It's my grandparents' recipe, typed out by my grandmother. Their garden is exploding with tomatoes, zucchini, corn, and cucumbers right now. Cucumbers have not fared exceptionally well in my own garden, so I decided not to plant them this year. Good thing, because the grandparents have plenty to share!
I made Bread and Butter pickles today, which is quite easy to do. You prepare the cucumbers and cover with ice for 3 hours. The actual cooking and canning took me 30 minutes from start to finish. This is a great recipe to start with if you're just getting into the canning thing.
Wash, drain and slice 4 quarts cucumbers1 1/2 cups sliced onions
1 garlic clove
Combine in a large bowl or pot, add 1/3 cup pickling salt, and mix well. Cover with 2 quarts of crushed ice. Let stand 3 hours.
Drain and remove garlic.
Combine in a large pot:
1 & 1/2 teaspoons Turmeric
1 & 1/2 teaspoons celery seed
2 Tablespoons mustard seed
3 cups white vinegar
Bring this to a boil, then add cucumbers and onions, and cook for 5 minutes.
Pack in hot jars, seal, and process jars for 5 minutes in boiling water.
Some tips for canning:
I have found it essential to have a canning kit - such as this one from Ball. Trying to fish jars out of boiling water with a pair of tongs got old very quickly. You'll need to have a large pot (mine is a 12-quart stock pot) filled about half-way with boiling water for processing the jars after filling them. I also keep another saucepan on the stove with the lids and bands in simmering water. After washing and drying the jars, I keep them warm on a baking sheet in a 200 degree oven. It is important to work with hot jars, lids, and bands in order to get a proper seal when preserving. Be sure to adhere to cooking times and use exact measurements, especially if making jellies and jams. It's not rocket-science, but it is precise.
Good luck, and good eating!
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