This was our first preserved B&B Pickles made with our cucumbers from our garden. Mary had made some great B&B refrigerator pickles. The preparations below were inspired by the one at Better Homes and Garden here and in our copy of their book. It turned out too sweet and not quite spicy enough.
Yield: 5 pints
Ingredients
- 4 quarts sliced medium cucumbers (16 medium to small cukes)
- 2 medium white onions, sliced
- ? cup pickling salt
- 6 cloves garlic, halved
- Cracked ice
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 cups cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons mustard seed
- 1?½ teaspoons turmeric
- 1?½ teaspoons celery seed
- We added for spice:
- 1 ½ tablespoons of Sambal Oelek
- 3 large jalapenos, seeds removed and diced
Directions
- Slice the cukes and onion with the mandoline. Combine cucumbers, onions, pickling salt, and garlic. Add 2 inches of cracked ice. Refrigerate for 3 hours; drain well in a colander.
- In a large kettle combine sugar, vinegar, mustard seed, turmeric, and celery seed. Heat to boiling. Add cucumber mixture. Return to boiling. Pack cucumber mixture and liquid into hot, sterilized jars, leaving a 1/2-inch headspace.
- Process in a boiling-water canner 10 minutes.
The jalapenos added something we are sure but they were not spicy at all. They tasted just like B&B pickles.
6/8/2021 – Two Years Later – Mary found a 1/2 pint jar of these pickles. When opened they smelled normal and had good color and clarity. They tasted good even though our recipe has evolved into less sugar and more kick. We also now use a crisping agent as these were a bit too limp. See B&B No. 4.
