Bread & Butter Pickle Recipe for Canning or Refrigerator

Prepare the veggies: clean & trim the cucumbers; slice into 1/4" thick coins don't bother throwing out the bitter cucumbers - I think the pickling brine masks/removes the bitter taste layer the cukes & onions with 1/2 cup of salt in a large bowl lay 2 cups of ice cubes over the top set aside for 2 hours Rinse & drain in a colander

Prepare the brine: in a non-reactive saucepan, combine 4 cups vinegar, 2 cups water, 1 cup sugar with 2 tablespoons mustard seed and 1 tablespoon each of peppercorns, celery seed, turmeric & salt bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar and whet the spices

Prepare the pickles: add the drained vegetables to the brine and bring back to a boil I left my cucumbers in the brine too long before turning the heat on (company came over and stayed over night) which made my pickles not-so-crisp...maybe even soggy...don't do this 🙂 stir to ensure that all of the vegetables are heated through remove from heat

Preserve: Refrigerator: the pickles will keep for up to 3 weeks in bowls or jars. After ladling them into bowls or jars, allow them to cool before covering, then put right in the refrigerator. Canned: using the boiling water method of canning, they will keep on the shelf for up to 1 year. If you are new to canning, Sherri's book does a great job at explaining the how-to's of canning. Here are the specifics for this recipe: Headspace: pack the pickles in tightly up to 1/2" below the jar rim; fill with brine, making sure to release trapped air bubbles, and fill up to 1/4" below jar rim; clean rim with wet rag before putting lid on finger-tip-tight Processing: process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes; allow them to rest for another 5 minutes with the heat & lid off Set aside and do not disturb for 24 hours, then check the seals and store in a cool, dark place.