Sunday, August 13, 2017

Bread and Butter Pickles

This summer I've really enjoyed playing with a few new recipes with seasonal vegetables we've grown and bought from Farmer's Markets.  Today I used locally grown pickling cucumbers to make some delicious Bread and Butter Pickles.  Growing up these were my very favorite of all pickles because of their sweet-tarty taste.  I think I could just drink the juice honestly.

Our favorite seafood restaurant always had these pickles out on the table along with pickled okra and cheese spread spread on crusty french toast rounds to snack on before your meal was served.  When I was pregnant with my oldest daughter, I craved both these pickles and that cheese spread.

Click here for the recipe for Bread and Butter Pickles
Pictured are my Bread and Butter Pickles I made on this rainy East Texas day.  Although you have to wait three hours for the pickles to 'sit' in a pickling salt, garlic and ice water bath in the refrigerator, it's totally worth it.  I used the time to clean out some much needed drawers in our bedroom in anticipation of a garage sale coming up soon.  My garage looks like it has exploded and I will soon bring in a flatbed trailer for the attic cleansing that will come next.  This garage sale is lonnnggg overdue.

Once the pickles sat for their three hours in the refrigerator, I drained them (do not rinse) and then added to them the apple cider vinegar, sugar, turmeric, celery seed, and mustard seed and brought it all to a boil.  You will immediately turn the heat off and not allow the pot to continue to boil.

Immediately spoon your Bread and Butter Pickles in to Mason or Ball Canning Jars and seal according to the link provided on my recipe.  I chose to not hot water bath these pickles and refrigerate instead.  They will not last long at my house and I might even share a few with family members...if they are nice...  ;o)

What I really loved about this recipe was the addition of bell peppers and onions.  My green bell peppers had started to turn orange, but I used them anyway. Orange bell peppers are sweet, so I think they will compliment these Bread and Butter Pickles too.

This recipe for Bread and Butter Pickles made five jars. Click here for the recipe here!

I hope you'll give these pickles a try.  It's a super, simple recipe that I'll be making again before the summer's end.  I even used the left over juice from the Bread and Butter Pickles that would not fit in to the jars with two cans of drained Italian green beans for dinner tonight. Waste not, want not! Delicious!  Just bring it to a boil with about an additional 1/2 cup water.  My family loved the green beans too!  The sweet juice would probably make some fantastic frozen pickle pops (popsicles) with the leftovers too.  I think my girls would love them!

Alise - The Ranch Kitchen