Bread-and-Butter Pickles

In my canning/pickling.preserving adventures, I've been looking for the perfect bread and butter pickle recipe. I found it in my old-time favorite Food & Wine magazine. So good that I made a second batch to share with lucky folks at the holidays.

Bread and Butter Pickles
Makes six pints.

1 cup kosher salt
1 1/2 gallons water
5 1/2 pounds Kirby cucumbers, sliced crosswise on a mandoline 1/8 inch thick
5 cups cider vinegar
5 cups sugar
2 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds
1 tablespoon celery seeds
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 tablespoon coarsely cracked black pepper

In a very large bowl or pot, dissolve the salt in the water. Add the cucumbers, cover and soak overnight in the refrigerator. (Blogger's Note: Don't skip this step. This brining process will keep the pickles crisp.) 

In a large, heavy pot, combine the vinegar and sugar and cook until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Drain the cucumbers and add them to the pot. Stir gently and bring to a boil, then turn off the heat.

Ladle the hot cucumbers and their liquid into 6 hot 1-pint glass canning jars, leaving a 1/2 inch of space at the top. Close with the lids and rings.

To process, boil the jars for 10 minutes. Cool the pickles to room temperature and serve immediately or store them in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year. Refrigerate after opening.