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Old-Fashioned Bread and Butter Pickle Recipe from the Illinois Farmhouse

Bread And Butter Pickle Recipe

This is the golden, crisp, sweet-tangy pickle that made a name for itself in a small Illinois farm kitchen. Thin coins of Kirby cucumber and sweet onion are drawn down with salt and ice, then bathed in a warm turmeric brine spiced with mustard seed, celery seed, and clove. The result is a jar that turns any sandwich, burger, or cheese board into something worth remembering.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 4 Pint Jars
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 90
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 lb Kirby pickling cucumbers sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
  • 2 large yellow onions thinly sliced
  • 1/3 cup kosher or pickling salt not iodized table salt
  • 3 cups ice cubes
  • 3 cups distilled white vinegar 5 percent acidity
  • 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 tbsp yellow mustard seed whole
  • 1 tbsp celery seed whole
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric for the signature golden color
  • 8 whole cloves

Equipment

  • 1 large glass or ceramic bowl not reactive metal
  • 1 Colander
  • 1 mandoline or sharp chef's knife for even thin slices
  • 1 large non-reactive pot stainless steel or enamel
  • 4 pint canning jars with lids sterilized
  • 1 Wooden spoon

Method
 

  1. Slice the Kirby cucumbers into even 1/4 inch rounds. Thinly slice the yellow onions to about the same thickness so everything cures at the same rate.
  2. Layer the cucumbers and onions in a large glass or ceramic bowl, scattering the kosher salt across each layer. Bury the ice cubes on top so they sit in direct contact with the vegetables.
  3. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 3 hours. The salt and ice will pull water out of the cucumbers, which is what keeps them crisp after pickling.
  4. Tip the bowl into a colander and drain thoroughly. Rinse the cucumbers and onions under cold running water for 30 seconds to wash off excess salt, then let them drain again while you build the brine.
  5. In a large non-reactive pot, combine the distilled white vinegar, granulated sugar, yellow mustard seed, celery seed, ground turmeric, and whole cloves. Set over medium heat and stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar dissolves completely, about 4 minutes.
  6. Bring the brine just to a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil. Add the drained cucumbers and onions to the pot and stir to coat every slice in the golden liquid.
  7. Heat the mixture only until the cucumber slices turn from bright green to a dull olive green, about 5 to 7 minutes. Do not let the brine boil hard or the pickles will go soft.
  8. Immediately pack the hot cucumbers and onions into 4 sterilized pint jars, distributing the whole spices evenly between them. Ladle the hot brine over the top, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace and covering the vegetables completely.
  9. Wipe the rims clean, seal with lids, and let the jars cool to room temperature on the counter, about 2 hours.
  10. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving so the flavors marry. For shelf-stable jars, process the sealed jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes, then cool undisturbed for 12 hours before storing.

Notes

  • Serve alongside cheeseburgers, deli ham sandwiches, BLTs, tuna or egg salad, or the original pairing of buttered white bread.
  • They also shine on a cheese and charcuterie board next to sharp cheddar.
  • Refrigerator method keeps 1 to 3 months. For shelf-stable jars, process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
  • Do not let the brine reach a rolling boil once the cucumbers go in, or they will soften. Pull them off the heat the moment the slices shift from bright to olive green.
  • Kirby cucumbers are essential for crunch. Slicing cucumbers will turn mushy.