Bread and Butter Refrigerator Pickles
Condiments & Sauces,  Vegan

Bread and Butter Refrigerator Pickles

Bread and Butter Refrigerator Pickles 

Bread and butter refrigerator pickles are my latest and greatest recipe. They are easily one of my new favorite things to make! 

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I will tell you that I’ve loved pickles for my entire life, but hadn’t ever tried making them myself. Why? Good question, but I think the most obvious answer is that they seemed impossible to do myself. 

What Are Bread and Butter Pickles 

Bread and butter pickles are a combination of sweet and sour. They are neither a sweet pickle, nor a dill pickle. Bread and butter pickles are like red velvet cake, a hybrid that can’t quite be explained, but is delicious. 

Bread and butter pickles are said to have been invented by cucumber farmers in the 1920s who survived hard economic times by bartering with local grocers using their pickles in return for pantry staples like bread and butter. 

Being a prepper, I love the story of how bread and butter pickles came about! 

Bread and Butter Refrigerator Pickles Ingredients 

Cucumbers, I used 4 in this recipe. 

Water, 2 cups

White vinegar, ¾ cup

Apple cider vinegar, ¼ cup 

Sugar, 1 cup 

Pickling salt, 1 ½ teaspoon

Pickling spice, 1 tablespoon 

Optional Ingredients: 

Onion, ¼, thinly sliced 

Jalapeños, 1-2, sliced 

Bread and Butter Refrigerator Pickles Directions 

Start by cutting off the bottom end of the cucumber, about ⅛ of an inch. This will be the opposite end of the stem that attaches the cucumber to the plant. This part contains enzymes that make the pickles soft. Who wants a soft pickle? Nobody. 

Using a mandolin, slice the cucumbers into thin even slices and then pack into a mason jar or an airtight container like this. If using a mason jar, you’ll want lids like this because the vinegar will cause the metal lids and bands to rust. 

This would also be the point when you add in the onions and jalapeños if you are using them. 

In a saucepan, combine the water, vinegar, salt, sugar, and pickling spice. Bring to a boil, while stirring occasionally to make sure that all of the salt and sugar dissolves. 

I set the brine aside and let it cool a bit before adding it to the cucumbers. It doesn’t need to be cold, but room temperature is fine. Or warm works. I’ve made these pickles a couple of times, and I like the texture of the pickles better when I let the brine cool a bit before adding it in. They seem to stay a bit crispier this way. But you can certainly pour it over hot and be just fine. 

If you are pouring the brine over the cucumbers hot, let them sit out on the counter for an hour to cool before refrigerating. 

You now have bread and butter refrigerator pickles! Seriously, it really is that easy, and that’s what I love about this recipe. 

Now just wait about a week before enjoying these bread and butter refrigerator pickles, and they will last approximately two months in the refrigerator. I have not tested exactly how long these pickles will last in the refrigerator because I’ve consumed them long before the two months happened. 

Bread and Butter Refrigerator Pickles Notes 

Bread and butter refrigerator pickles are so easy to make! Even a novice cook or someone with little time can make these pickles. Keep in mind that refrigerator pickles are not suitable for canning though. 

If you find yourself needing more liquid to completely cover the cucumbers in the jar, mix together 2 parts water and 1 part vinegar, and then top off the jar. 

Why I Love This Recipe 

Have I told you this bread and butter refrigerator pickles recipe is easy? That really is a big part of why I love it. Nathan is not a fan of bread and butter pickles, as he thinks they are generally too sweet and loathes sweet pickles. So it can be difficult to justify making something really complicated just for myself. 

This is a recipe I can make very quickly and very easily, stash them in the refrigerator and just let them do their thing for a few days, and then enjoy! It is the ultimate “fix it and forget it” kind of recipe. 

I am also a huge fan of knowing what is in my food, so making it from scratch is my favorite way to go instead of buying it already processed in the grocery store. 

Discussion 

Are you a fan of bread and butter pickles? Have you ever tried making pickles at home? Let me know your thoughts and experiences in the comments! 

Looking for other great condiment recipes? I’ve got you covered! Check them out, and start making more from scratch at home with ease. 

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