Summer Time is Pickle Time

Summer provides a bounty of cucumbers for pickling and here is the most delicious and easy to make fresh bread and butter pickles that you have ever eaten.

No fancy equipment needed, well maybe a knife that cuts the pickles into the traditional waffle pattern. 

You can make your pickles hot and spicy with the addition of a hot chili pepper or habanero pepper; just put it in the jar with the rest of the ingredients.

Once you have tasted them, just try to keep from eating them all.

The Best Bread and Butter Pickles

Yield: About 4 cups of pickles

Ingredients:

5½ cups (about 1½ pounds) thinly sliced pickling cucumbers

1½ tablespoons kosher salt

1 cup thinly sliced sweet onion

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup white vinegar

½ cup apple cider vinegar

¼ cup light brown sugar

1½ teaspoons mustard seeds

½ teaspoon celery seeds

1 teaspoon pickling spice

1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric

Chili pepper or Habanero pepper (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine cucumbers and salt in a large, shallow bowl; cover and chill 1½ hours. Move cucumbers into a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold water. Drain well, and return cucumbers to bowl. Add onion to the bowl and toss with the cucumbers.

2. Combine the granulated sugar, white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, mustard seeds, celery seeds, pickling spice and ground turmeric in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Pour the hot vinegar mixture over cucumber mixture; let stand at room temperature 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate 24 hours. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 2 weeks.