  It’s a lot less expensive to make your own blends and a lot easier than you’d think!

Check out our Pickling Spice Blend recipe

Add all of the brine ingredients to a small pot and simmer over medium heat until the sugars have melted

Now let’s rinse the veggies.  Run water over the cucumbers and onions until they are rinsed well.  I usually taste a cuke slice to make sure it’s not salty.  If it is, keep rinsing

Dry the veggies with paper towels so the water doesn’t dilute the brine we’ve just made

Add the veggies to clean quart sized mason jars.  Just as a note, I do not plan on canning these pickles because we’ll eat them fast enough that they won’t spoil.  As a rule of thumb, homemade pickles can last about 2 months as long as they are refrigerated.  They are actually safe to eat longer than 2 months, but the pickles will start to lose their crispness

If you do not feel your family will consume the pickles within that time frame, follow canning instructions from Ball.com or another reputable preserving website

While the pickling brine is still very hot, evenly distribute the liquid between the jars leaving about a 1/2 inch of headspace

Using a butter knife, poke around the jar to make sure all of the air bubbles have released.  Screw on lids tightly

Now for the hard part.  Put in the fridge and WAIT at least 3-4 days before eating.  The longer you wait, the better they taste

Now that you have this pickling thing down, check out some of our other popular recipes

Simple Refrigerator Pickles

Pickled Onions

Pickled Jalapenos

Pickled Beets

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Bread & butter pickles in a white bowl on a tan cloth with the pickle jar in the background

Enjoy!

Simply Sundays ~ Bread & Butter Pickles

  • Servings: 3 quarts
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Ingredients

3 pounds kirby cucumbers

1 medium sized vidalia onion (other sweet onion)

1/4 cup of kosher

2 cups of white vinegar

1/2 cup of water

1 1/2 cups of white sugar

1 cup of brown sugar

2 tablespoons of pickling spice

1 teaspoon of turmeric

Directions

Thinly slice the cucumbers as well as the vidalia onion; salt and chill the vegetables.  Place a layer of the cukes & onions in a colander over a bowl or sink and sprinkle with kosher salt.  Add a layer of ice and repeat with the rest of the veggies.  Let sit for about 2 hours

Measure out 2 cups of white vinegar, 1/2 cup of water, 1 1/2 cups of white sugar, 1 cup of brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of pickling spice and one teaspoon of turmeric

Add all of the brine ingredients to a small pot and simmer over medium heat until the sugars have melted

Run water over the cucumbers and onions until they are rinsed well; dry with paper towels

Add the veggies to clean quart sized mason jars; while the pickling brine is still very hot, evenly distribute the liquid between the jars leaving about a 1/2 inch of headspace.  Remove any air bubbles by running a butter knife around the inside edges of the jars; screw on lids tightly

Refrigerate at least 3-4 days before consuming

Tools used to make this recipe

Mini Prep Glass Bowl

Pyrex Prepware 1-Cup Measuring Cup

Pyrex Prepware 2-Cup Measuring Cup, Red Graphics, Clear

Ball Mason Jars Wide Mouth 24 oz Bundle with Non Slip Jar Opener- Set of 4 Mason Jars – Canning Glass Jars with Lids and Bands

© Simply Sundays 2020
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4 thoughts on “Bread & Butter Pickles

  1. I didn’t have enough brine to cover the pickles/fill the jars. (Tried to qiuickly make a little more with the same proportions – hope it works OK)

    1. That will certainly work. I’ve run in to that before if the jars are not fully packed with cukes. You can make a quarter or half more of the brining liquid to top them off and use any leftovers for quick pickled veggies or to add in to a salad dressing

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