Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe
Follow these easy, step-by-step, photo illustrated instructions for making and canning your very own Bread and Butter Pickles. You’ll never buy pickles again, once you’ve made your own. See just how quick and easy it is to make these delicious pickles right in your own kitchen. This recipe can be completed in one day. Printable recipe included.
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Award Winning Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe: 2013 First Place Winner at the North Carolina State Fair.
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Growing up Gordon, we always had sweet pickles on hand. Mama would make a big batch of them each year, enough to last us through the cold Winter months, and back into Spring when fresh cucumbers would become available again. We just always had pickles on hand.
Mama was well known for her pickles. She used the juice from them in all kinds of dishes she would make. From Potato Salad to Chicken Salad, Deviled Eggs to Cole Slaw, a little pickle juice and some chopped up pickles, always found their way into each and every one.
Mama would always call on me to figure out the ratio of sugar she would need for the number of pounds of cucumbers she was planning to use. I always figured she could have done it herself, but I always felt like I was doing some major part in “deciphering out” just what was needed. I would check, then double-check, all my figures to be sure I was getting it right. Then, Mama would write it down until she was ready to start adding the sugar.
Having said that, these are NOT my mother’s pickles. Mama never made Bread and Butter Pickles at our house that I can recall. I don’t have any memories of her making these, dill, or any other kind, except her special sweet pickles.
Mama’s pickles took weeks to prepare, and several months before they reached their prime flavor. The work was certainly worth the finished product as far as I was concerned.
On the other hand, Bread and Butter Pickles can be made in just a day or so, and come to good flavor within a week or two.
Pickles are the reason I got into canning in the first place. I can almost remember the day that I knew I was removing the final couple of pickles from that last jar that Mama had made. After suffering from several strokes, she was now in a nursing home, and her canning days, and pickle making days were over. She just wasn’t able to take care of herself any longer, and certainly wasn’t able to do any more canning and preserving.
Mama spent four years in that nursing home. I could write an entire book on that segment of life.
For many years, I thought about trying to make some of her pickles, but I’d never get around to it. The notebook with her handwritten recipe for making her pickles, along with the directions for how much sugar to add to how many pounds of pickles, was now somewhere at my sisters house. Years passed, then my sister passed away. No one seems to know where that little notebook went, and I’ve not seen it since the last time Mama asked me to decipher out the amount of sugar she would need, as we sat around her kitchen table.
If there is one handwritten recipe I’d really like to have in my possession… it would be that one.
Finally, one year I pulled out the copy of how Mama made her pickles, and finally made some of my own. They turned out great, and I was really proud of myself for finally making them. I made them again the following year, and ended up having to throw a big batch away when something went wrong and the pickles messed up.
I’ve been playing, tinkering, and toying with that recipe for years. I have good results some times, and bad results another. I don’t recall that Mama ever had to throw any of hers away. I’m still trying to figure out what goes wrong some times.
Back in 2012, I made a batch of Mama’s Sweet Pickles, and then I made these Bread and Butter Pickles. I entered a jar of each in our North Carolina State Fair. Both, won First Place, but I was more excited about Mama’s recipe winning than I was the Bread and Butter.
Mama never entered anything into our local fair. I don’t know why, she loved to cook and you just didn’t visit our house without her insisting that you have a “bite to eat.”
I think she would be happy just to know that I was making her pickles, and that I was trying to keep some of the old traditions alive. Trying to preserve some of the things she taught me.
I’ve often wished that I could take her recipe for pickles to market. They just take so long to make, I doubt it would ever be something that could be made and made profitable. Perhaps one day, when I get comfortable enough with making them myself, I’ll post the recipe here on Taste of Southern.
In the meantime, I do hope you’ll give these Bread and Butter Pickles a try. They’re much easier to make, and you’ll be happy with the final results once you’ve made them.
The photo’s and steps below are the actual photos that I took while making the batch that I entered into the State Fair. I didn’t get the recipe posted online that year, but it did get posted on the Our State Magazine website. Now, I’m happy to be able to share it with you here on Taste of Southern.
I was told by the folks at the North Carolina State Fair, that they had 22 entries just in the Bread and Butter Pickle category alone. I’m not sure why they picked mine as the First Place Winner, but I’m glad they did.
So, if you’re ready to make some pickles of your own, get out the canning equipment, get in the kitchen, and… Let’s Get Cooking!
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Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe: You’ll need these ingredients.
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Place the cucumbers in a sink filled with cold water. Gently rub each cucumber by hand to remove any dirt or other particles that might be attached. DO NOT use a vegetable brush to scrub the cucumbers. Drain off the dirty water when finished.
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Gently rinse the cucumbers again, under cool running water. Place in a colander and let drain.
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Cut about 1/4 inch off of each end of the cucumbers. Discard the end pieces.
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Slice each cucumber into 1/4 inch or thicker slices. If you slice them really thin, they will shrivel and be much softer when finished. Slice them a bit thicker and they’ll tend to be a little crispier.
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Next, slice up the onions. Just looking at this picture makes my eyes water… how about you?
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Place the sliced cucumbers in a large pot. I use my enameled canning pot for this part. Just don’t use Aluminum. Stainless Steel or Teflon coated will work well.
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Add the sliced onions on top of the cucumbers.
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Gently stir the cucumber and onion slices together with your hand.
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Sprinkle the top with the Canning and Pickling Salt. You can find it in most of the larger big box stores or in many grocery stores. You just don’t want to use regular table salt to make your pickles.
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Cover the top with about two inches of crushed ice or cubed ice. If possible, place this pot in your refrigerator for 3-4 hours or even overnight. If you don’t have room in the refrigerator for it, just keep adding more ice as it melts. It’s very important to keep the cucumbers and onions cold.
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While the cucumbers and onions are doing there thing under the ice, go ahead and wash your jars and bands, and start setting everything up to do the actual canning process. You’ll need to wash the jars in hot soapy water and rinse them well. Be sure to check the jars for any nicks, especially around the top edge. Discard any that are chipped or broken. Chipped edges on the jars could affect the proper seal of the jar. You’ll want to wash and rinse the jars, and the bands, just before you’re ready to start the canning process. Jar lids MUST be NEW and do not need to be washed.
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Once the jars have been washed and rinsed, you’ll need to sterilize them. Many of the newer dishwashers have a sanitize cycle that will work for this. I always place mine in my canning pot to do it. Fill the pot almost full and place the jars inside. Many directions recommend that you place a clean kitchen towel in the bottom so the jars aren’t resting on the very bottom of the pot during this process. Bring the pot with the jars up to a rolling boil and let the jars remain at this temperature for 10-15 minutes.
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With the jars starting to boil, take the cucumbers and onions mixture out of the refrigerator and drain off the salt water.
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I place mine in a colander and then gently rinse them under cool running water. The cucumbers will have absorbed a good amount of the salt and will taste salty when finished if you don’t rinse them well. Salty tasting Bread and Butter Pickles aren’t good. Trust me on this one. Rinse them gently and then just let them sit and drain while we prepare the spice mixture next.
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In a large sauce pot, add the Vinegar.
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Add the Sugar.
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Add the Mustard Seed.
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Add the Celery Seed.
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Add the Pickling Spice. Many recipes don’t call for adding Pickling Spice but I personally like the flavor and think it really adds a little something extra to the finished pickles. You’ll find lots of different recipes for making these pickles if you really start looking for them.
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Add the Turmeric.
You’ll also find recipes that call for various amounts of Turmeric. It is a great spice with lots of health benefits for you. It also has a very strong color that can stain anything it comes in contact with so be careful with it. I find that using a smaller amount is best for me. It doesn’t change the color of the completed pickle as much as adding a lot more of it will do. Here, I’ve added just a bit of water to my Turmeric to be sure it will dissolve OK and then add into the mixture.
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Stir the sugar and spices well. Place over Medium-High heat on your stove top and bring this mixture to a light rolling boil. You’ll need to stir it as it starts warming up to make certain the sugar has fully dissolved. Don’t let the sugar just sit in the bottom of the pot during this process, keep it moving so it doesn’t scorch or burn.
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Once it begins to boil, let it boil for 10 minutes.
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After 10 minutes, carefully add the cucumber and onions.
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Stir the pot often and let the mixture come back up to just the point of reaching a slight rolling boil. Once it begins to boil, time it, and let it boil for ONE minute. When the minute is up, remove the sauce pot from the heat and get ready to jar it up.
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This is my stove top setup for canning. I think one of the biggest things that discourages folks from doing more canning and preserving, is not being organized when you need to be. Everything starts happening all at one time, and you need to be ready for each step of the process. A little advance planning, along with a little added experience, will make the process a whole lot easier.
I use four pots. The pot on the front left is usually the food item I’m working with. The big pot on the front right is my canning pot. I keep a small pot on the back left burner that holds my lids and bands. The larger pot on the back right burner is just more water that I keep heated during the process.
The jars are in the big canning pot at this point, getting sterilized. I’ll take them out once I remove the pot of heated cucumbers from the stove.
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Jar lids and bands are placed on the back left burner. This pot is kept on the lowest heat setting on my stove top. The lids need to just warm up enough to soften the red rubber part of the lid so it will seal better. You do NOT want this pot to boil at any point. When I start bringing the empty jars up to boil, I place the lids and bands on the stove on this lowest heat setting. They’re usually just right by the time I need them.
After the jars have boiled for 10-15 minutes, a lot of water has evaporated from the pot. By keeping the pot of water on the burner behind it, I have hot water ready to add back into the pot once the filled jars are ready to go back into the canning pot. That way, I don’t have to wait another 20 minutes for the canning pot to get back up to boiling.
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On my counter, I place the utensils I’ll need to actually fill the jars. I lay out a cloth at the back to place the sterilized jars on once I pull them from the boiling water. I have a hot pad for the pot when it comes off the stove. I also use a plate to place my jars in while I fill them. It just makes cleanup easier for me.
All the blue items come in a “kit” you can purchase. The kit has the funnel for adding food items to the jars. The long blue tool is notched on the end to measure for proper “head space” in each jar, and the other end can be used to remove air bubbles. The tool on the right is a jar lifter, used for placing hot jars back in the canning pot and removing them once they have gone through the water bath process. I prefer to use a wooden skewer to remove air bubbles from my jars so that’s why it’s there. The kit also contained a long plastic wand with a magnet on the end. This is not pictured but it’s used to lift the lids and bands from the pot of warm water when needed.
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OK, everything is starting to happen at one time now. I pulled the cucumbers from the stove top and set the pot on the pad. I used the jar lifter and pulled the sterilized jars out of the canning pot. One jar is placed on the plate right next to the pot of cucumbers and I’ve inserted the funnel into the jar opening. I use a slotted spoon to fill the jars first, filling it all the way to the top of the jar with the heated cucumbers and onions. Then, I use a ladle to fill the jar with liquid from the pot. Everything is good and hot so be careful. Kids should be allowed to watch from a safe distance.
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Once the jars are filled, take the wooden skewer, or a butter knife, and run it around the inside edges of the jar. This will allow any air bubbles in the bottom of the jar to slide up the skewer to the top where they will burst and be released. You’ll probably not get them all, but you need to get out as many as possible.
This jar is NOT filled to the proper head space for making pickles. I was busy taking pictures, but did realize before adding the lid, that I needed to add some more liquid to the jar. Head space is the amount of space from the top of the food product or liquid, up to the top of the jar itself. Various recipes will call for varying amounts of head space depending on what you’re making. Always check the recipe and fill the jars accordingly. Bread and Butter pickles need 1/4 inch of head space for a proper filled jar.
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When the jar is filled correctly, gently wipe the very top and all around the thread portions of the jar with a clean, damp cloth. You don’t want any liquid or food particles on the top surface as it may prevent the seal on the lid from sealing properly. Any food particles, or syrup, around the outside threads could cause the band to stick and be difficult to remove later. Just wipe it carefully and clean it well.
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Remove one lid from the warm water and center it over the top of the filled jar. It was at about this point that I realized I hadn’t checked the proper head space. I carefully added a little more liquid and filled it to the proper point before finally placing the lid on the jar. If you ever plan to enter any of your canning projects into competition, head space is one of the first things checked when the judges open the jars.
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Next, place one of the jar bands over the lid. Make sure the band is seated properly before you begin to snug it down and tighten it. All canning recipes will call for the jar band to be tightened “finger tight.” That means you just snug it down without trying to force a bunch of pressure into tightening up the band. If it’s too tight, it will keep the air inside from escaping and could cause an improper seal.
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When the jars are filled, and closed with the lids and bands, it’s time to place them in the canning pot. I use the regular enameled canning pot that has been used for years. Other large pots will work though, and you should seek out more information before attempting to use something different. The enameled canning pots come with a wire metal rack for holding the jars, or for at least trying to. They can really be aggravating at all the wrong times, trust me on that one as well. Use the jar lifter to place the jars in their sections in the wire rack.
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The handle of the wire rack has a bend in it. This bend is placed on the outer rim of the canning pot and keeps the jars up high in the water until all the jars have been loaded in the rack. This particular rack will hold up to seven pint size jars. If you don’t have enough jars to fill the rack, try to spread them out and balance out the load. When the rack is loaded, carefully lift up on the handles and lower the rack into the hot water below. The jars may try to slip and move around as you do this. Quickly straighten them back up before folding the handles down on top of the jars.
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Once the jars are lowered into the canning pot, they should be covered with an inch or two of water. Again, consult the recipe you are using for the proper amount. I’ve just used the same water that was in the pot from sterilizing the jars. They’re filled and closed so it will not matter. I’ve also used that extra pot of water on the back burner to make sure I have enough water over the tops of the jars.
Let the jars come back up to a rolling boil and then start timing them. You will want to let the Bread and Butter Pickles stay in this rolling boil “water bath” for TEN MINUTES. Time doesn’t start until the water is boiling again over the submerged jars. When it starts to boil, cover the pot and start timing the process.
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After 10 minutes, remove the lid from the canning pot. I use two tongs to grasp the handles and lift the rack back up to that first notch on the handles. Be sure to watch for steam when you go to remove the lid, it can burn you bad. Raise the jars back up and place the handle notch back on the rim of the canning pot. The jars need to just sit here and rest for about five minutes before you start removing them from the canning pot.
You may start to hear that lovely sounding “Ping” as the jars start to seal. I think that’s the most fun part of the whole process and get a kick out of counting how many I hear. Sometimes they will seal much faster than others. Sometimes, you will not even hear that familiar ping but that doesn’t mean the jar hasn’t sealed. You’ll have to wait 24 hours to be sure it did though.
After five minutes, use the jar lifter again, and carefully remove the jars from the canning pot. The hot jars should be placed on a folded towel in a draft free location for 24 hours. You MUST resist the urge to press on the top center of the jar to see if it sealed for this amount of time. You may be able to look closely at the jars and see if the center portion is up or down but DO NOT press on it.
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After the jars have sat for 24 hours, check the tops to make sure each one has sealed. Any jar that hasn’t sealed is still good and should just be placed in the refrigerator and consumed first. If by chance you had a large number of jars that didn’t seal, you can reprocess the jars again but you’ll need NEW lids. Bands can be used over and over but new lids are needed each time you can anything.
The completed pickles really need about 4-5 weeks to develop their best flavor. I know it’s hard to resist them for such a long time, but you’ll be rewarded with the best taste if you can hang on for that long.
It’s best to remove the bands from the jars before storing them. That way, if a jar loses it’s seal after a period of time, you’ll notice it more quickly. Properly sealed jars will continue to hold the seal without the band.
Bread and Butter Pickles should be stored in a cool, dark, dry location in a single layer. Do not stack jars or anything else on top of them. Properly processed and sealed pickles will easily keep stored for a year or longer.
Enjoy!
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Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 5 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: Approximately 7 pints. 1x
- Category: Canning
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Description
Follow these easy, step-by-step, photo illustrated instructions for making and canning your very own Bread and Butter Pickles. You’ll never buy pickles again once you’ve made your own. See just how quick and easy it is to make these delicious pickles right in your own kitchen. This recipe can be completed in one day.
Ingredients
- 6-lbs of Pickling Cucumbers
- 3-lbs Onions, thinly sliced
- ½ cup Canning or Pickling Salt
- 4 cups White Vinegar (5% Acidity)
- 4 cups Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Mustard Seed
- 1½ Tablespoons Celery Seed
- 1 Tablespoon Pickling Spice
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric
Instructions
- Place cucumbers in sink with cold water.
- Scrub each cucumber by hand, DO NOT use a vegetable brush.
- Rinse all the cucumbers and drain.
- Slice ¼ inch off each end of each cucumber and discard.
- Slice the cucumbers into ¼ inch thick slices.
- Slice the onions.
- Place the sliced cucumbers and onions in a large pot and stir gently by hand to mix.
- Sprinkle salt over the mixture.
- Cover the mixture with about 2 inches of crushed or cubed ice.
- Refrigerate the mixture for 3-4 hours, or overnight, adding more ice as needed during this time. When ready to process pickles, wash jars in hot, soapy water.
- Setup your stove and counter area in advance for ease in canning.
- Place jars in boiling water for 15 minutes to sterilize.
- Place lids and bands in a pot of warm water, not hot or boiling, and let sit until needed.
- Drain cucumbers and onions, rinse well to remove salt and let drain.
- In a large pot, add Vinegar, Sugar, Mustard Seed, Celery Seed, Pickling Spice, Turmeric, stir well. Bring to a boil over Medium-High heat and boil for 10 minutes.
- Add cucumbers and onions to the pot, bring back to low boil and boil for One Minute.
- Remove from heat and ladle into jars, leaving ¼ inch head space in each jar.
- Remove any air bubbles by inserting a wooden skewer along inside edge of the jar.
- Wipe top of jar and rim with a clean damp cloth.
- Center a lid on the jar. Add the band, and tighten only finger tight.
- Process jars, using the water bath process, for 10 minutes.
- Remove jars from canning pot, set aside in a draft free location, undisturbed for 24 hours.
- Test jars for proper seal. Store sealed jars in a cool dark place for up to one year.
- Enjoy!
Keywords: Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe, award winning, north carolina state fair, made from scratch, home food preservation, southern recipes
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Your Comments: Have you ever made pickles? What type have you made? I’d love to hear your comments about our recipe, or about any other pickle recipes you might have tried. It will only take a minute or two for you to share your thoughts with us in the Comments section below. Please note that all of our Comments are moderated. That just means that I personally read each and every one of them before they are approved for our family friendly site here on the Internet. Your comment will not appear immediately, but I’ll do my best to get it posted online as soon as possible. I also try to reply to as many of your comments as I can, so be sure to check back later for that. I do appreciate you taking the time to share your comments with us, and I’ll look forward to hearing from you. Thank you in advance.
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Be Blessed!!!
Steve
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Category: Canning-Freezing
This recipe is the best I’ve used in my 65 years of pickling! I was fortunate enough to find your recipe fairly soon after it was first available, and I’ve tested it against every recipe in my collection of B&B Pickle recipes that I had gathered from my Grannies, cookbooks, friends, and anyone else who claimed to have a great recipe. This has been the hands down winner against all others! It’s now the only one I use.
I especially appreciate the photos! Being able to review the clear photos helps to speed up the set-up and more quickly get to the joy of pickling! I’m sure the clear instructions and well shot photos are a great help to those who are just discovering the easy and satisfying process of pickling.
I have also used this recipe and method for pickling all kinds of other vegetables, from peppers and cauliflower to carrots and beets. Delicious! The pickle juice is also the “secret ingredient” for deviled eggs, potato salad, fruit salad, and about anything else that needs a bit of zing.
I see that you told another commenter that you use McCormick Pickling Spice, and I’d agree that I like it quite well too; however, I have taken to making my own so that I can reduce the cinnamon just a bit, use different colors of mustard seeds to add depth, and I also use whole bay leaves rather than the chopped ones in store bought mixes. I like to use whole bay leaves only because I don’t like to bite into the pieces, and the whole bay leaves are easy to remove from the pickles before serving.
These pickles also make excellent gifts, because EVERYONE LOVES THEM!!
I do have one BIG worry each year: I get very anxious long about February that my supply of these pickles won’t hold me over until the summer harvest!
Thank you so very much for all the effort and generosity in sharing your recipe for these gems. They bring great joy!
★★★★★
Hi I was wondering if I can put alum in each jar to keep the pickles crisp and crunchy
I’ve never canned Bread and Butter pickles before, but wanted to try this! They came out beautifully. I really believe I may have cut my onions a little to thin as I used a mandolin slicer. I plan to do another canning with a little thicker onion the next time. Thank you for such a wonderful recipe
★★★★★
Hi Steve,
My third year with this recipe, my family’s favorite!
I have a question, since I can not find any more pint jars here in the state of Maine this summer,( I have used up my supply) is the water bath time still 10 minutes for a quart jar?
Thanks!
★★★★★
Hi Deb, Yes it is. Just be sure to check for the proper time based on your altitude and you should be good to go. Best of luck and hope you have lots of great canning adventures. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
New to canning/pickling like so many watching my Aunt Elsie fill racks with her goods during childhood.
This recipe is one of the few things where it turned out like I hoped and exceeded expectations THE FIRST TIME. Absolutely perfect. Easy to follow instructions and the tips on managing pots/water PRICELESS.
These pickles were crispy and worthy of any church covered dish lunch or Aunt Elsie’s Sunday table.
Thanks you so much for your site. I will never buy bread and butters in the store again.
★★★★★
I just started canning a few years ago. I have done sausage, chicken, taco meat in my pressure caner and then I tried a few things like salsa using the water bath method. About a month ago I tried your pickle recipe and followed it exactly because I have no experience with pickles. After going through a couple jars between family and friends, my wife was worried we wouldn’t make it through the winter unless I made another batch or two. After making sure we had at least 10 pints on hand, I used your recipe with some sliced and seeded Jalapenos. Thank you so much for sharing.
Hi Steve, Congratulations on taking up the art of canning and helping keep the process alive and well. Sounds like you’re into it pretty deep. Smile. Keep up the good work. I’m glad you enjoyed the Bread and Butter Pickles. I’ve never made them with Jalapenos, but sounds interesting. I don’t handle hot and spicy very well, but maybe someone else will be happy to hear of your success with them. I do appreciate your visits and your support. I hope you’ll visit with us often. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Hi steve
Is it possible to omit the onions and just add more cucumbers.
Thanks Bret
Hi Bret, I’ve never made these without onions. The onions are as good as the cucumbers to me. Smile. Still, I don’t see any reason as to why you couldn’t leave them out. Let me know how they turn out if you try them that way. Thank you for your visit. I do hope you’ll stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Steve
Also what type of pickling spice did you use or is this something you made?
Thanks Bret
Hi Bret, There are various brands of pickling spice available on the market. I used the McCormick Brand, which is just what I had on hand at the time. Most any brand will work. Thank you for the question. I hope your pickles turn out great for you. Thanks again for stopping by. Please visit with us again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Hi, I’m Charlotte from Texas,
I enjoyed SO much reading your wonderful “Step by Step” recipe for your Bread and Butter Pickles.
I had hoped to print it out to try. However, I could not find a print option.
Do you happen to have a cookbook that I may purchase which includes the above recipe?
If so, I would love to order one.
If not, can you please tell me how I might print your recipe from your website?
Thanks for your time, I know that recipe took a lot of work and time to compose.
Very impressive!
Thanks, Charlotte
Hi Charlotte, Greetings to Texas from North Carolina. I’m happy you found us. Thank you for your kind comments. I’m sorry, but we do not have a cookbook of our recipes at this time. Maybe one day. Smile. I’m also sorry you were unable to find the print option for our recipe. If you will scroll to the end of the pictures in the recipe, you will find a printable recipe that you can print out. There is a small photo of the recipe item on the left, with some writing just out to the right side of that. A few lines down in the writing you should see a button you can click to print the recipe. I hope this helps. Thank you for your visit. I do hope you’ll try our pickles and I look forward to hearing how you like them. Be sure to visit with us again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
After my mother a master canner, pickeler, baker and jam and jelly maker passed away suddenly at 80 we did without home canned goodies for 20 years.
Following retirement in 2006 I dusted off old memories and started making homemade jams and jellies and a year ago even bread after milk and sulfides became the norm in commercial baked goods.
Unfortunately my mother’s recipes were nabbed by my sisters who never used them and have been lost including her to die for bread and butter pickles. Due to my now digestive failure onions, cloves & garlic will have to be omitted or substituted.
Eight years ago after my near death from poisonous spider bites my digestive system lost its ability to process onions, garlic, many spices,high fructose corn syrup, & especially the plethora products with any trace of lactose or sulfide preservatives used in most commercially sold foods. As a result pickles, relishes, most prepared sauces etc and even bread had to be removed from my diet which became a very boring tasteless so restricted that it resulted in what has become life threatening weight loss. As result we have been forced to making everything I eat at home or as my distaff forbearers would say from scratch.
No need for dangerous water boiling to sterilize jars for canning. We have been for 12+ years using the sterilizing technique for jars used by my mother, grandmother, & great grandmother. We place the washed and dish towel dried jars in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes at 375 degrees.In the last 12 I have never lost even one jar to spoilage.
Hi Paul, Thank you for sharing your story with us. It sounds like you’ve come through some serious health issues over the years. I’m glad you’re doing well though. I know folks do things in a lot of different ways, but I try to stick to all of the approved ways of doing things with regards to canning. I just follow the USDA guidelines and try to stay out of trouble. I’ve used the oven to sterilize some jars, but I always put them through the water bath, so I have no problems with using the same water to sterilize the jars. It’s just me though. Smile. I do appreciate you taking the time to write today. I hope you keep up your canning adventures and that you continue to improve with your health. Thank you for the visit and be sure to stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
I’m making these for the second time in a month; the first batch was delicious and several pints were given away as hostess gift (she hid them in the cupboard), take home gift for a family with a near toddler who suddenly loves pickles, and my boss has received two jars “these are de bomb”. I’ve really enjoyed them too, and pickling in general. I’m glad I found your site.
this time, I have no white sugar in the house and am using molasses and brown sugar with the listed spices. We shall see how that turns out.
Hi Martin, I’m glad to hear that you’re enjoying your Bread and Butter Pickles. Thank you for using our recipe and for sharing your results with us. Keep up the great work with the pickling. I’m going to wait to see how those turn out with molasses and brown sugar. That should be interesting. Smile. Let me know. Thank you for stopping by. The door is always open, so please stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
My pickles came out great!!! Our son is in the navy, so I always make extra so he can have a taste of home.
Can I use this same process and recipe for squash?
Hi Samantha, Please tell your son that we greatly appreciate his service to our country. I’ve never tried this using squash so have no idea how it would turn out. Maybe one of readers have tried and can chime in on it. Should you decided to make the recipe with squash, I hope you’ll come back and let me know how it turned out for you. I’m glad you used our recipe and happy to hear that you liked the pickles. Keep up the great work. I do hope you’ll stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
I am new to pickling and canning. I am going to try this recipe, so long as I can find some good cucumbers for the recipe. I am wondering approximately how many jars should be used for this recipe?
Hi Tallulah, Congratulations on getting into canning and home food preservation. I hope you’re having a lot of fun with it. I made 5 pints with the batch that I made with the recipe, but you might end up with a little more. I generally prepare a couple more jars than I think I will need just in case. Or, if you have more pickles than jars, just put the extra in the refrigerator and use those first. I hope you get to try the recipe, and I look forward to hearing how they turn out for you. Keep up the great work. I do appreciate your visit and hope you’ll continue to visit with us often. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Thanks Steve, This is a great bread and butter pickle recipe. I am 63 years old and have been canning for decades. I have made bread and butter pickles that can rival the flavor of your recipe but never any that were as tasty and crispy. Reading others comments there were a lot of people who said their pickles were salty. “Technique”. You did a great job explaining with words and pictures “HOW” As far as salty goes those having problems must not be rinsing thoroughly. I soaked mine in salt for 4hrs as instructed rinsed thoroughly. Mine were Not salty. While they were soaking in salt I kept them buried as instructed in 2 to 4 inches of crushed ice. These were the crispiest pickles I have ever made. Thank You for a great recipe and the spot on tutorial. Five Stars. Stephen
Hi Stephen, I’m glad you enjoyed the Bread and Butter Pickles, thank you for trying the recipe. I appreciate you taking the time to share your suggestions and results with us. Maybe it will encourage someone else to try the recipe as well. Keep up the great work with all of your canning adventures. I appreciate your visit and do hope you know the door is always open, so stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
I’ve only made bread and butter pickles once before and the recipe said to pack the pickles and onions in the jar first then ladle the liquid in.it seemed easier and not as messy.they turned very well.i made your recipe this time and can’t wait to have them.Thanks!
Hi Kathleen, Thank you for trying our Bread and Butter Pickles recipe. I do hope they turn out well for you. I’ll be anxious to hear when you get the chance to try them. I appreciate your visit and hope you’ll find some other recipes you might like as well. Be sure to stop by often. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Looking for a good recipe this year, I like to try different ones every year, and ran across your that looks amazing so I’m going to try it. Could I keep some of the jars out and not process and just use them for refrigerator pickles? I have never done fridge pickles and want to try a few jars this year.
Thanks!
Hi Randy, I do hope you’ll try our Bread and Butter Pickles recipe. I think you’ll like them if you like sweet pickles. You could most certainly keep a jar or two in the refrigerator, probably for a month or two and enjoy them that way. If you need to keep them longer though, you should process them in the water bath canner. I hope this helps. Let me know what you think if you try them. I appreciate the question and your visit today. I’m thankful you found Taste of Southern and I do hope you’ll visit with us often. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
UPDATE: I made 2 batches, 1 with apple cider vinegar because that was all I had in the house, and one with white vinegar per recipe. Both batches are marvelous!! I skipped the fridge version because once the water is hot seal them up right? My new favorite pickles!!!
Thanks!!
Canned pickles last year for the first time and used this recipe I was a bit nervous as it was my first attempt but they turned out fabulous! evey one said they were the best they ever had.gave away quite a few so am doubling up this year,ran out of white vinegar so I made a small batch with half white half cider vinegar turned out great as well…thx Steve! This one’s a keeper
Hi Becky, I’m glad to hear you’ve been enjoying our Bread and Butter Pickles recipe. They really are good aren’t they? I think it’s awesome that you’ve started some home food preservation work and I do hope you’ll keep up the great job. Thank you for sharing your results with our readers, hopefully it will encourage someone else to give the recipe a try. I do appreciate your visit and hope you’ll visit with us often. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
My husband and his family have fond memories of Grandma Hoag’s pickles. I tried this recipe hoping to get direction towards the flavor they loved so much. I didn’t have to look further. They are overjoyed to have the much loved staple back in their lives! Thank you for sharing this!
Hi Valerie, Thank you for trying our Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe. I’m really glad to hear that they turned out well for you and that the family enjoyed them. Great job. I’m also happy that they brought back some good memories for you. Keep up the great work with your canning adventures. I do appreciate your comments today. Perhaps it will encourage someone else to try the recipe. I do hope you’ll visit with us again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
It was because your name is Steve Gordon (same as my dad) that I started using this recipe. Because it is wonderful, it’s now our Gordon Family recipe too! Thanks!
Jess Gordon
Hi Jessica, One reason is as good as another for you to try our recipe I guess. Smile. How cool is that? Thank you for sharing your comments with us, and thank you for trying our Bread and Butter Pickles recipe. I’m glad to hear you liked them. Keep up the great work. I do appreciate your visit today and I trust you’ll visit with us again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Hi Steve, I loved your personal story. My Mom and Dad both canned. Dad was known for his salsa, which is more of a chili sauce. I am trying your bread and butters today. I’ve misplaced my family recipe, but this looks great. Thank you for posting. Your step by step with photos is incredibly helpful! Best to you! Michele
Hi Michele, I hope you enjoy the Bread and Butter Pickles. Please let me know how they turn out for you. And, congratulations on keeping the home canning tradition alive. Keep up the great work. I appreciate your visit and trust you’ll stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Hello Mr. Steve,
I just had an early crop of cucumbers and I tried your recipe for the first time this summer tonight. Previously, I had a pretty good crop of cucumbers, and I tried your recipe and shared with some of my church members and friends locally in the Triangle area.
Also, I sent a few as Christmas gifts to relatives out of town. Everyone has raved over your recipe, and my out of town family enjoyed the recipe so much they ate the pint and quart jars in one day and refused to share with their families. Thank your for providing such detailed instructions to newbie canners like myself. I’ve learned a lot, and I’m looking forward to trying your Chow Chow recipe when my tomato crops are ready.
Hi Mia, Thank you for trying our recipe. I’m happy that it turned out well and that your family enjoyed some Bread and Butter Pickles. I think you’ll like the Chow-Chow as well. Hope you have another great crop of cucumbers. Keep up the great work with canning. Have you considered placing any of your items in the State Fair. That’s always fun. Be sure to stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Can’t wait to make these this summer. Cutting off the blossom end of the cucumber prevents soft pickles, but also add a grape leaf(or a half of one),in the top of the jar, just before sealing, as an added measure. A few years back, the canning industry changed the sealing material on the lid, so you no longer need to boil, but, just WARM the lids, ensuring a good seal. It would be a shame to lose the produce AND the hard work, just because of a simple mistake.
Hi, I’ve made my grandmother’s pickles with my mom for years until she passed 10 years ago. The last few years I’ve resurrected her recipe and have made the pickles on my own. Back in the day we never sterilized the jars or water bathed the pickles after filling the jars and they were always delicious. But the last few years that’s I’ve made them I’ve water bathed them for safety. When I fill the jars after they are cooked in the pickling solution the jar lids always ping even before they get into the water bath. Not sure why that happens. A bit of a difference, but I’m going to try your 10 cooking in the water bath and see what happens. What say you about all this?
Hi Helen, Are you making Bread and Butter Pickles with your Grandmothers recipe or some other type of pickle? I make a sweet brined pickle that my Mama use to make and they can sit on the counter all year long in a large jar and still be good, no canning needed. The salt water brine is what “preserves” them, but sugar is added to sweeten them. They however are NOT the same as this Bread and Butter pickle.
I will still water bath can them in order to more safely store them, or to share them as gifts with family and friends. I’d rather not, but do it for safety purposes.
Years ago, folks did things a lot differently for certain. I still have friends that just turn jars of jam upside down after filling their jars, but I can’t do that here on Taste of Southern. It might have worked for years, and still work, but it’s not one of the approved ways of doing things these days and I don’t want anyone to get sick following one of my recipes.
All of the canning recipes here are from “approved” sources, and I do my best to follow those recipes throughout. It’s my intent to just show how the home canning process is done, and hopefully to encourage others to try this fast fading art of preserving foods at home.
As for the jars pinging before they go into the water bath, I’ve never experienced that. I do have them ping immediately after pulling them from the water though.
I do appreciate you sharing your comments. I bet your pickles are very good, and I hope you’ll continue with your canning adventures. Thank you for your visits to Taste of Southern, and I hope you’ll stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Hi Steve,
Two years ago I had 7 hills of pickle bush cucumbers. They produced 40 quarts of the best bread and butter pickles, using your recipe of course !!
Thanks for the recipe
Jim
Hi Jim, Forty quarts is way more pickles than I care to be making. Smile. Sounds like you had an abundance of pickles. I’m glad you tried the recipe and happy to hear it turned out well for you. Thank you for sharing your comments, perhaps it will encourage someone else to give it a try. Keep up the good work. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Hi Steve,
Can I use cider vinegar instead of white in this recipe? These look perfect.
Thank you!
Gwen
Hi Gwen, I’m actually making Bread and Butter Pickles myself today. Realized at the last minute that I didn’t have enough white vinegar, so ended up using half white and half apple cider. I see no reason why full apple cider vinegar wouldn’t work. I hope you’ll try the recipe, and be sure to let me know how they turn out for you. Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you’ll visit with us often. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Hi Steve! Thanks so much for the recipe and awesome tutorial! I made my first-ever batch of pickles last night and they look good! It’ll be a long 4-5 weeks ha ha. Bread and butter pickles are my all-time favorite. Do you think this recipe would work to make pickle spears instead of rings? Thanks again – you’re great!
Marcy
The main reason I ask is that for health reasons I’m on a low-carb diet. I often eat straight pickles with lean lunchmeat for a light meal (omitting bread). I think spears would work well for that.
Hi M. Laurel Lewis, Happy to hear that you made the Bread and Butter Pickles. I trust you’ll be well pleased when you get to enjoy them. I’ve never made them as spears, but see no reason they wouldn’t work just as well. Just don’t make them too thick. Do let me know if you try them that way, I’d love to know how they turn out. I appreciate your visits and hope you’ll visit with us often. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
I did end up making spears but for some reason the chips are easier to scarf down ha ha. The spears taste fine and do come in handy for rolling up in ham with cream cheese. The last of my cucumbers last season got a bit overripe, but I used them anyway – using my hokey food processor to slice them. They came out fairly lighter in color (yellowish due to over-ripeness) and sliced far too thin but they taste great and are perfect for piling onto sandwiches. In one batch, I was out of granulated white sugar (one of my kids did it…ate it all…) so I substituted brown sugar and those also turned out really good. This recipe is so good I won’t even touch other pickles now…
Hi Steve. I cut up my cucumbers and onions last night and started the saltwater bath. I covered them in ice and placed them in the refrigerator. They are ice cold. My problem is that I just got out of the hospital and am having some complications, so I have not been able to start the actual pickling process today.
Is it okay that I wait until tomorrow morning to rinse and drain the cucumbers and then start the remainder of the process, or should I rinse them tonight and place them back into the refrigerator until tomorrow morning.
If I could do it all tonight I would, but I really don’t think I can.
Thank you so much for your advice!
Hi Melissa, I’m sorry to hear you haven’t been feeling well, and I trust you’re doing much better by now. My apologies for not being able to respond sooner. I guess you made a decision and moved forward with the recipe. I hope it turns out well for you. I would have left them as they were if it was only going to be overnight, then picked up with the recipe the next day. That shouldn’t have presented a problem. Please let me know how they turn out for you. I appreciate your visits and hope you’ll come back often. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Steve,I’m new to canning pickles. Do you mix the salt into the pickle onion mixture or just put it on the top of the pickle mixture? Thanks
Hi Loretta, Congratulations on taking the step to get into canning some pickles. I wish you much success. As for the salt, sprinkle it over the top of the sliced cucumbers, then cover that with the ice. As the ice melts, the salt is distributed down to the bottom. No mixing is needed. I do hope this helps and I hope you’ll let me know how they turn out for you. Thank you for the question and thank you for your visits to Taste of Southern. I hope you’ll stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
The pickles are delicious! I’ve made them twice now. I certainly understand why they won 1st place. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe. My family loves them.
Hi Steve. Thanks so much for your great recipe. I’m hoping to do it though I feel a bit intimidated the time never can’t anything. You’re directions are so thorough that I’m sure I can succeed if I follow them well. So two questions, which I hope you somehow answer today since my cucumbers and onions came to me already sliced, along with the link to your recipe, by the friend who grew them – How many jars do I need for a gallon of sliced cukes and onions ? Where in North Carolina are you? I’m writing from my home”town” of Charlotte.
Hi Helena, I’m sorry I didn’t get to respond to this sooner. I guess by now, you’ve discovered how many jars you needed. I’m in Lee County, which is the heart of North Carolina. Great to hear from you in Charlotte. I travel down that way often. Let me know if you tried our recipe and how they turned out for you. Thank you for the questions, and for your visits to Taste of Southern. I hope you’ll stop by often. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Hi Steve, thank you so much for sharing your recipe. My cucumbers are going nuts this year and producing like crazy! The problem is my dill is only about a foot high! It is nowhere near ready! So I needed to do something with all these early cukes but for some reason could not find my B&B recipe. This one looks about the same as the one I can’t find so I am very happy to have happened across it! Thanks again and Be Blessed!
Dear Steve,
What would be the difference in adding Apple cider vinegar and white viniger?
Hi Sandra, The apple cider vinegar is a personal preference. I think regular white vinegar has a more sour and sharper taste than apple cider, but that’s personal opinion again. Either would certainly work. Let me know if you try the recipe, and how it turns out for you. Thank you for the question and I trust you’ll stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
I made these this summer and waited the exact time you recommend and they are th best bread and butter pickles I have ever tasted. Well done and thanks for sharing. Have a blessed day
Hi Steve! Great B&B pickle recipe! I was wondering if you would be willing to share your Mama’s Sweet Pickle recipe with us as well. I’ve never made sweet pickles and am excited to give your recipe a try! Thanks so much! Cheers!
Hi Allison, I’m often asked about sharing the recipe, but never have. It’s not one of those “approved” recipes from trusted sources, so I don’t want to be held responsible should it not go right for someone else. Sometimes it seems to work, and sometimes it doesn’t. I think I was fortunate that the first time I made them after Mama passed away, they turned out pretty good. The next year, I lost a batch. I’ve been making them for several years, and recording all the results. Just this year, I started a batch, and they went bad after about two weeks. They formed too much mold or scum on them, and the liquid turned very cloudy. I tossed them and started up another batch. Better to be safe than sorry. Right? The Bread and Butter Pickles are sweet, just not as sweet as the one’s Mama made. You might also want to try the 14-Day Pickle. I’ve not posted a recipe for those, but they are pretty good as well. Thank you for the question. I appreciate your visits to Taste of Southern, and I hope you’ll stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Dear Steve, your pickle recipe is absolutely the most delicious pickles I have ever tasted. Thank you for posting this and sharing it and thank you for sharing your story. I knew as I read your story that it blessed me and I knew this was the recipe I needed to follow. Many blessings to you and yours.
Great recipe! I have been pickling for a few years and this is my family’s favorite. Instead of salting and icing, I just use pickle crisp. Works great.
I have a very similar recipe to the one you share on this site…..however, I have one question……once the cucumbers are processed, is there a specific cure time before they can be eaten…….I have checked a variety of other sites and I cannot find a cure time for bread and butter pickles……
So, since my recipe is so similar to yours, I was hoping you could tell me if they need to cure or if they are ready to eat, after the 24 set time…..
Thanks for your time…..
Lisa =)
Hi Lisa, If you can resist them for a couple of weeks, they will have a much better taste. They just need a few days to meld all the flavors together. Hope this helps. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Steve, thank you so very much for sharing this wonderful recipe! We are new(ish) to canning and this is our first season canning pickles. I can’t tell you how much we have been enjoying them! Being empty nesters dinner often consists of fruit, cheese & crackers, hummus and veggies, and these delicious pickles. It’s economical, easy, and delicious. I see why so many have won ribbons with this recipe. Blessings.
I have a very similar recipe to the one you share on this site…..however, I have one question……once the cucumbers are processed, is there a specific cure time before they can be eaten…….I have checked a variety of other sites and I cannot find a cure time for bread and butter pickles……
So, since my recipe is so similar to yours, I was hoping you could tell me if they need to cure or if they are ready to eat, after the 24 set time…..
Thanks for your time…..
Lisa =)
I’ve been trying to find a recipe for bread & butter pickles that have a good sweet taste, is your recipe the one or can you tell me if increasing the sugar but not the vinegar would work
Hi Kay, I think these are plenty sweet. Go ahead and make them as the recipe lists. When you open a jar, if they’re not sweet enough for you, you can easily just add more sugar at that time. Give them a day or two and they will be more to your personal taste. I hope this helps. Let me know if you try it. I do hope you’ll visit with us again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Steve, My Grandad was well known for a certain recipe. Grandad was bedridden when he wrote it down for me. He did his best, but it was terrible. Shortly after Grandad died. We could not find his recipe box, so Grandmom asked me to try fixing the recipe. I struggled to remember what it tasted like when we made it together when I was young. I tinkered til it tasted the same as my memory. Everyone said it tasted right, but I always did have some doubt that it was the same recipe.
Two decades later; Grandmom was 4 years gone, & my Dad died. As we cleaned out the attic at the house; my brother in law came down the stairs & put a battered metal box he said was full of worthless paper onto the trash pile…
Granddad’s recipe box.
I scooped it up & looked inside. The very first card in the file was Grandad’s lost recipe. When I scanned the ingredients I realized that I got it on the nose. I made one of my kids take that box out to the car right then…
It will not get misplaced again.
Doctors say that both smell & taste are among the earliest & most durable memories that we have. Chances are your pickles are the same as your Mama’s.
Even if both our recipes were a smidgeon off; I guarantee every time we make them, thinking of our loved ones… They are smiling.
Pat T…..i loved reading your comment 🙂
And we’re smiling, too.
Hi Steve – I used your recipe and entered my Bread and Butter pickles in the Roseneath Fall Fair (September 25 – 27 2015, Roseneath, Ontario, Canada)….and they won first prize.
Hi John, Congratulations on YOUR ribbon for First Place with the pickles. That’s AWESOME. Greetings to Canada from North Carolina. Thank you so much for sharing your results with me. Maybe seeing this will encourage someone else to try the recipe. Thank you for your visit, and keep up the good work. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Just want you to know that these pickles are delicious. I used a pickling spice made by Penzeys Spices that is extremely savory containing star anise, juniper berries, coriander and Sanaaam red peppers (along with other spices)), in addition to the usual cloves, ginger, allspice and bay leaves. I won first place in the Bread and Butter category at the Maryland State Fair in August this year (2015) – there were at least 10 other entries. The only issue I have noticed with the recipe is that 6 lbs. of cucumbers seem to yield 8 pints and then 4 cups of pickles leftover for which there is not enough liquid to cover. I have simply made another cup of pickling liquid to cover them and kept the pickles in a plastic container in my refrigerator for immediate eating as my canner only holds 8 pints. I do keep the slices on the thick side – the judge described my pickles as “tasty and crunchy.” Thanks for this terrific recipe and the excellent step by step instructions, Steve.
Hi Amy, Congratulations on YOUR WIN as well. Sounds like we have a winner with these pickles doesn’t it? I’ve never tried the spice you mentioned, but it all sounds good. Happy you could make the recipe your own, that’s what cooking is all about. Thank you for sharing your win with me, keep up the good work. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Steve I made these pickles a couple of days ago. I tried to get all of the bubbles out before I processed them. All of the cans sealed, but when I picked up the jars, there were still some air bubbles. Are the pickles okay? They smelled wonderful.
Hi Cheryl, Unless you had a really large amount of big bubbles, I would suspect your pickles are still good. It’s next to impossible to not have any at all, even for the most experienced cook. I’m thankful you were willing to try the recipe. Keep up the good work, and be sure to visit with us again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
You’re pickles look delicious. I’ve been looking for a bread and butter pickle recipe that doesn’t have quite so many onions in it, but, haven’t found one. Is it possible to alter the ratio of cucumbers and onions while still keeping the end product safe to eat?
Hi Kerry, Reducing the amount of onions will not keep the pickles from being safe to eat, onions do not have that effect on the recipe. It could however change the taste of the pickles. Best wishes with your canning adventures. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Made these last week, just uncorked a jar – best tasting B&B 3pickles ever! No more store bought for me, I’m a convert! Thanks for sharing.
Hi Steve, well my Pickles are all done. I can’t wait till their ready to eat. they smelled so darn good my Hubby came in the Kitchen and wanted to try one lol so gave him one and he said the flavor is delicious. So easy to make. So just wanted you to know how they turned out. when it’s time to eat some I will be back to tell you all about it. 🙂 Take Care and Be Blessed.
Hi Steve, how are you ? thank you for this B&B Pickle Recipe. Never made any Pickles so I was hoping to find yours and Look what Happened !! I am waiting to Rinse my pickles, but have another hour to go. I have my pint jars ready but not in water yet. I am so excited about this recipe I can hardly wait. So I Live in California, and I went all over looking for pickling cucumbers an nothing to be found anywhere near me. So there was a new store that opened up and I decided to ask the produce man, for pickling cucumbers, and he said they don’t have any in the store, But I would be happy to Order you some. I just about fell over and couldn’t hardly speak ! I Picked them up this morning and bought the whole Box. So needless to say I will take him some Pickles. He said he would order for me again when I was ready. Can’t wait to try the pickles. Bye and be Blessed. 🙂
I don’t know how you got 4 cups of vinegar spice liquid to fill 6-7 pints…doesn’t seem like a whole lot of liquid to me…NOT for 6lbs of pickles anyway….
never mind…there was plenty…can’t wait to try them. thanks for the recipes 🙂
Hi Steve,
Thank you so much for sharing your recipe! I made the pickles today and yesterday. I had a small dish of leftover and my kids gobbled them up. I have never made pickles and loved the step-by-step instructions and pictures. I appreciated all the little tips you included. I also pinned the recipe to my Pinterest page, linking it to your blog.
Thank you! Have a happy day! Stacey
Just tried this recipe. I used half apple cider vinegar and half white vinegar, otherwise followed precisely. I used a grape leaf in each jar. I’ve done this with dills and garlic pickles and it works like a charm. Those were spears and not slices so we shall see how this works. I made my slices pretty thick – between 1/4 and 1/2 inch. It worked out perfectly to 4 quarts, by the way. In one quart I put two shakes of dried scorpion peppers that I grew last year. These peppers are scortching and two shakes will heat these pickles right up. I love the combination of hot and sweet. By the way, I had enough brine left that I sliced some more cukes and iced them. I’ll give them 3 or 4 hours (the main batch I left overnight). I’ll make a pint jar or two of refrigerator pickles. Great site and great instructions. Thank you. Oh, tasted a few pieces right ouf of the brine after cooking one minute: delicioso!
I’m looking forward to trying your recipe- just this summer I’ve made Gramma’s sweet pickles (thankfully a cousin still had her original) and garlic dills I got from a random site off the net. I have to wonder if I really need to use the turmeric? Does it serve any purpose other than staining everything it touches? I have some but I really like my things unstained and would like to omit it.
Hi Steve, I’m in the middle of processing my first ever bread and butter pickles..they’re covered with ice now.
My question has to do with the water bath process for pickles. I’ve read that if you want to make crispy pickles make sure the water is about 180F but, below 185F, and that temps. over 185F will give you a softer pickle. Do you have any experience on controlling the water temps. to this degree. I usually can with a very low boil…I can’t wait to taste these award winning pickles. Thanks.
Hi Rick, I’ve never been strict enough to measure the water temp. Sounds interesting though, and certainly worth trying I suppose. Keep me posted if you do it. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Hi Steve I canned some Bread & Butter Pickles last Night and found 2 jars had not sealed this morning when I woke Up I put them immediately into the fridge are they still safe to eat Beth
Hi Beth, This happens for various reasons, but yes, putting them in the fridge and eating those first is the correct thing to do. Keep trying though. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Thanks for the info Steve! I’m hoping mine will turn out. I cheated a bit and let one cool and tried it–it tasted a bit salty. I don’t know if I didn’t have enough cucumbers for the amount of salt recommended–it was 6 large regular cucumbers and it ended up making 4 pints. Do you think they will become less salty as they sit and soak up the juices?
Hi Kzri, Let’s just hope so. I hope you’ll let me know how they turn out. I appreciate your visits and look forward to you stopping by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
First time canning pickles,
I let the salt soak overnight, no matter how much I rinse, the salt is soaked in the cukes and won’t come out. Should I throw away or proceed?
Hi Laurie, I’m sure you made a decision before I could reply. What did you do? I hope they turned out well for you. Thank you for your visit and be sure to stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Hi Steve,
I just love the story of your Mama’s pickles …. I haven looking for a recipe that would come close to one in my family that had also been “lost” this looks very close .. .so today I am going to give it a try and I will let you know how it turns out – actually it will be tomorrow before finished as I do let them brine overnight in a cooler …. lol …. thanks again – and kudo’s for the easiest and best organized recipe to follow ! Tam
I’ve made “spicey” bread and butter pickle for years that are off the charts good, but am always looking for something new to try. What I’d really like to try is your mama’s sweet pickles; even if your not ready to publish, I’d really love a crack at it.
I’ve wanted to start canning for quite some time, but I was intimidated by the process. Thank you so much for breaking it down so that a novice such as myself feels comfortable enough to attempt this!
Hi Kiki, It’s my pleasure to provide the step-by-steps. We all started somewhere, and I’m happy to hear that you’ve decided to start on your own canning adventures. I wish you all the best with it, and I know you’ll enjoy the Bread and Butter Pickles. Keep me informed on your progress. I do appreciate your visits and trust you will stop by for another visit with us… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Lovely blog! I have attempted bread and butter pickles again this year after being given several boxes of long english cucumbers and sweet bell yellow and red peppers. The first batch turned out delicious – 18 pint jars. The peppers really give a nice appearance and flavour. The second run through was not as good. I made 28 1/2 pints this time. I rinsed and rinsed but they are still somewhat salty but I think the kicker is that I saved the leftover brine from the first batch and used it for the second batch. There is always so much liquid left over so I was trying to be frugal. I am not sure this affected the final product or not. I have heard of it being done before so thought I would try. I hope all 28 jars end up being ok…it would be sad to have to throw that all out! Have you ever used the leftover brine like I did? Has anyone else?
Blessings, Liz
Hi Liz, Sounds like you made a LOT of pickles this summer. I do hope those 28 jars turned out OK for you after they’ve had time to sit for awhile. As for your question, I’ve never saved the brine from one batch to another. I don’t usually make but about one batch of Bread and Butter Pickles per season, so no need for me to reserve it. But, you’re probably right, it was just too much for that second batch.
I thank you for your comments and do hope you’ll visit with us again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
You should be able to re-use a previous batch of vinegar anytime. I think the problem was either batch not rinsed well from the overnight salt purification, and/or that you made too big of a batch at one time. We learn from these mistakes.
Can these pickles be made using regular cucumbers rather than pickling cucumbers? Thank you
Hi Deb, I’d use the smaller cucumbers if I made them with regular cukes. I don’t think the great big one’s would make for a very good pickle. The REALLY big cukes are good however for making the Cinnamon Pickles that I’ve posted here on Taste of Southern. I hope this helps.
Thank you for your question. I appreciate your visits and hope you’ll visit with us again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Hi Steve, I have tried pickles both sweet and dill and my pickles are always soft, do you know what I am doing wrong? Thanks in advance for your knowledge and helping me out. I should have one more crop in Oct. so will be trying this recipe and will let you know. 😉
Hi Kathy, You’re not doing anything wrong, it happens to most home preserved pickles made this way. There are a couple of products, Lime being one, that will make crispy pickles, but this recipe doesn’t use Lime. I recently made Cinnamon Pickles, and used Lime. It does make a difference, but I’m not a fan of working with it. Some folks say adding a Grape Leaf in the bottom of the jar will keep them crispy. I’ve never tried that, but hope to one day. I don’t know for sure if it will make a difference, but lots of folks claim that it works.
It will help some if you don’t slice the cucumbers too thin. Really thin slices seem to wrinkle up after they are processed. It mostly comes from the heat of the water bath canning process. If you aren’t making a lot, and don’t plan on keeping them for an extended period of time, you might just keep them in the refrigerator. That way, you don’t cook them down with the canning process. I hope this will help.
Thank you for the question. I do hope you’ll have great luck with the next round of pickles. They usually taste good even if they aren’t very crispy. I appreciate your visit and hope you’ll stop by for another visit with us… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Next time, try slicing the pickles thicker and do not skip the overnight ice bath “shock”to keep them ice cold before preparing and canning. Also don’t overcook them.
Steve,
I am so happy that I found your website. I love reading your stories. I have never canned pickles before and I am going to give your recipe a try. I would love to try your mothers pickle recipe too. I love all the pictures and details you give for your recipes. It makes it so easy to understand. Thank you so much.
First question…
Someone gave me 2 cases of English cukes. There are only 5 of us, we can’t eat that many. I gave some away, but my husband suggested pickles. I have made bread and butter pickles with zucchini, but never cukes. Do you suppose I can use English cukes?
Also, I have quart jars, and frankly we go through pickles fast enough that I’d rather do quarts. How long do you process quart jars?
Thanks,
Shel
Hi Shel, I’m sorry I didn’t get to answer this sooner. Did you make pickles with your cukes? I’d be interested to hear how they turned out. I expect they were fine, and that you have been enjoying them by now. I do appreciate your visit, and I hope you’ll stop by for another visit with us… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Can’t wait to try this recipe! Can you tell me how many cups of cucumbers 6 lbs would be?
Hi Erin, The 6lbs of cucumbers listed in the recipe is the weight of the cukes when purchased. It’s hard to say exactly how many cups that would translate into, but it would average about 4 cups per pound I think. Depends on how thin or how thick you slice them.
I hope you’ve had the chance to make some Bread and Butter Pickles with our recipe. Let me know how they turn out for you. I do appreciate your question and your visit. I hope you’ll visit with us again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Wow,it was great to run across your pictorial.I learned alot, I have always boiled my lids and rims,I am going to make some pickles on Friday! Thanks so much,I usually use cider vinegar and no pickling spice but I might try both versions this year and let my family be the judge.
Thank you for sharing your recipe and Congratulations on winning of the Blue Ribbon.
Will be giving your recipe a try. I haven’t canned pickles since I was a child helping my mother which was many many years ago.
I do wish that you had a printable button tho for the step by step instructions.
Steve, this has been my go-to recipe for years also. Same ingredients, except I use cider vinegar instead of white. And, I put my cut cucumbers and onions in an old gallon pickle jar, boil my liquids and seasonings, then pour over the cucumbers in the jar, let cool and place in the fridge. Best I’ve ever had! Going to try your recipe and can some so I can have them year round. Thanks for your recipe.