BREAD AND BUTTER PICKLES

Steps:

• 1. In a large bowl or a tub, mix together cucumbers, onions, green bell peppers, garlic and salt. Allow to stand approximately 3 hours.
• 2. In a large saucepan, mix the cider vinegar, white sugar, mustard seed, celery seed, whole cloves and turmeric. Bring to a boil.
• 3. Drain liquid from the cucumber mixture. Stir the mixture into the boiling vinegar mixture. Remove from heat shortly before the combined mixtures return to boil.
• 4. Transfer to sterile containers. Seal and chill in the refrigerator until serving.
• My Note: I says use a large bowl they should have said a tub -- I used three large bowls and then poured it all into a tub to mix the cukes with the salt. I also covered the salted cukes with ice and a loose cover (I think the ice gives the pickles a little more crispness) I made 35 pints in July 2009 and gave them as gifts, as well as ate them, they were a hit. They were too salty after much rinsing so I cut back the salt to about half after the first batch. I started making double the recipe. I mixed them in a large cooler to have enough room to blend everything real well. I added 2 red and 2 orange peppers to the recipe to give it color and just chopped it instead of diced because the peppers are just as good to eat. I put ice on the top while the mix stands so the cukes and peppers get crisp. The cooler helps keep the ice from melting too fast. I packed the pint jars with the cukes then ladled in the brine, this works fine. I put them in a 10 minute 'bath' since I made so many and wanted them to last. I opened the last jar a few weeks ago and it is just as fresh as when I made them last year. I just finished making 45 pints today. They're ready to eat right away. Fantastic pickles! pickle tidbit: when storing pickles, turn them upside down, so that the top pickles are soaking in the brine, since the pickles will rise. Then as you eat them the bottom soaks. I think the recipe should read 25 pickling cukes. Some folks who never made pickles before used regular cukes which were to big and made them come out soggy. One thing I would change is after draining the brine, rinse the vegetable mix and drain again. It was a bit too salty for some. If you make them again, and I will definitely do this.