Pickles Anyone?

Our garden is rewarding us with groceries galore and this especially applies to cucumbers. So many, in fact, that Dale suggested I make some bread and butter pickles. Who knew this was his favorite pickle? It has been thirty years since I made pickles and yet I still had the recipe given to me by my old friend and former Clintonian, Rhonda Keve, tucked away in a recipe file. We haven't given them the taste test yet but they sure look good!


Soaking for 3 hours in ice water





 



Heating in the brine





Ready for the water bath



Every jar sealed just right

 Bread and Butter Pickles

25 or 30 medium size cucumbers
8 large onions or you can substitute more cukes
1/2 cup salt
5 cups vinegar (I used apple cider)
5 cups sugar
2 tablespoons mustard seed
1 teaspoon turmeric

Wash cucumbers and slice thin. Chop onions. Combine with cucumbers and salt. Soak in ice water 3 hours. Drain.
Combine vinegar, sugar, mustard seed and turmeric in large pot (dutch oven, stockpot, boiler); bring to boil. Add drained cucumbers. Heat thoroughly but do not boil.
With slotted spoon, pack cukes into clean pint jars; pour brine over cukes leaving 1/2 inch head space. Screw sterilized lids and rings onto jars. Process 15 minutes at simmer heat. Makes 6 pints.