Freezer Bread and Butter Pickles

I’ve made freezer cucumbers before, so I thought, “why not?” when I saw this recipe for Freezer Bread and Butter Pickles in my very, very, favoritest and bestest preserving book, The Complete Book of Small-Batch Preserving: Over 300 Recipes to Use Year-Round. 

Now, I can’t tell you freezerwise, how they turn out, because they are snuggled deep in my freezer waiting for the middle of winter to be opened for a breath of fresh, summer pickles.  But I can tell you that the half a jar that I placed in the fridge, has been fabulous! 

Freezer Bread and Butter Pickles

• 4 cups thinly sliced cucumbers
• 1 cup thinly sliced onion
• 1 sweet red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 2 tsp pickling salt
• 1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp celery seeds
• 1/2 tsp turmeric

Place the cucumbers, onion and red pepper in a large non-reactive container.  Sprinkle with salt and mix well.  Let stand for 3 hours, stirring every so often, and then drain.  Rinse twice and drain thoroughly.

Heat the vinegar in a microwave for about 30 seconds or warm slightly on your stove.  Combine the vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, celery seeds and turmeric in small bowl and stir until the sugar is dissolved.

Pack the vegetables into small freezer containers.  Divide the liquid and poor over the pickles, seal tightly and freeze.

Store pickles up to 6 months.  Once thawed, use them within several days or they will lose their crunch.

Makes about 3 cups. 

 

 

This will be my entry for Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum!