Sweet and Sour Zucchini Pickles

jars of sliced zucchini pickles on a blue towel

Sweet and Sour Zucchini Pickles

Overwhelmed with zucchini? You can preserve that big harvest of zucchini with this easy, sweet and sour zucchini pickles recipe that tastes like bread-and-butter pickles.

Prep Time2 15

Cook Time20

Processing Time10

Total Time2 45

Course: Canning

Cuisine: American

Keyword: zucchini pickles

Servings: servings

Calories: 5kcal

Author: Grow a Good Life

Ingredients

5 pounds small zucchini or summer squash sliced (about 14 to 16)
1 cup sliced onions about 8 small onions
1/3 cup canning salt or pickling salt
2 quarts crushed ice or ice cubes and water
3 cups apple cider vinegar or white vinegar, 5% acidity
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons yellow mustard seed
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon black peppercorn

Instructions

Prepare the Ingredients:

Add the sliced zucchini and onions in a large bowl.
Sprinkle salt over the vegetables and toss to combine. Cover with crushed ice or ice cubes and water and soak for 2 to 24 hours. If soaking longer than 2 hours, place the bowl in the refrigerator and replenish the ice frequently as it melts.

Prepare the Canning Equipment:

Wash your jars, lids, screw bands, and canning tools in hot soapy water. Rinse thoroughly to remove all suds. Set aside to air dry on a clean kitchen towel.
Place the jar rack into the water bath canner, place jars in the canner, and add water to cover. Bring the canner to a simmer (180˚F) for 10 minutes, and keep hot.

Make the Pickles:

Drain the zucchini and onions and rinse well to remove the extra salt.
Make the pickling brine by combining the vinegar, sugar, mustard seed, turmeric, celery seed, and peppercorns in a large pot. Bring it to a boil over high heat.
Once the brine boils, add the drained zucchini and onion slices to the pot and return to boil. Reduce heat and simmer (180˚F) for 10 minutes.
Fill the Jars:
Spread a kitchen towel on the counter. Use the jar lifter to remove a hot jar from the canner, drain it, and place it on the towel. Keep the remaining jars in the canner so they stay warm.
Use your canning funnel and ladle to pack the hot zucchini and onions loosely into the jar. Ladle the hot pickling liquid over the vegetables, leaving a 1/4-inch headspace.
Run the bubble popper through the jar to release any trapped air bubbles. Make sure all the pickles are submerged under the brine. Remove any that stick out, and adjust the headspace again if needed.
Wipe the rim to remove any residue, center a lid on the jar, and screw on a band until it is fingertip tight. Use your jar lifter to place the jar back into the canner, and repeat with the remaining jars.

Process the Jars in the Water Bath Canner:

Once all the filled jars are in the canner, adjust the water level so it is 2 inches above the jar tops.
Cover the canner and bring it to a boil over high heat. Once the water boils vigorously, set a timer, and continue boiling for 10 minutes at altitudes of less than 1,000 feet. Adjust processing time for your altitude if necessary (See Note).
When the processing time is complete, turn off the heat, remove the cover, and let the canner cool down and settle for about 5 minutes.
Spread a dry kitchen towel on the counter. Remove the cover by tilting the lid away so that steam does not burn your face.
Use the jar lifter to remove the jars from the canner and place them on the towel. Keep the jars upright, and don't tighten bands or check the seals yet. Let the jars sit undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours to cool and seal.
After 12 to 24 hours, check to be sure the jar lids have sealed by pushing on the center of the lid. The lid should not pop up. If the lid flexes up and down, it did not seal. Place the jar in the fridge and use up within a month.
Remove the screw-on bands and wash the jars. Label, date, and store the jars in a cool, dark location. Allow at least 4 weeks for the pickles to develop their flavor. Use home-canned jars within 12 to 18 months for the best quality. The recipe yields about 5 to 6 pint jars.

Notes

This is a tested safe canning recipe from the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving. Altering the recipe may make it unsafe for canning.

All times are at altitudes of less than 1,000 ft. Adjustments must be made for altitudes greater than 1,000 ft. Processing time for altitudes of 1,001 - 6,000 ft is 15 minutes, and above 6,000 feet is 20 minutes.

Nutrition