Bread & Butter Pickles

It's pickling time, friends!

Some people love dill pickles, but I always reach for the sweet bread and butter variety. We made these homemade bread and butter pickles a few weeks ago, and they are so delicious. Crisp, sweet, and perfect for a summer BBQ.

They are easy to make, and can be stored in the fridge for about a month. I used two large leftover jars, but I think you can fill about 5 pint jars. Go ahead and play around with the spices. I like the heat from the red pepper flakes blended with the fragrant allspice berries.

Serve these on a cheeseburger, and you're good to go. Happy pickling!

Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe

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2 1/2 lbs fresh cucumbers, washed and sliced into 1/4-inch slices

1 pound white or yellow onions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup pickling or Kosher salt

1 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar

1 cup apple cider vinegar

2 1/4 cups sugar

1 tbsp mustard seeds

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

3/4 teaspoon celery seeds

1 inch cinnamon stick

6 allspice berries plus a pinch of ground allspice

6 whole cloves plus a pinch of ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

Place sliced cucumbers in a large bowl. Add the sliced onions and pickling salt. Stir so that the salt is well distributed among the cucumber slices. Cover with a clean tea towel (thin towel, not terry cloth). Cover with a couple of inches of ice. Put in the refrigerator and let chill for 4 hours. Discard ice. Rinse the cucumber and onion slices thoroughly, drain. Rinse and drain again.

In a 4 qt or 6 qt pot, place the vinegar, sugar, and all of the spices. Bring to a boil. Once the sugar has dissolved, add the sliced cucumbers and onions. Bring to a boil again. As soon as the sugar vinegar solution begins boiling again, use a slotted spoon to start packing the hot jars with the cucumbers. First pack a jar to an inch from the rim with the vegetables. Then pour hot vinegar sugar syrup over the vegetables to a half inch from the rim. Wipe the rim clean with a paper towel. Cover with lids. Store in refrigerator for up to a month. Makes about 5 pint jars.