My dad and I love pickles. My mom hates them. That’s usually how it works; it’s either a love or hate relationship. Usually.
This recipe, however, received high praises from my mom who detests green gherkins. Maybe it’s the sweetness of a bread ’n’ butter or maybe it’s the added love of a homemade pickle. Regardless, these pickles are pretty tasty.
Now that I’ve made a couple jars, I’m anxious to make a spicy, fried chicken sandwich with coleslaw and top it off with these bad boys. The sweet and heat would play wonderfully together! Alternatively, because I’ve cut all these sweet lil pickle slices, I also kinda want to try my hand at fried pickles again! I’ve only done it once but man oh man, were they an amazing snack or what?!
Using a slightly modified recipe of my Grandma Sylvia’s famous pickles, I decreased the yield by half...sometimes you don’t want to spend an entire day making pickles! With the same great flavour, they are an awesome snack on their own or a great addition to burgers, sandwiches and maybe even a Caesar if you’re feeling a lil crazy!
Be warned of one thing though. You may cry in the process! Not because it’s particularly difficult or there’s a heart wrenching backstory to this pickle recipe, but because you will be slicing a few white onions. Don’t make the mistake of applying a full face of makeup like I did when I decided to make pickles—I looked like I received heartbreaking news after I was done in the kitchen. Yikes!
My dad’s trick when he’s made copious batches of gherkins, however, has been to put a match stick in between his teeth so that the tip sticks out towards the onions. I’m not sure of the science behind that, nor am I convinced it works, but you might want to try it. LOL!
Aside from slicing onions and chopping small cucumbers uniformly, there’s also the business of the brine. A sweet and slightly tangy recipe, the secret ingredient is a pinch of turmeric. It changes the liquid from a transplant, sugary syrup to a fragrant, golden brine before your eyes. Though the recipe only calls for a teeny bit, trust me when I say that it is a definite game changer!
Another great thing about this recipe is also the time you save because this method is a fast-pickle. You can enjoy your gherkins the next day if you really wanted to. That’s the magic of boiling your jars after they're filled. So what are you waiting for? Make yourself some pickles today!
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Bread ’N’ Butter Pickles
*Makes two large mason jars*
INGREDIENTS
8 cups of cucumbers, about 12 small cucumbers
2 cups white onion, about 3 small onions
1/4 cup coarse salt
For the brine:
2 cups white vinegar
2 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 tablespoon celery seed
2 tablespoons mustard seed
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
METHOD
Slice cucumbers so that they are about a 1/8” in thickness. Set aside in a bowl.
Thinly slice onions and add to the cucumber bowl. Coat with salt and let sit for 1 hour.
In a pot, bring the brining liquids to a boil for ten minutes.Remove from heat and add liquid to cucumbers and onions.
Pack in jars and seal. Add jars back to boiling water and continue to boil for 15 minutes. This will help cook your pickles and speed the pickling process.
Remove from the boiling water and let sit on the counter until easy to handle. Store in a cool place.
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What’s your favourite way to eat a pickle? Let me know below!
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