For younger generations, Bread and Butter Pickles sound very “old fashioned.” Actually, they are (somewhat). The roots of this condiment date back to 1920. A couple named Omar and Cora Fanning, who fortuitously happened to be cucumber farmers, put a trademark on a family recipe passed down for generations. It was called simply “sweet and sour” pickles.
One year things got rough. Mr. Fanning started using the smaller pickles in his crop for a side business. His wife took the pickles to the local grocer and used them for bartering other foods. It wasn’t long before word of this delicious snack got around. They remain a favorite on many tables, often during the holidays.
This recipe calls for pickling cukes (Kirby). But you can really use any cucumber. If you decide on burpless cucumbers, they’re slightly sweet. Should you prefer your pickles thin, look to an English seedless cucumber.
Old Fashioned Sweet n Sour Pickles
Ingredients
- 6 cups thick-cut Kerby cucumbers (thick cut)
- 1.5 lbs pickling cukes (thick cut no more than 1.¼ inch wide)
- 1.5 tbsp pink salt
- 11/2 cup thin sliced onion
- 1.5 c sugar
- 1 cup white vinegar vinegar
- ½ c apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp mustard seed
- 1 tbsp celery seed
- Garlic cloves optional
Instructions
- Place the sliced cucumbers and onions in a large bowl with just enough water to cover them.
- Add the salt.
- Give them a swish, then place a weighted plate on top so they stay immersed overnight.
- Rinse thoroughly. Chill for 2 hours.
- Stuff into glass jars (with lids), distributing onions evenly.
- If you want garlic, drop a clove into the bottom now.
- Heat the remaining ingredients together until the sugar dissolves
- Pour it over the cucumbers.
- Put covers on the jars and cool for 24 hours.
- Refrigerate.
- You can eat these now, but aging improves flavor.