The summer veggies are about done – I managed to get enough cucumbers for two batches of Bread & Butter pickles – made 10 pints.
My mother’s recipe:
5 cups sugar
3 cups white vinegar
2 tablespoons mustard seed
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon of tumeric (if desired)
Pickling cucumbers – thinly sliced (about 6 cups)
Onions – thinly sliced (1-3 as desired)
3 cloves garlic
1/3 cup Coarse ground Sea Salt (no iodine!)
In a ceramic or non-metal crock or pan (I use the crockpot crock) layer about 1/4 of the cucumber/onion, cover with a layer of ice, and 1/4 of the salt. Repeat with the remaining. Allow to sit for 3-4 hours.
About an hour before the brining is done, fill your canning pot with water, add your empty jars and lids and bring to a rolling boil. It will take a while to bring that amount of water to a boil. While the jars are sterilizing, add the sugar, vinegar, mustard seed and tumeric to a pan large enough to hold the cucumbers and onions. Bring to a boil, and add the drained, but NOT rinsed cucumbers and onions – discard the garlic cloves either now or before ladling into jars. Continue to heat over medium heat until mixture boils. Ladle into clean sterilized hot jars. Wipe the rim of the jar with a clean cloth, add lid and tighten rim.
Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes, remove jars and cool naturally. The lids should seal and stay down. Store when totally cool.
Great book for preserving all kinds of food:
Calicomouse's Blog 