Did you know that bread and butter pickles can also be made out of zucchini! I had no idea! However, these Zucchini Bread and Butter Pickles are perfect for using up some of summer's bounty of zucchini! Post contains affiliate links. 
Zucchini Bread and Butter Pickles
I am not one of those people to go buy 40 pounds of some fruit or vegetable and can a bazilliion jars so that I am all set for winter. I use whatever my CSA gives me and occasionally something purchased from the local market if it is a good deal. My CSA never gives me a lot of something, but it does give me enough to do some small batch canning.
I love small batch canning. It's not too strenuous, you don't spend hours chopping, deseeding, or peeling. As a matter of fact, it feels an awful lot like regular cooking, only you end up with cute jars full of food that are shelf stable.
For the longest time my small canning bible has been The Complete Book of Small-Batch Preserving: Over 300 Recipes to Use Year-Round I've made more recipes that book that any other cookbook in my library. Well, sitting right next to it on my shelf is my newest addition Preserving by the Pint: Quick Seasonal Canning for Small Spaces from the author of Food in Jars a new favorite!
This is the first recipe from the book that I tried. It was quick and easy and within a short amount of time I had 5 adorable jars of Bread-and-Butter Zucchini Pickles (as you can see I used yellow squash - I also don't pack the stuff into the jars all that carefully or neatly). I haven't tasted these yet, I want them to age a smidgen, but I have canned long enough to recognize something good when I see it.
I'm going to include the recipe here, but there are no specific canning instructions, for that you need to buy the book - and really you should!
Zucchini Bread and Butter Pickles
Ingredients
- 1 cup cider vinegar
- ½ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon celery seeds
- ½ teaspoon red chile flakes
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon finely milled sea salt
- 1 pound young zucchini thickly sliced (I used yellow squash)
- 1 cup sliced and seeded red bell pepper
- 1 cup sliced onion
Instructions
- Prepare a boiling water bath and 4 half-pint jars (I always do one or two extra to play it safe - and I did end up getting 5 jars full) according to canning water bath processing instructions.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the vinegar and honey. Heat until the honey is dissolved and add the mustard seeds, celery seeds, chile flakes, cumin and sea salt. Bring it to a rolling boil and add the zucchini, red bell pepper, and onion. Stir and cook until everything is heated about 5 minutes.
- Using tongs, divide the vegetables between the jars and top with the brine. Leave a ½ inch head space. After all the jars are full, use a wooden chopstick to gently move around the vegetable and dislodge any air bubbles, add more brine if necessary. Wipe the jar rims and add the lids and bands (again read canning processing instructions). Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
- Remove and listen for that satisfying ping. Let just sit undisturbed for 24 hours before storing. Let the pickles cure for at least a week before eating.
Miz Helen says
Congratulations!
Your recipe is featured on Full Plate Thursday this week. Enjoy your weekend and your new Red Plate.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
grace says
people come up with all kinds of ways to use up summer squash and i like the pickle idea best of all!
Lenore says
I bought the "Small Batch Preserving" after your review last year and the pickle recipe in that was superb. My friends helped us eat the entire jar for dinner. yum!
Marjie says
A little bit of work and you have those cute jars? Plus you get to eat these treats later? Sounds like a good deal to me.
Pam says
They look fantastic!
Melynda@OurSundayCafe says
These would be fun! My 40 pound days are over, and I too love small batch canning and jamming. I have several books on this subject.
Monique says
I just feel like I have to make these:)Love your writing too on the tags..Hoping to Pin the pic with the background..so old fashioned pretty.
Joanne says
I love hearing about all the things you pickle and can all summer long! If only I could get over my fear of "processing" the cans. These bread and butter zucchini sound awesome!
natasha says
Thank you for the listinf the book titles. All my Aunts and my Uncles can and this year I have a garden and want to can what I don't eat. So will be purchasing one or both of these books soon. The "pickles" look great I love Bread and Butter