I’ve been buying Kirby cucumbers in bulk from the farmer’s market — the compact kind with a bumpy exterior, mild flavor and addictive crunch. They are great sliced into salads, but their crunch factor makes them ideal candidates for pickling. And I love pickles…like really, truly love them. This recipe for Crunchy Bread and Butter Pickles is my go-to pickle recipe, based on pickles my mom always makes in the summer up in Michigan. She can never seem to find the actual recipe, so this is my interpretation.
These are technically bread and butter pickles, with the distinctive sweet and sour flavor; however, I go light on the sugar, preferring just a touch of sweetness. Mustard seeds, celery seeds, turmeric and coriander round out the flavors to produce a perfectly balanced brine. This recipe calls for the extra step of salting the cucumbers and allowing them to rest in the fridge for one hour before giving them a good rinse. It’s an optional step, but I highly recommend taking it. The salt draws the moisture out of the cucumbers, yielding extra crunchy pickles. More crunch is always welcome when it comes to pickles.
Once you pour the brine over the rinsed cucumbers, they take an overnight rest in the fridge and transform into the crunchiest, most flavorful pickles. Proceed to eat them straight from the jar or pile on sandwiches. I particularly love a peanut butter and pickle sandwich on rye. It’s a habit I developed during pregnancy and one I don’t plan on quitting anytime soon. I recently splurged on this peanut butter, and it’s delicious. Give a PB&P a try. It’s not weird, I promise.
Have a great week! xo Maggie
P.S. If you’re looking for other sandwich ideas, I love these sweet potato, apple + cheddar sandwiches.
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PinIngredients
- 1 1/2 lb cucumbers, preferably Kirby (about 6 small Kirbys)
- 1/2 yellow onion
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar
- 1 cup distilled white vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup sugar (I used raw cane sugar)
- 1 tbsp mustard seeds
- 2 tsp celery seeds
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
Instructions
- Slice cucumbers and onions 1/4” thick using a mandolin or sharp knife. Place in a large bowl and toss with the salt. Refrigerate for 1 hour, letting the salt draw the moisture out of the cucumbers. This step is optional, but highly recommended because it makes for the crunchiest pickles! Transfer to strainer and rinse well under cold water.
- Meanwhile, prepare the brine. Place remaining ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and allow the brine to cool while the cucumbers rest in the fridge.
- Once the cucumbers and onions are rinsed and drained, transfer to a large glass jar or two. Pour the brine over the cucumber mixture, pressing down to completely submerge the pickles. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours. The pickles will keep in the fridge for 3 weeks. Enjoy!
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