Bread and Butter Pickles: A Sweet Change

When I think of pickles, my first thought is a dill pickle. But why? They aren’t even one of my favorites. Bread and butter pickles and half-sours are really what I enjoy with most foods. So, with all the cucumbers that my garden produced this year, I am trying my hand at making bread and butter pickles: a sweet change.

Still Love a Dill, But…

Don’t get me wrong, I love dill pickles on hamburgers and chicken sandwiches. In fact, I always ask for extra. But…after making a batch of dill pickles last year and not being thrilled with the results, I am making the sweet and tangy bread and butter pickle this year.

Why the Name Bread and Butter?

Why are these delicious pickles called Bread and Butter? Without going into too much history, here is what I’ve learned. Around the time of the Great Depression, a couple named Omar and Cora Fanning began cucumber farming. When they had trouble making ends meet, they began making pickles using a family recipe. They would barter with locals exchanging their pickles for necessities such as bread and butter ^[1]https://www.mashed.com/225224/how-bread-and-butter-pickles-got-their-name/.

The Handwritten Gift

If you have been reading along, you may recall the box of treasures that was sent to me last year from a dear friend. One of the gifts inside was a jar of bread and butter pickles he had made using his mother’s recipe. Lucky for me, he also included the recipe in his handwriting (handwritten recipes…what treasures).

Bread And Butter, Circa 1950

Her name was Hilda Lee Patterson Winstead and she was the mother of Frank Winstead. Frank has been a part of my life since I can remember. He was the principal at the school where my mom worked in the ’70s and he’s still sharing parts of his life with me. The bread and butter recipe came from his mother and was titled Bread and Butter Pickles, Circa 1950. He even included the dates of her lifespan. I would expect nothing less from Frank!

Get Ready to Pickle Your Cucumbers

Bread and Butter Pickles

Bread and Butter Pickles, Circa 1950

Hilda Lee Patterson Winstead, 1950

These pickles are perfectly sweet and tangy. They pair nicely with sandwiches, burgers, and vegetables or dress up your charcuterie board with these unexpected treats! Once you have sealed the jars, you will have bread and butter pickles waiting on you all year.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 2 hours hrs

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Pickling and Chilling Cucumbers 4 hours hrs

Course Condiment

Cuisine American

Servings 8 pints

Equipment

• Canning jars and lids
• Large pot for creating a water bath for your jars

Ingredients

  

• 1 gallon pickling cucumbers sliced (about 20-24, 4" cucumbers)
• 5-7 medium onions sliced, Vidalia or other sweet variety
• 2 Red Peppers sliced or chopped
• 1/2 cup Pickling Salt
• Chopped Ice enough to cover the veggies

Vinegar and Spice Mixture

• 5 cups Sugar
• 4 cups White Vinegar
• 1 cup Water filtered or spring water
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cloves
• 1 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric
• 1 teaspoon Celery Seed
• 2 tablespoons Mustard Seed

Instructions

 

4 Hours Before Canning

• Place sliced cucumbers, onions, and peppers in a large pan or bowl and cover with 1/2 cup pickling salt and chopped ice for 4 hours. '

  Drain after 4 hours.
  

Get Ready to Can

• Combine the sugar and spices.
  
• Mix vinegar, water, and sugar/spice mixture in a large pan. Add the cucumber mixture.
  
• Boil together for 3 minutes.
  
• Begin filling your jars. Leave about 1/2 inch space on top.
  
• Top each jar with sterilized lids and rings. Tighten the rings before next step.
  
• To seal, place jars in a water bath:

  1/2 pint jars= 5 minutes in water bath

  Pint jars= 10 minutes in water bath

  Quart jars= 15 minutes in water bath

  (See notes below for details about a water bath)
  
• Carefully remove hot jars from the water bath and place on a towel to cool completely.
  

Notes

A few tips…

• You will need about 20-24, 4″ pickling cucumbers to equal a pound. This will make approximately 16, 1/2 pints or 8 pints of pickles.
• Be sure to use pickling salt and not regular salt to prevent your pickles from becoming cloudy.
• Use filtered or spring water. Using faucet water may add unwanted chlorine or additives.
• Before placing the flat lids on the jars, be sure to wipe the rims with a damp cloth. This will ensure a safe seal.
• A water bath consists of warm, filled jars covered in water (just enough to cover). I place my jars in warm water. I do not recommend adding warm jars to cold water! Bring to a boil and let simmer for appropriate time.

 

Keyword bread and butter pickles, canning, cucumbers, family recipe, pickles

Go For It!

I have only been canning for about 2 years. Trust me, it seems intimidating at first, but it is really an easy process once you find some basic equipment (nothing fancy needed). If you are curious, I hope you will give it a try. Once you get a taste of it, you just might want to start your own garden. Are you canning something unique? Please share your pictures and recipes!