Making pickles is simple and you will enjoy delicious homemade pickles all year round! I personally don’t really care for store-bought pickles, but I LOVE my Bread & Butter Pickles! My kids LOVE them too – a lot! So if you’ve never made Pickles before, but want to give it a try – here’s how:
How to make Pickles
Use pickling cucumbers that are about 4” long (this means the seeds will not be too big inside). Wash pickles and slice them 1/4 – 1/3” thick. Put pickles, ice, and canning salt (just sprinkle, you will wash this off later) in a large bowl. Wait 4+ hours, this is what makes the pickles crunchy!
Rinse the pickles well ( you don’t want to eat all that salt!)
Put pickles in a clean, sterilized canning jar. I like to add red peppers, garlic, and a few onions – they not only add a good flavor, but make the pickles look pretty too!
Note: To sterilize the jars put clean jars and lids in boiling water for 5 minutes.
Our Favorite Bread & Butter Pickles Recipe
In a medium-large saucepan boil 3 cups apple cider vinegar, 5 cups whit sugar, 2 TAB mustard seeds, 1 1/2 teas celery seed, and 1/2 teas cloves. Pour liquid in jars, leaving 1/2” space. Wipe the rims clean (juice will make it hard to open jars later) and put on the lids.
Canning Pickles
Put the jars in boiling water, making sure the water goes 1” above the top of the jars. Boil 10 minutes. Remove jars and allow them to cool on a towel. Make sure the lids “pop” to ensure they don’t spot. If the lids have popped you can store them in the pantry for up to 18 months. If the lids do not pop, store in refrigerator and use within a month.
Additional Resources :
- 2012 Gardening Plan (including my favorite seed varieties)
- How to Can Tomatoes
- Hatching Butterflies with {free} printable
- I is for inchworm Preschool Unit
- Koolaid Playdough
- Homemade Blueberry Syrup in the Microwave
