Bread and Butter Refrigerator Pickles

Ingredients:

1 -3 quart basket of pickling cucumbers, cleaned and cut into 1/8” slices

1 large white onion, thinly sliced

3 tbsp. Kosher salt (NOT table salt)

2 ½ cups cider vinegar

1 ½  cups white vinegar

1 ½ cups white sugar

½  tsp. turmeric

½ tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)

Into each jar, put

1 tsp. whole mustard seed

½ tsp. celery seed

½ tsp. black peppercorns

Even if you aren’t going to process the pickles,  you should make sure the jars are very clean. I use the dishwasher and make sure they go through the whole drying cycle.

Directions:

Mix the onions and cucumbers and salt and place in a large colander or sieve. Allow to sit for 2 or 3 hours and drain. (I sometimes add the liquid to the vinegar mixture)

In a saucepan, mix the sugar and vinegar with turmeric. Heat to boiling to make sure sugar is dissolved.

Fill jars with the cucumbers and onions. Pack them fairly tightly.

Pour the hot liquid over and put the lids on.

Let them sit on the counter until they are room temperature. Refrigerate for at least a week before eating.  They will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of months, or they can be processed in a water bath to store for longer.   These pickles aren’t as sweet as commercial bread and butter pickles, so if you prefer a sweeter taste, add more sugar to the brine.