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A bowl full of bread and butter pickles surrounded by jars of homemade bread and butter pickles in cans.
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Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe

A tart not too sweet bread and butter pickle recipe for canning. These bread and butter pickles are fantastic on hamburgers and sandwiches.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American, Canadian
Keyword bread and butter pickles recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 4 minutes
12 hours
Total Time 12 hours 24 minutes
Servings 6 pints

Ingredients

  • 5 lbs pickling cucumbers (about 3 quarts or 6 pints)
  • 4 tsp pickling salt
  • 3 ½ cups pickling vinegar
  • 1 cup thinly sliced sweet onion optional
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 cups white sugar
  • 6 tsp pickling spice

Instructions

The Day Before

  • Scrub fresh cucumbers and slice thinly (1/8").
  • Place the sliced cucumbers into a large bowl. Mix together 4 tsp pickling salt and cup of water. Stir until salt is dissolved, pour over cucumbers. Add more water just to cover the cucumbers. Cover in plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight.
    A large bowl of sliced cucumbers soaking in salt water.

Making the Bread and Butter Pickles

  • Start by making the pickling brine. Add the pickling vinegar, water, white sugar and pickling spice into a very large large pot. Stir well.
    A large pot full of bread and butter pickle brine.
  • Add the slice cucumbers to the brine, over medium high heat bring the cucumber and brine mixture to a soft boil, stirring regularly. Once boiling let the pickled boil for boil for 4 minutes.
    A large pot filled with cooking bread and butter pickles
  • Pack the hot pickles into the hot sterilized jars, one jar at a time. Place the hot lid and ring on top seal to a finger tightness. Set aside and let cool.
    Canning bread and butter pickles, and placing the hot pickles into sterilized jar.
  • Don't touch the jars while cooling. As the jars cool you will hear them "pop". Once the jars are cooled, push on the lids to test if they are sealed.
  • If the lids push down and you hear a warbling sound, the jar isn't sealed. This can happen for lots of reasons, maybe the jar wasn't hot enough, or their isn't quite enough brine etc. If a jar doesn't seal, store it in the fridge instead of the cupboard. Eat the refrigerated pickles within two months.