Bread and Butter Pickles
Perhaps the second most iconic pickle that we grew up with in the Midwest was the Bread and Butter Pickle, which is a sweet-sour spiced pickle that is the prefect accompaniment to burgers or hot dogs. Unlike the other recipes presented here, these are not fermented to make them sour. Rather, fresh cucumber slices are tossed with salt to extract water, rinsed, and then packed in a sugar-vinegar syrup. You need to let the mixture rest for about a month to allow the initial harshness of the syrup to dissipate, however. The following recipe is another that was almost lost. As related by Jeanne Lesem in her 1992 Preserving in Today's Kitchen (ISBN 978-0805048810), the original recipe was found hand-written (without measurements) on a blank page in Lena Wolf’s (Jeanne's Aunt Onie's) copy of the 1921 Good Things to Eat published by the members of the Chancel Chapter of the Grace Cathedral in Topeka, Kansas. We think this is one of the very best bread and butter pickles that we’ve ever made. 6-8 pounds of small cucumbers, cut into ¼ inch slices using a wavy potato slicer Layer the cucumber and onion slices with salt in a nonreactive bowl. Cover with water and refrigerate at least 5 hours, or overnight. Drain the cucumbers and onions. Rinse and drain again. Repeat one last time, and let drain in a colander while you make the syrup. Place sugar, vinegar, and spices in a saucepan and heat to just boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to keep the syrup at a low simmer. Pack the cucumber and onion slices tightly into pint or quart jars, leaving 1 inch of head space. Cover the slices with the hot syrup, making sure there is at least ½” covering the top of the cucumber and onion slices. Partition the whole spices equally between your jars. Process in a hot water bath for 20 minutes to seal. Remove from heat and let sit a month before opening. Archive |
 |
 |
 |