Small Batch Bread and Butter Pickles

Last night, I spent an hour in my kitchen making bread and butter pickles and talking to my phone (otherwise known as doing a live broadcast via Facebook). I answered questions, used a mandoline slicer without injuring myself, and at the end had three and a half pints of tasty pickles for my efforts.

I’ve published a few different variations on bread and butter pickles over the years, but have never managed to get one up on the blog. Well, let’s change that. This is the exact version I made last night. It doubles and triples beautifully if you’ve got even more veg to use up. And it’s the perfect thing for this month’s hot pack challenge!

PrintSmall Batch Bread and Butter Pickles

Yield: 3-4 pints

Ingredients

6 cups cucumber slices (shoot for about 1/2 inch slices)
2 cups sliced red peppers (about 2 peppers)
2 cups sliced onion (about 1 large onion)
2 cups apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons pickling salt
2 teaspoons mustard seed
2 teaspoons celery seed
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
½ teaspoon ground cloves

Instructions

Prepare a boiling water bath and enough jars to hold between 3 and 4 pints.
Combine vinegar, sugar, and salt in a non-reactive pot large enough to eventually hold all the vegetables.
Set the pot on the stove over high heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the mustard seed, celery seed, red chili flakes, and cloves.
Bring the brine to a boil and add vegetables. Stir to combine and cook for 5 minutes, until everything is fully heated through.
Fill prepared jars with the vegetables using tongs and then cover with brine, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. After all the jars are full, use a wooden chopstick to work any trapped air bubbles out of the jars. Check the headspace again and add more brine if necessary.
Wipe the rims, apply lids and rings and process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.
When the time is up, remove the jars and set them on a folded kitchen towel to cool. When the jars have cooled enough that you can comfortably handle them, check the seals. Sealed jars can be stored at room temperature for up to a year. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used promptly.

Notes

My batch made 3 and a half pints. I'd suggest preparing enough jars for 4 pints, but prepare for the possibility that your yield might be a little less.

3.1http://foodinjars.com/2017/07/small-batch-bread-butter-pickles/
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