How to Make Pickles

white vinegar

🥗Healthier: apple cider vinegar

💰Cheaper: distilled vinegar

Apple cider vinegar adds a fruity note while being healthier.

sugar

🥗Healthier: honey

💰Cheaper: agave syrup

Honey offers natural sweetness with a unique flavor.

garlic

🥗Healthier: garlic powder

💰Cheaper: onion powder

Garlic powder provides flavor without fresh garlic's cost.

dill

🥗Healthier: fresh herbs

💰Cheaper: dried herbs

Fresh herbs enhance flavor while dried herbs are more economical.

Introduce the recipe for bread and butter pickles and discuss cucumber varieties.

Select pickling cucumbers for their firmness and crispness, avoiding spongy ones.

Cut the ends off the cucumbers and slice them thickly for the pickles.

In a bowl, combine 2 cups of ice with 2 tablespoons of kosher salt and add the sliced cucumbers to extract moisture.

Let the cucumbers sit for a couple of hours to draw out liquid, then drain off the excess liquid and ice.

In a saucepan, combine 2 cups of granulated sugar, 2.5 cups of cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon of celery seeds, 1 tablespoon of mustard seeds, and 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric; heat to dissolve sugar and enhance flavors.

Prepare quart-sized wide-mouth canning jars by washing, rinsing, and sanitizing them in a 200-degree oven for at least 30 minutes.

Add bay leaves, black peppercorns, red pepper flakes, and onion to the jars, alternating with the cucumbers to pack them tightly.

Pour the hot brine over the packed cucumbers, filling just below the rim, and wipe the rim with a clean cloth.

Seal the jars with lids and rings, then place them in a boiling water bath for 10-15 minutes to process.

After processing, remove the jars and allow them to cool; listen for the popping sound indicating a proper seal. If a jar doesn't seal, refrigerate it.

Cooking Techniques

Spice Level: