Lemon Cucumber Pickles - Part 2

A few weeks ago I wrote this post on making Lemon Cucumber pickles. Since then, I've had several requests for a good canning recipe to use the bounty of lemon cucumbers that people have coming from their gardens. The main difference between this recipe and the one I gave on the first lemon cucumber post is this one will follow a specific recipe, to ensure safe canning methods. The previous one was a non-canning recipe, more for just enjoying the first cucumbers of the season; easy and delicious to eat right away with your summer meals. Although I didn't add spices to that first recipe, you can add your favorite spices to taste.

This recipe is a delicious bread-and-butter pickle recipe and using the lemon cucumbers work great, because they are firm enough (the key is to pick them and use them immediately, don't wait several days, as they will start to get softer and not be as firm when made into pickles) and have a nice sweet (non-bitter) taste.

I picked our cucumbers and within the hour began the pickle making process. There are two types of cucumbers pictured below; the long, green ones are Armenian Cucumbers and the smaller, round, yellowish ones are the Lemon Cucumbers.

The following is a "fresh pack or quick process pickle" recipe, meaning the pickles are covered with boiling hot vinegar, spices and seasonings. I am including extra notes in this post, if you are canning for the first time or if it's been awhile since you last canned. Please click on the links for more specific and helpful information. For any other canning questions always check this website for up-to-date and accurate information.

Bread-and-Butter Pickle Slices
From So Easy to Preserve, pgs. 125-126

Yields = 7-8 pints

6 pounds of 4 to 5-inch pickling cucumbers *I used mostly lemon cucumbers and one large Armenian cucumber.
8 cups thinly sliced onions /about 3 pounds *I used a mixture of walla walla onions and yellow onions
1/2 cup canning salt *It's very important to use "canning" or "pickling" salt, rather than table salt. Other salts contain anti-caking materials and this can make the brine or liquid cloudy.
Crushed or cubed ice
4 cups vinegar (5%) *Use vinegar of 5-percent acidity. Do not use homemade vinegar or vinegar that you don't know the acidity of in pickling. Also, do not dilute the vinegar, because you will be diluting the preservative effect.
4 1/2 cups sugar
2 Tbsp. mustard seed
1 1/2 Tbsp. celery seed
1 Tbsp. ground turmeric

Preparation:

1) Wash cucumbers. Cut 1/6-inch off blossom end and discard. Cut into 3/16-inch rings.


2) Combine cucumbers and onions in a large bowl. Add canning salt.

3) Cover with 2 inches crushed or cubed ice. Refrigerate 3 to 4 hours, adding more ice as needed.

To Make Pickles:

1) Add sugar and remaining ingredients to vinegar in a large pot. Boil 10 minutes.

2) Add well drained cucumbers and onions and slowly reheat to boiling.

3) Fill pint or quart jars with cucumber & onion slices, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Fill to 1/2 inch from top with hot cooking liquid. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids.

4) Process pints or quarts for 10 minutes in a Boiling Water Bath. After processing and cooling, jars should be stored 4 to 5 weeks before use to develop ideal flavor.

*Remember after removing jars from Boiling Water Bath, they should remain undisturbed for 12 hours before moving them to storage.

Just look at all the spices mixed with the onions and pickles--if you let them sit 4 to 5 weeks as suggested by the recipe to fully develop the flavor, it will be so worth the wait!

Remember to enter the giveaway for this AWESOME canning book--So Easy to Preserve!

(Just scroll down to the bottom of this post to leave a comment and enter to win this AWESOME book.)

The Lemon Cucumber

Let me introduce you to a lesser-known cucumber, but an oh-so-tasty one: The Lemon Cucumber.

We've planted cucumbers in our garden each year since I was a kid and my Mom has always made fresh pickled cucumbers every summer for our family. Over the last several years we've planted a heirloom cucumber variety called Lemon Cucumbers. These cucumbers are round and are about the size of a baseball. Despite the name, Lemon Cucumbers don't taste like lemons, but can take on a yellow coloring that is similar to the yellow of a lemon. As you can see from the picture, there is a slight yellow hue, but to me they are more of a light green. Also, they taste very much like other cucumber varieties, and for a bonus, they are crunchier, which I love and they taste delicious, especially when pickled.



Today when my Mom came in with a dozen of them, just picked from the garden--I knew she was going to make them into the homemade pickles--so yummy! If you want to make something that is cool and refreshing and only takes about 10 minutes of prep time and then an hour till it's ready, then this recipe is the one for you.

Quick & Easy Cucumber Pickles

Lemon Cucumbers (or any variety of your favorite cucumber)
Walla Walla Onions (these are a milder onion with a sweeter flavor, but yellow onions will also work)
2 parts vinegar
1 part water

1) Peel and slice cucumbers.

2) Peel and thinly slice onion (keep them in a circle shape, not chopped).

3) Put cucumber-onion mixture into bowl or jar (large enough that the vegetables are immersed when liquids are added).

4) Add vinegar and water (adjust to taste; if it's too sharp, add more water).

5) Cover bowl/jar and refrigerate at least 1 hour, before serving.

*Eat as a snack, with a meal or add to your favorite summer garden salad.