A friend of mine, also a novice gardener, asked me to start my recipes a little further back. I think she meant in the preparation process - like starting with the gardening issues for the ingredients. So I figured this recipe would be perfect, since I think this one also goes a little further back in time.
Growing up I thought everyone's pantry contained a shelf full of these beauties! Only once I grew up & moved away, did I realize they only came from moms & grandmas who canned them. Canning isn't nearly as common as it use to be. So, in an effort to prevent this delight from falling away with time, let's see if we can bring it back from near extinction.
For information on planting, growing & harvesting Cucumbers & Onions, click this link to view the gardening page of my website. Mama Szasz Gardening Tips
BREAD & BUTTER PICKLES
3 lb. cucumbers (you can also use green tomatoes)
1/3 cup salt (kosher or sea salt - they won't turn the juice milky)
1/2 lb. onions (white or yellow) - sliced in rounds
2 cups cider vinegar
1 & 2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. celery seed
2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. turmeric
1/8 tsp. mace
If using green tomatoes, choose smooth, even-sized tomatoes that have acquired a white-ish color which happens just before ripening.
Then, try to pick your cucumbers early, before they get fat & white-ish. The length of the cucumber will vary, depending on the type you plant, but try to get them when they are 1" - 2" in diameter. Wash, remove stem & blossom scar, then cut into 1/2" rounds (1/4" rounds for green tomatoes).
Place in a bowl (not metal), sprinkle with salt,
Add the water & mix it up with your hands.
Cover this with a plate & let it sit for about 24 hours.
THE NEXT DAY
Get prepared for canning. You'll need:
5 or 6 pint mason jars, with lids & rings
A big pot that will fit all the jars covered with water
Something to reach into the hot water with - salad tongs work
Fill that pot with water & start heating it - takes a while
Wash the mason jars - then dunk them in boiling water
for about 15 seconds.
Pour the cucumbers into a strainer & let drain for about 15 minutes.
While they're draining, slice the onions.
Place the cucumbers, onions, vinegar, sugar & spices in a pot.
Stir & simmer this for about 15 minutes.
Ladle this into your mason jars, this may take some pushing & re-arranging. Don't cram the cucumbers in, but don't leave extra wasted space. Pouring remaining juices over them until they are full to about 1/2" from the top.
If it happens that there isn't quite enough juice to do this, add a little more cider vinegar to each jar.
Dunk your lids & rings in boiling water for about 15 seconds, & put them on the jars. Screw them on to finger tight, & set them in the pot of boiling water.
Make sure the jars are completely covered with water & let them boil for 15 minutes.
Remove the jars from the water, placing them on a towel or hot pads, or something of the sort. Then cover them with another towel & let them cool.
This is the fun part: now wait to hear the little puppies *pop*, & you know they're sealed well. You can test this after they've cooled, by pressing down on the center of the lid with your finger. If it still pops up & down, it's not sealed. That's ok though. If one or two don't seal, just keep them in the frig & eat them within the next couple weeks. The others can get labeled & go in the pantry.
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