Farmhouse Bread & Butter Pickles

 Homemade Pickles

Pass the pickles, please!

In  July, our weekly CSA produce box included three Kirby cucumbers also known as pickling cucumbers.  They were the perfect nudge that I needed to give pickle making a try. 

Making Pickles

 I decided to make a small batch of quick process pickles.  I opened up my canning books and consulted my grandmother's Kitchen Guide (that she cooked with on her Pennsylvania farm back in the 1930's/1940's) for pickle recipes.  

I discovered that not much has really changed with pickle making from when my grandma would have made them on the farm to now. Inspired by the recipe in my grandma's Kitchen Guide book, I created my own updated version.  In her memory and my Pennsylvania farm roots,  I'm calling them Farmhouse Bread & Butter Pickles.  

 Pickle Making Tips

Here are the best tips I gathered for making pickles according to good country cooks:

Use pickling variety cucumbers.

For best results, use firm and fresh cucumbers within 24 hours of harvest. 

Always cut off 1/16th of the ends off the cucumber.  (The blossom end contains enzymes that can cause spoilage and softness.)

Toss your sliced cucumbers with salt and ice cubes and chill for 3 hours in the refrigerator to crisp them up before pickling.

Modern 5% acidity vinegar flavors pickles and preserves them.

White distilled vinegar gives pickles the best color.

Cider vinegar may darken pickles but adds flavor.

And, to save you from running all over town (like I did)

you can find a vegetable crinkle cutter at Target.

Here's my recipe
along with a printable recipe.

Farmhouse Bread & Butter Pickles

(Small Batch)

1 lb Kirby pickling cucumbers (approx 3)
1 sweet or white onion, thinly sliced
2 T. Kosher salt
Ice cubes

Wash and crinkle cut the cucumbers.
(I cut mine just under 1/2" thickness.)
Combine the sliced cucumbers with the sliced onions.  Toss these with salt and ice cubes and chill in the refrigerator for 3 hours until crisp and cold.  (Add more ice cubes if  necessary during crisping.)  Rinse and drain them in a colander.  They are now ready for the pickling liquid.

Pickling Liquid

1 c. white granulated cane sugar

1/2 c. distilled white vinegar (5% acidity)

1/2 c. apple cider vinegar (5% acidity)

1 t. mustard seeds

1 t. celery seeds

1/2 t. tumeric

1/2 t. ground ginger

1/2 t. black pepper 

Combine the pickling mix ingredients in a non-reactive pan.  Once the sugar is dissolved, boil  for 1 minute.  Add the cucumbers and onions to the pan and heat thoroughly.  Pack into sterilized 1/2 pint canning jars. Ladle pickling liquid to fill jars leaving a little head space.  Wipe jar tops clean and place lids on and screw bands on firmly.  Cool completely before refrigerating.  Refrigerator for at least 2 days to cure.  Store in the refrigerator for up to two months. 

Makes approx. four 1/2 pints.
Printable Recipe