Making Refrigerator Bread & Butter Pickles and More!

Making Refrigerator Bread & Butter Pickles and More!

Back in the depression years, sweet and tangy pickles were made to spice up the boring bread and butter that was often a staple.  They can also be called a sweet pickle.  But I gotta tell you, I love these pickles.  And because they have slices of pickled onions, it is very versatile.  I can chop them up in the summer to add to various salad recipes; regular salads, egg or tuna, or potato salad, and they are oh so delicious in Italian Pasta, cucumber and tomato salads.  They are also wonderful served on the side of sandwiches (whether burgers or deli) and they have a light, mild flavor.

Did I say easy?  Yes.  A mixture of sugar, vinegar and some spices and you have a nice brine to cover sliced cukes and onions.  In summer, I always have some extra cucumbers and it's a great way to preserve them.  You may can them, but you can also preserve a jar of refrigerator pickles by just stuffing a big jar full of sliced cukes and onions and covering them with your brine.  Let it sit in the fridge for 24 hours and you have delightful, crunchy pickles!  They should keep about a year, so you may want to make several jars if you are a die-hard pickle family.

Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles (makes 2 quarts)

3 1/2 pounds pickling cucumbers (about 14 small to medium)

1/4 cup of pickling salt

1 onion sliced thinly
2 1/2 cups white distilled vinegar (5% acidity)
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar or cane sugar

Spices: 2 tablespoons whole mustard seeds, 1 teaspoon celery seeds, and 1 teaspoon ground turmeric.

Slice ends off cucumbers, then cut into 1/8-inch to 1/2-inch slices.  Place cucumber slices in colander in sink and sprinkle with pickling salt.  Mix, let set 1 hour.  Rinse, pat dry and add to clean mason jars along with onion slices.
Combine vinegar, sugar, and spices in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
Pour hot pickling liquid over cucumber slices in a large bowl. Cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Ladle pickling liquid over cucumbers. Place lids and bands on jars to seal.
Refrigerate pickles at least 24 hours before eating.

If you have some extra cukes on hand and prefer Dill Spears, here is a recipe for Refrigerator Dills: Refrigerator Pickles (No Cook!) | Live Eat Learn

But is there anything else you can pickle right in the refrigerator? I'm glad you asked!  In summer harvesting we may find we have an abundance of veggies.  Throw some brine over them and pickle them!  Though these type pickles may have a shorter shelf life (about 4 months) they are still delicious and can add a punch to any meal.  Try pickling asparagus, beets, bell peppers, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, cherry tomatoes, celery, chili peppers, pea pods, onions, radishes, string beans, summer squash, and zucchini.  You might also want to try your hand at pickling fruits: including apples, blueberries, crabapples, grapes, melons, peaches, or pears.  And don't forget to think about cubed watermelon rinds, or broccoli stems thinly sliced as well. 

Let nothing go to waste and enjoy your hand at a quick pickling session.  You may just find you have created an addiction that you can satisfy at a moment's notice.