Dill, Curried or Classic Bread ‘n’ Butter Pickle Recipes

Ingredients

2-1/4 to 2-1/2 cups thinly sliced pickling cucumbers

1/2 small onion, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon pickling salt or fine sea salt

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1/2 cup sugar

3 tablespoons raisins

11/2 teaspoons curry powder

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds

1/8 teaspoon Pickle Crisp granules

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the cucumbers, onion, and salt. Add enough ice water to cover and let soak for at least 2 hours, and up to 6 hours. Drain. Taste a slice of cucumber. If it isn’t decidedly salty, toss the vegetables with an additional 1 to 2 teaspoons salt.

In a nonreactive saucepan, combine the cider vinegar, sugar, raisins, curry powder, mustard seeds, and coriander seeds. Heat to boiling, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

Pack the cucumbers into a hot, clean pint-sized jar. Pour in the brine, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove any air bubbles, add Pickle Crisp granules, and seal

Process in a steam canner for 10 minutes. Let cool undisturbed for 12 hours. Store in a cool, dry place. Allow the flavors to develop for at least 6 weeks before opening.

Classic Bread ‘n’ Butters

Bread ‘n’ butters are essential to the pickler’s pantry. This farmhouse classic is sweet, spiced, and crunchy. Yields 1 pint.

Ingredients

2-1/4 to 2-1/2 cups thinly sliced pickling cucumbers

1/2 small onion, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon pickling salt or fine sea salt

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon mixed pickling spices

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon celery seeds

1/8 teaspoon Pickle Crisp granules

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the cucumbers, onion, and salt. Mix well. Cover the vegetables with ice water and let stand for at least 2 hours, or up to 6 hours. Drain. Taste the cucumbers; if they’re not decidedly salty, toss them with an additional 1 to 2 teaspoons salt.

In a nonreactive saucepan, combine the cider vinegar, brown sugar, and turmeric. Bring to a boil. In a separate pot, bring about a cup of water to a boil.

Pack mixed pickling spices, mustard seeds, and celery seeds into a clean, hot, pint-sized canning jar. Pack in the cucumbers and onions, and pour in the vinegar mixture. The vinegar mixture won’t cover the vegetables, so top them off with boiling water, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove any air bubbles, add Pickle Crisp granules, and seal.

Process in a steam canner for 10 minutes. Store in a cool, dry place. Allow to ferment for 6 weeks before opening.

Andrea Chesman has written more than 20 cookbooks. She gives cooking demonstrations at events across the United States. She adapted the recipes in this story from her book,The Pickled Pantry (Storey Publishing, 2012).