Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles

These deliciously sweet Bread and Butter Pickles are quick and easy to prepare. This small-batch recipe requires no canning methods – simply make the brine, pour it over sliced onions and cucumbers and pop them in your fridge for 48 hours. It’s homemade pickles the easy way which will keep safely refrigerated for two months!

I love anything pickled, especially Bread and Butter Pickles!  I love the process and the labour that goes into making my own pickled preserves at home, but sometimes, especially during the summer months when it seems I am harvesting this and that from my garden every day, I need to take the easy way out. That’s why a quick pickle refrigerater recipe like this is my go-to.

What are Bread and Butter Pickles anyway? Bread and Butter Pickles are marinated pickles produced with sliced cucumbers and onions in a solution of vinegar, sugar, and spices which may be processed either by canning or simply chilled as refrigerator pickles.

The origin of the name and the spread of their popularity in attributed to Omar and Cora Fanning, a pair of Illinois cucumber farmers who started selling sweet and sour pickles in the 1920s and filed for the trademark “Fanning’s Bread and Butter Pickles” in 1923. The story attached to the name is that the Fanning’s survived rough years by making the pickles with their surplus of undersized cucumbers and using them to barter with their grocer for staples such as bread and butter.  

INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Cider Vinegar – This adds tartness and gives the brine that beautiful amber colour.
• White Vinegar
• Water
• Sugar – For sweetness.
• Salt
• Turmeric – It adds an earthy flavour and certainly helps to make that beautiful brine colour.
• Cucumbers – I like to use pickling cucumbers here, but you can also use Persian or mini cucumbers.
• Onions – Yellow or white onions will work just fine here.
• Mustard Seeds – Bread and Butter Pickles always have mustard seeds. They add flavour and scent.
• Celery Seeds – Just like the mustard seeds, these are a must. They add so much flavour!

HOW TO MAKE REFRIGERATOR BREAD AND BUTTER PICKLES

Measure the cider vinegar, white vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and turmeric into a saucepan. Over medium heat, bring the brine to a boil, stirring often to ensure the sugar and salt are both fully dissolved. Once done, turn off the heat and set aside to cool.

Next, was a quart-sized mason jar and lid with soapy water and rinse well. Set aside. (You can use two pint-sized jars if you wish. These make a great gift idea for a friend or neighbour if you feel like sharing. This recipe can also be doubled or even tripled if you have an excess amount of cucumbers to use. Just keep in mind that the pickles must be consumed within two months!)

Wash the cucumbers well. Trim the ends and discard. Slice the cucumbers into 1/4 inch slices. Peel the onion and halve it. Cut the onion into 1/4 inch slices as well. Measure the mustard and celery seeds into the clean mason jar and pack the jar with the sliced cucumbers and onions. Pour the cooled brine into the jar, leaving about a 1/2 inch of headspace. Tap the jar gently on your countertop to get out any air pockets/bubbles. Fill with more brine if needed. Screw on the lid and refridgerate the pickles for 48 hours.

IT’S A QUICK PICKLE YOU SAY?

Quick pickle is a term that is often applied to a fruit or vegetable that is pickled in a quick brine mixture. Usually, the brine will consist of water, vinegar, sugar, and some seasonings. Quick pickle-type recipes are very popular and most of the time can be completed in less than thirty minutes. In this case, my Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles are a quick pickle recipe.

Quick pickle recipes are great for the non-canning/preserving home cook because they require no long-term canning process, and no special equipment, and they can be stored in the refrigerator for a period of time. In this case, these pickles can be safely stored in the fridge for 8 weeks. Keep in mind that they are not shelf-stable like traditional canned pickles, so they must be kept in the fridge.

MORE PICKLING RECIPES

I love to pickle things! There are two types of pickling recipes. One is a quick pickle, which is what you just read. The other requires that either a water bath or a pressure canning method be applied. In terms of a quick pickle, I have a Pickled Red Onion recipe that is wonderful and these Pickled Green Tomatoes too! Of course, I can’t forget about my Pickled Sweet Peppers, my Dill Pickled Eggs, or my Onion Pickled Wieners!

In terms of canning and preserving, I have a few more options. Start with my Pickled Beets. I swear, Dear Reader, these are so easy and so delicious. It’s just like eating candy! My Newfoundland upbringing makes me proud to have a pantry stocked with these Mustard Pickles! Finally, I have two types of pickles. The first, this Sweet Sandwich Pickle, is great with just about anything. And there’s this Bread and Butter Pickle, which is made with zucchini. I could make a meal with those!

QUESTIONS?

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