Ginger Free Bread and Butter Pickles
Crisp, tangy, and just sweet enough, these homemade bread and butter pickles are the kind of condiment that makes everything it touches taste better — burgers, sandwiches, cheese boards, you name it. The brine is built on a double-vinegar base of white wine and apple cider vinegar, balanced with sugar and warm spice notes from mustard seeds, celery seeds, and turmeric, so every jar is packed with complex flavor. Many store-bought pickle blends quietly include ginger as a background spice, which can make label-reading a frustrating chore, but this recipe keeps the spice profile clean and completely ginger-free from start to finish. Salting the cucumbers first draws out excess moisture, which means the slices stay satisfyingly crisp even after they've soaked up all that gorgeous brine. The whole process is straightforward and doesn't require any special canning equipment — just two mason jars, a saucepan, and a little patience while they chill. Once they hit that translucent yellow-green color, you'll know they're ready, and honestly the hardest part is not eating them straight from the jar.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 1 ½ lbs english cucumbers (about 2 medium), sliced ¼-inch thick
- 1 small yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
For the brine
- 1 cup white wine vinegar
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp celery seeds
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the sliced cucumbers and onion in a large bowl. Sprinkle with the kosher salt, toss to coat, and let stand for 1 hour at room temperature until the cucumbers have released their liquid and softened slightly.
- 2
Drain the cucumbers and onion in a colander, rinse briefly under cold water, and pat dry with paper towels. Pack them tightly into two clean pint-sized mason jars.
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