Bread and butter pickles are sweet, tangy and absolutely addictive! They are great on sandwiches or if you’re anything like me, eat them straight out of the jar. This recipe only takes a few minuets to prepare and uses a few simple ingredients. The best part is that these homemade bread and butter pickles require no canning skills!
To be honest I wasn’t really a big fan of bread and butter pickles growing up. I always found them to be way too sweet and not tangy enough.
The flavors in the recipe are perfectly balanced and go well with many things. This recipe is for refrigerator pickles but you can totally can these if you want.
The traditional bread and butter recipe uses only onions with the cucumbers but feel free to add whatever vegetable you like. I like to add a little crushed red pepper to add a little sneaky heat.
These bread and butter pickles will stay fresh in the refrigerator for about a month or two. Always check your pickles for mold or strange smell before eating them.
Tips for success
- Use the right cucumber! – Don’t try to use the traditional slicing cucumber that you use for salads. They will turn into a mushy mess in the refrigerator. Buy cucumbers that say “Kirby” cucumbers or “pickling” cucumbers.
- Try to use super fresh cucumbers– The fresher the cucumbers are, the crispier your pickles will stay.
- Use pickle crisp in your recipe- I get this from the Ball canning company, its made from pure calcium chloride that is packed into a small jar for more convenient use. Adding this to your jars will keep your pickles crisp and will prevent them from getting soggy or mushy. Definitely don’t skip it!
- Use the right salt- Only use pure sea salt or canning salt. Traditional table salts contain iodine and non caking agents that will affect the look of your pickles.
How to make refrigerator bread and butter pickles
Equipment
- 4 pint canning jars
- canning funnel (optional)
- large pot or sauce pan (this is what I used)
- ladle
- mixing bowl
Ingredients
-
1/2 tsp minced garlic
-
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Remove the end pieces from the cucumbers and dispose of them. Slice the cucumbers into 1/4 inch coins then slice the onions and bell pepper into thin strips.
- Place all the vegetables in a large bowl and coat them with 2 tablespoons of salt. Place them in the refrigerator for about 3 hours or until most of the moisture has been removed.
- Drain the vegetables in a colander but do not rinse then pat them dry with a paper towel.
- Bring the water, vinegar, sugar and all the spices to a boil in a large sauce pan then remove from heat.
- Pack the vegetables in the jars then fill each jar with the hot brine. Tap the jars lightly to remove air bubbles.
- Place the lids on the jars and leave them on the counter to cool before moving them into the refrigerator.
- These pickles will last in the refrigerator for a couple of months but if you wish to preserve them longer then you would need to water bath can them.
- These pickles are great on sandwiches, burgers or just straight out of the jar! Enjoy!
Check out these other recipes!
Bread and Butter Pickle Recipe
Equipment
- 4 pint canning jars
- canning funnel (optional)
- large pot or sauce pan (this is what I uses)
- ladle
- mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 2 pounds pickling cucumbers
- 1 onion quartered and sliced thin
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1/2 tsp minced garlic
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper optional
- 2 tablespoons canning and pickling salt or sea salt for soaking
- 3 cups apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
- ¾ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon celery seeds
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon Ball Pickle Crisp for each jar
Instructions
- Remove the end pieces from the cucumbers and dispose of them. Slice the cucumbers into 1/4 inch coins then slice the onions and bell pepper into thin strips.
- Place all the vegetables in a large bowl and coat them with 2 tablespoons of salt. Place them in the refrigerator for about 3 hours or until most of the moisture has been removed.
- Drain the vegetables in a colander but do not rinse then pat them dry with a paper towel.
- Bring the water, vinegar, sugar and all the spices to a boil in a large sauce pan then remove from heat.
- Pack the vegetables in the jars then fill each jar with the hot brine. Tap the jars lightly to remove air bubbles.
- Place the lids on the jars and leave them on the counter to cool before moving them into the refrigerator.
- These pickles will last in the refrigerator for a couple of months but if you wish to preserve them longer then you would need to water bath can them.
- These pickles are great on sandwiches, burgers or just straight out of the jar! Enjoy!