Grandma Elsies Bread And Butter Pickles Recipes

Steps:

• Wash cucumbers well. Slice, then discard any slices with blemishes.
• Mix cucumbers, onions, and salt; let stand 2 hours. Drain and rinse off excess salt.
• Combine vinegar, boiling water, mustard seed, celery seed, turmeric and sugar. Bring to a boil, add cucumbers. Cook 5 minutes.
• Pack into hot sterilized jars leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe rim of jar with a damp paper towel. Adjust 2 piece caps. Process in a boiling water bath canner for 15 minutes.
• *Test cucumbers for hollowness: if a cucumber floats in a bucket of water, it's a "hollow" cucumber and is good for relish, not pickling.
• **To avoid a cloudy brine or darkened pickles, do not use common table salt (use only canning salt).

Steps:

• In a large container, combine the cucumbers, onions and salt. Cover with crushed ice and mix well. Let stand for 3 hours. Drain; rinse and drain again., In a Dutch oven, combine the sugar, vinegar and seasonings; bring to a boil. Add cucumber mixture; return to a boil. Remove from the heat., Carefully ladle hot mixture into hot pint jars, leaving 1/2-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot mixture. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars; screw on bands until fingertip tight. Place jars into canner with simmering water, ensuring that they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil; process for 15 minutes. Remove jars and cool.

Steps:

• Trim ends from cucumbers and slice into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. In a colander set over a plate, toss them with salt. Refrigerate, uncovered, for 2 hours. Drain and transfer cucumbers and dill to a bowl.
• In a small saucepan, combine sugar, vinegar, coriander, peppercorns and allspice. Bring to a boil and cook until sugar dissolves. Pour hot liquid over cucumbers and toss well. Let stand, tossing every 10 minutes, for 30 minutes. Transfer to an airtight jar and refrigerate for up to 1 week.

Steps:

• First layer cucumbers and onions and sprinkle with salt, then pour on ice water.
• Let stand atleast 2 hours and drain well.
• Mix remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.
• Drop in cucumbers and onions, cook until almost transparent - about 5 minutes hard boiling.
• Place hot mixture into sterilized jars, place lids and allow to cool.

Steps:

• 1. Sterilize 5 quart glass canning jars and rings with new lids. Set aside.
• 2. In a large plastic container, layer sliced cucumbers with the 1/2 cup of pickling salt, onions and ice cubes. Add cold water to cover. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
• 3. In a dutch oven over high heat, stir together vinegars, sugar and spices.
• 4. Rinse refrigerated cucumbers and onions several times with cold water in a large colander. With tongs, fill each jar with cucumbers and onions all the way to the top.
• 5. Carefully, ladle the boiling sugar and vinegar mix into each jar all the way up to 1/2 inch of top. Wipe around the tops of each jar with a clean, damp cloth and attach the lids and rings. Place in counter to cool for 1/2 hour and tighten lids snugly.
• 6. Place in refrigerator and leave for a week. I don't pressure process mine as they disappear quickly. Pickles are good for up to three months refrigerated.

Steps:

• Mix cucumbers and onions together in a bowl. Stir in salt and let sit for 2 hours.
• Stir vinegar, water, sugar, celery seed, mustard seed, ginger, and turmeric together in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil; add cucumber mixture and continue to boil until cucumbers and onions are tender, about 5 minutes.
• Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack the hot cucumber mixture into the hot, sterilized jars, filling the jars to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids, and screw on rings.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil and lower jars into the boiling water using a holder. Leave a 2-inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary to bring the water level to at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a rolling boil, cover the pot, and process for 15 minutes.
• Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Store in a cool dark area.

Steps:

• Place the cucumbers and onion in a large bowl with the salt and garlic. Cover with ice and toss to mix. Let stand for 3 hours to crisp, then drain well, removing any ice that has not yet melted. Do not rinse.
• If preserving the pickles, sterilize six 1-pint heat-tempered canning jars (see Know-how, page 291).
• Combine the vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, celery seeds, and turmeric in a large pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the cucumbers, onion, and garlic, bring back to a boil, and remove immediately from the heat.
• For refrigerator pickles, refrigerate in airtight containers for two weeks to allow flavors to develop, or for up to 1 month.
• For preserved pickles, pack in the sterilized jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace, and process in a hot water bath for about 10 minutes to vacuum-seal (see Know-how, page 291). Let cool to room temperature, check the seal, and store in a cool, dark place for 2 weeks to allow flavors to develop before serving, or for up to 6 months. Refrigerate after opening.
• Pickling cucumbers are firm-fleshed, small-seeded varieties that hold up especially well to pickling, meaning they keep their crunch, and they are the ones I recommend using; some of the most common varieties are Kirbys and gherkins. When selecting the cucumbers, make sure they are no longer than the jars you are putting them in; for pint jars they should be 4 1/2 to 5 inches or less. If your cucumbers are larger, use quart jars or trim the ends.
• There is something so rewarding about opening up a jar of Sour Cherry Preserves (page 304) or Green Tomato Chow-Chow (page 300) long after the berries and tomatoes of summer have given way to winter. Happily, making your own preserves is really very easy. All you need to get started are a few inexpensive pieces of equipment and an understanding of a few basic techniques. Here's everything you need to know:
• • 1 or 2 large, heavy nonreactive metal pots
• • Sterile, heat-tempered glass canning jars, such as Ball or Kerr brand, plus an equal number of lids and rings.
• • Tongs, for lifting the jars out of the water bath
• • Funnel, for cleanly filling jars
• • Canning rack, for loading jars securely in the water bath
• • Magnetic lid lifter, to lift sterilized lids without touching them
• The first step in canning is always to sterilize or scald the jars (including the lids and rings) in which the food will be stored. This ensures a safe, clean environment and minimizes the risk of spoilage or bacterial growth. This step is especially important if the recipe calls for processing in a water bath for less than 10 minutes. To sterilize, place the jars, lids, and rings in a large pot, cover with water, and boil for 10 to 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the jars in the pot, covered, until ready to fill.
• • Drain and carefully fill the hot jars according to the recipe, taking care not to touch the rims or interiors with your bare hands. Use a funnel if possible.
• • When filling the jars with raw vegetables, such as cucumbers, to make pickles, pack the vegetables as tightly as possible, pressing down with your fingers as you fill the jars.
• • If making pickles in a brine, be sure the vegetables are completely covered with the pickling liquid.
• • Make sure to leave the headspace recommended in the recipe (typically 1/4 to 1/2 inch, depending on the acidity of the food); this ensures the jars seal properly.
• • Remove any air bubbles before sealing by tapping each jar on the counter a few times or stirring with a sterilized spoon or chopstick.
• • Wipe the rims using a clean cloth, place the lids on the jars, and screw on the rings until secure but not fully tightened.
• This is the method I use when making jams, fruit preserves, and chutneys.
• • Pack the jars as noted above.
• • The jam, preserves, or chutney should be boiling when packed in the hot, sterilized jars. This is key to ensuring that the jars seal correctly.
• • Place the sterilized lids on the jars and screw on the rings until secure but not fully tightened.
• • Invert the closed jars for about 2 minutes and then turn them upright (this allows the hot liquid to soften the rubber on the lid, thus ensuring a tight seal).
• This is the method I use to preserve pickles and relishes.
• • Always bring the water bath to a good rolling boil before you begin. Reduce the heat and keep it at a simmer after the filled jars have been added; rapidly boiling water may cause water to leak into the jars.
• • Using tongs or a canning rack, carefully lower the jars into the boiling water until fully submerged, making sure they are not touching. Cover and simmer according to the recipe (typically 10 to 20 minutes, depending on what you are processing).
• • You may need to adjust the cooking time for altitude. For altitudes between 1,000 and 6,000 feet, add 5 minutes; between 6,000 and 12,000 feet, add 10 minutes.
• • When you are done processing, turn off the heat and let the jars sit in the water for another 5 minutes.
• • Remove the jars from the water and let sit undisturbed until completely cool, about 5 hours or overnight. As the jars cool down you should be able to hear the lids popping, a sign that they are sealing correctly.
• • When the jars have cooled completely, tighten the rings all the way.
• • Check the seal on each lid. If sealed properly, the center will be slightly depressed and will not "pop" when pressed.
• • If any of the lids haven't sealed, store those jars in the refrigerator for up to 1 to 2 months and use first.
• • Using labels or a permanent marker, clearly mark the jars with the packing date.
• • Store in a cool, dark place until ready to use. Most perserves will keep for 6 months to 1 year. Refrigerate after opening and use within 1 to 2 months.