Quick & Easy

Bread and butter pickles

You'll be making delicious pickled cucumbers in no time!
bread & butter pickles recipe
4 Cup
3H
30M
3H 30M

So-named for their Depression-era legacy of being served as a frugal feed between slices of buttered bread, bread and butter pickles have seen a resurgence in popularity as foodies seek to minimise food waste. Enjoy these pickles as part of a share plate, or as a condiment on burgers, hot dogs and in sandwiches.

To sterilise jars

  • Place the cleaned jars on their sides in a large boiler or saucepan; cover with cold water.

  • Cover the pan and bring to the boil over high heat; boil for 20 minutes.

  • Carefully remove jars from water; drain.

  • Stand, top-side up, on a wooden board. The heat from the jars will cause any remaining water to evaporate quickly.

  • Stand the clean jars, top-side up, on a wooden board placed in a cold oven (do not allow the jars to touch); heat oven temperature to very slow (120°C/100°C fan-forced), then leave the jars in the oven for 30 minutes.

To seal jars

As soon as the preserves are spooned or poured into the sterilised jars or bottles, they must be correctly sealed to prevent deterioration. Fill the hot dry jars right to the top – preserves shrink slightly on cooling and a full jar means less trapped condensation. Seal the jars while still hot. This rule applies to all jams, jellies, pickles and chutneys.

Which lid do I use?

  • Metal lids are not suitable unless they have a protective plastic insert or liner to prevent corrosion.

  • Plastic screw-top lids give a good seal (plastic snap-on lids are not airtight enough). Plastic lids must be well washed, rinsed and dried, or put through the dishwasher.

  • Some older preserving outfits have glass lids; these can be sterilised in the same way as the jars.

  • Do not use aluminium foil, cellophane or paper covers for preserves; acid in the preserves will corrode foil, while paper and cellophane are not airtight enough for long-term keeping.

Ingredients

Method

1.Combine cucumber and onion in medium non-metallic bowl; sprinkle with salt, mix well. Cover; stand overnight.
2.Rinse and drain cucumber mixture; drain on absorbent paper. Spoon into hot sterilised jars.
3.Meanwhile, stir remaining ingredients in medium saucepan over high heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil; remove from heat.
4.Pour enough hot vinegar mixture into jars to cover cucumber mixture; seal immediately. Label and date jars when cold.

Before sealing, use a skewer or chopstick to free air bubbles trapped in the jars.

* Store pickle in a cool, dark place for at least three weeks before opening. Refrigerate after opening. The cucumbers will lose their colour on standing.

Note

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