Bread & Butter Pickles

Prep time: 30 min

Soak time: 2 hrs

Jarring time: 30 min

*Wait 2 weeks before eating to let the flavor develop fully.

Salt Water Soak:

20 small cucumbers (about 18 cups sliced)

2 1/2 quarts water

1/2 cup salt

ice cubes

Pickling Brine:

1 quart apple cider vinegar

1 quart water

6 c. white sugar

4 tsp mustard seed

4 tsp turmeric

1 tsp celery seed

2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced

6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

Wash cucumbers and remove any bad spots.  Do not peel. Slice cucumbers about 1/8 inch thick. Place in large pot with 2 1/2 quarts water and 1/2 cup salt. Add ice cubes to keep water cold. Let soak for 2 hours. 

Drain cucumbers and rinse thoroughly twice. 

Mix up pickling brine and heat to a rolling boil. Reduce heat and add cucumbers.  Heat through but do not boil.

Sterilize 12 pint jars in boiling water bath.  Put hot pickles into hot jars and fill to 1/4 inch from rim.  Seal jars.  Allow to cool for several hours.  Wait 2 weeks before opening jars to eat.  Shake each jar lightly once each day for the 2 weeks. 

***Note:  The turmeric used in the pickling brine will stain anything it touches yellow.  Please keep this in mind while making your pickles.  It will stain everything!  I dropped a hot pickle on the floor (which is off white) and left it there while I finished filling the jar I was working on.  I'm still not sure how to get the yellow circle off my floor.  Just thought I would share that little tidbit.  Enjoy your pickles!