Bread & Butter Pickles

Still using up cucumbers! My dill is finally coming on, so I did 5 quarts of dill pickles and then had enough cucumbers left to do these yummy pickles. These sweet Bread and Butter Pickles are a little more time consuming than a quick dill pickle, but are easy to do and tasty to eat.  They are a lot like the Refrigerator Pickles I posted about last week, but these are easily bottled to use through the year. (and save fridge space)  Bread and Butter Pickles are meant to be used on sandwiches or as an accompaniment to a main dish.  My favorite way to eat them is with tender roast beef.  Yummy!  This is my Mom's recipe.  I don't know where she got the recipe, but she was making these before I was born.  (back in the day of the dinosaur if you ask my younger kids lol )

Mom's Bread & Butter Pickles

6 quarts of sliced pickling cucumbers (about 1/8 inch thick)

2 quarts of sliced onion

4 peppers, sliced (green, red, or a combination of both)

1/2 C. salt

ice cubes

Layer the veggies, salt, and ice cubes in a VERY large bowl - or a nice, clean sink.  Let stand 3 hours.   Drain, but don't rinse.

In a very large pot (I use the bottom of my pressure canner or water bath canner)  mix the following:

2 quarts apple cider vinegar (Heinz is my favorite brand)

2 quarts of sugar

1 T. mustard seed

1 T. celery seed

2 T. turmeric

Bring to a boil, add the drained veggies and boil a few minutes.  Put a pinch of Alum in each jar.  Fill pint jars with pickles and liquid. (you'll have some liquid left over)  Put lids on and process in a cold water bath for 10 minutes.  Makes about 13-14 pints.

Joy's Notes:  I've found you can easily add a few extra cups of sliced cucumbers.  I think the red peppers are pretty, but it tastes the same with red or green.  Heinz vinegar really makes a better pickle.  I don't know what the difference is, but it is noticeable to me.