I use Heinz white vinegar for a bright flavor. If you use organic sugar, weigh it because it’s a bit heavier than conventional white sugar. This makes about 8 cups.
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: bread and butter pickle, cucumber pickle
Ingredients
2poundspickling cucumbers
2small yellow onions(8 oz total)
3 ½tablespoonsfine sea salt or uniodized table salt
½teaspoonred pepper flakes,or 2 Thai or small serrano chiles
1-inchcinnamon stick(optional)
Instructions
Trim the blossom and stem ends from each cucumber, then cut crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices. Transfer to a large bowl. Slice the onions slightly thicker than the cucumber (halve the onion, before slicing, if you like). Toss with the salt and 2 ½ tablespoons sugar. Set aside, uncovered for 3 to 12 hours, to allow the vegetables to release liquid.
Rinse and drain the cucumber and onion well. Ready one 2-quart glass jar or two 1-quart jars. Set near the stove with a canning funnel.
In a 3- to 4-quart saucepan, combine the remaining 1 ⅓ cups sugar with enough vinegar for sweet-tart flavor. Add the turmeric, mustard, coriander, peppercorns, red pepper flakes and cinnamon. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add the cucumber and onion to the pot. When bubbles appear at the edge of the pot (a sign that it’s returning to a simmer), remove from the heat.
Transfer the cucumber, onion and pickling brine to the jar(s), pushing down the solids. There should be enough brine to barely or just cover the veggies. Partly cover, let cool for about 30 minutes, then cap and refrigerate overnight before eating. )Both the cucumber and onion are delicious.)
Notes
Mustard powder clouds the brine a bit but that does not affect the pickle flavor. When scaling this recipe up, use a larger pot.