Bread and Butter Pickles

Got a special request to post the recipe for Bread and Butter Pickles so here it is.

Bread and Butter Pickles

6 quarts thinly sliced pickling cucumbers

6 medium onions, peeled and sliced thin

½ c. pickling salt

1½ quarts vinegar

4½ c. sugar

½ c. whole mustard seed

1 T. Pickling spice

1 T. celery seeds

Wash cucumbers and trim off ends before slicing. Place in non-reactive bowl (stainless steel, enamel, plastic) add the onions and then salt and stir. Allow cucumbers and onions to sit in the salt for 3 hours. After 3 hours drain well, but do not rinse. Meanwhile combine remaining ingredients and bring to a boil in a non-reactive pan-stainless steel, enamel. Add cucumbers and onions and return to the boil. As soon as the mixture is boiling ladle into clean, hot pints jars, leaving a good ½ -inch of headspace.  Wipe rims and screw on lids firmly. Place in simmering water bath and process at 185-degrees F for 10 minutes. Remove to counter and allow to cool naturally. Makes 12 pints.

Note: these need a couple of weeks for the flavors to develop. They can also be made with firm, small zucchini.