Granny's Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe

jars of bread and butter pickles on a table

4.95 from 18 votes

Granny's Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe

These bread and butter pickles are a perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavors. Perfect for topping your favorite burgers or adding to salads.

Prep Time3 30

Cook Time10

Canning Time10

Total Time3 50

Course: Canning

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bread butter pickles

Servings: servings

Calories: 5kcal

Author: Grow a Good Life

Ingredients

3 pounds pickling cucumbers
1 pound onions
1/4 cup canning or pickling salt
2 quarts crushed ice or ice cubes and water
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seed
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorn
3 cups apple cider vinegar 5% acidity (or white vinegar)

Instructions

Prepare your cucumbers and onions:

Wash cucumbers, cut into 1/4-inch slices discarding ends. Peel and thinly slice onions. Combine sliced cucumber and onions a large bowl.
Sprinkle canning salt over the top of the cucumbers and onions, cover with ice and water, and let stand for 3 hours.

Prepare your 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 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 the jars hot.

Make your bread and butter pickles

In a large pot, combine sugar, mustard seed, celery seed, ground turmeric, peppercorns, and vinegar. Heat just to a boil.
Drain and rinse the cucumber and onions under fresh water. Add the drained cucumber and onion slices to the large pot and return to boil. Reduce heat and keep warm as you fill your jars.

Can your bread and butter pickles

Spread a kitchen towel on the counter. Use the jar lifter to remove a hot jar from the canner, drain, and place on the towel. Keep the remaining jars in the canner, so they stay warm.
Use your canning funnel and ladle to pack the hot cucumbers and onions loosely into the jar. Ladle the hot brine over the pickles, and maintaining a 1/2 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.
Once all the jars are in canner, adjust the water level so it is 2 inches above the jar tops.
Cover the canner and bring to boil over high heat. Once water boils vigorously, continue boiling and process pickles for 10 minutes at altitudes of less than 1,000 feet. Adjust processing time for your altitude if necessary (See Note).
When processing time is complete, turn off heat, remove the cover, and allow the canner to cool down and settle for about 5 minutes.
Spread a dry kitchen towel on the counter. Remove the cover by tilting lid away from you so that steam does not burn your face.
Use the jar lifter to remove the jars from canner and place 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.
After 12 to 24-hours, check to be sure 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. Refrigerate jar and use up within a week.
Remove the screw on bands and wash the jars. Label and date the jars. Store in a cool, dark location. Allow 4-5 weeks for the pickles to develop their flavor. Use within a year. Yields about 5 pints depending on the size of your cucumbers.

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.

I am happy to answer any questions, but if you need immediate canning help or answers, please contact your local extension office.

Nutrition