How to-sday Zucchini Pickles

Sweet Pickles or Bread and Butter pickles are so easy to do.  You can make them as a refrigerator pickle, but if you want to enjoy your garden bounty well into the winter, make them and use a water bath canning method to preserve them.  You just need a large stock pot, canning jars and the instructions from the Ball Canning Website!

This how to is on making bread and butter-style pickles using zucchini with steps for canning them.  If you only want refrigerator pickles, place unprocessed jars in the refrigerator and eat within a month.  This recipe has steps involved, but you can set it up, then go run errands or do laundry or even a bit of gardening and then come back to it.  The flavor you get from these is worth the time and effort.  I won a blue ribbon at the fair with these!

Zucchini Sweet Pickles

2 pounds zucchini, thinly sliced 

1/2 pound onions, quartered and thinly sliced 

1/4 cup salt

2 cups white sugar
2 cups apple cider vinegar 

1 teaspoon celery seed 

1 teaspoon ground turmeric 

1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard 

2 teaspoons mustard seeds 

3 1-quart canning jars or 6 pint canning jars with lids and rings 

STEPS

SLICE Using a mandolin or a really sharp knife, slice the zucchini and onions to a uniform thickness of about 1/8 inch.

BRINE Place zucchini and onions into a large bowl, cover with water, and stir in salt until dissolved. Let the vegetables soak in the salted water for at least 2 hours; drain and transfer to a large heatproof bowl.

BOIL Bring sugar, vinegar, celery seed, turmeric, mustard, and mustard seeds to a boil in a saucepan. Pour the mixture over the zucchini and onions. Let the mixture stand for at least 2 more hours. 

Pour the mixture over the zucchini and onions. Let the mixture stand for at least 2 more hours. 

BOIL AGAIN Return zucchini, onions, and pickling liquid with spices to a large pot and bring to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes.

PREPARE While vegetables are soaking in pickling liquid, sterilize jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. 

Place warm jars on a towel on the counter to await filling.

PACK Pack the zucchini and onion into the hot, sterilized jars, filling the jars to within 1/4 inch of the top with pickling liquid. 

Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles.

 Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. 

 Top with lids and screw on rings.

PROCESS Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil and lower jars into the boiling water using a holder. Leave a 2-inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary to bring the water level to at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a rolling boil, cover the pot, and process for 10 minutes.

COOL Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Store in a cool, dark area, and wait at least 24 hours before opening.  If you think any of them are not sealed, place in the refrigerator and use within one month.

If you have zucchini or cucumbers and want to make pickles in your refrigerator without much hassle, I now have kits for making Vegetable, Bread and Butter and Dill pickles in your refrigerator.  It includes all the spices and simple instructions.  All you need to add is water, vinegar and veggies!


RECIPE THEME

Each month a theme is chosen and a number of recipes on that theme from my massive archive will be shared.  This year we have 12 new topics, different from the topics of last year.  To find the recipes of last year, check out this recipe link or search the blog with the topic Recipe2018. 

You can search the monthly theme by looking for the theme keyword in the search box and it will pull up the recipes on that theme as posted, so look at the bottom of the recipe in each posting for the KEYWORD in the () to search for each  month.  All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2019 so you can find them all.

The themes are:

Jan 2019 – Chicken and Dumplings (CDumpsJan)

Feb 2019 - Pasta Dishes (PastaFeb)

March 2019 - Edible Flowers (FlowerMar)

April 2019 - Seafood Recipes (SeafoodApr)

May 2019 - Cajun And Creole (C&CMay)

June 2019 - Vegetarian Dishes (VegJun)

July 2019 - Zucchini Recipes (ZucJul)

August 2019 - National Mustard Day – mustard recipes

September 2019 - Quiche

October 2019 - Crock Pot meals

November 2019 - Pies

December 2019 - Mocktails