Zucchini Pickles Recipe (Bread and Butter Style)

5 from 4 votes

Zucchini Pickles Recipe (Bread and Butter Style)

Bread and butter zucchini pickles are a sweet and zesty way to pickle zucchini. This can be made as a refrigerator pickle or processed in a water bath canner.

Prep Time2

Cook Time15

Canning Time (Optional)10

Total Time2 25

Course: pickles

Cuisine: American

Keyword: zucchini canning

Servings: servings, Makes about 8 to 9 pints

Author: Ashley Adamant

Equipment

Water Bath Canner
Canning Jars, Lids and Bands

Ingredients

For the Vegetables

16 cups zucchini sliced 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick
4 cups onions thinly sliced
1/2 cup canning and pickling salt

For the Brine

4 cups white vinegar 5% acidity
2 cups sugar
4 Tbsp mustard seed
2 Tbsp celery seed
2 tsp ground turmeric

Instructions

Combine the sliced zucchini and onion in a large bowl. Cover with 1 inch of water, add the canning or pickling salt, and stir to distribute. Let stand 2 hours, then drain thoroughly. Do not rinse.
If canning, prepare a waterbath canner, jars, lids and rings.
Combine the vinegar, sugar, mustard seed, celery seed, and ground turmeric in a large stainless steel or enameled pot.
Bring to a boil, add the drained zucchini and onion, and simmer for 5 minutes.
Working quickly, fill the prepared hot jars with the vegetables and pickling liquid, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
Remove air bubbles using a wooden chopstick or plastic utensil and adjust the headspace if needed. Wipe the rims, center the lids, and apply the bands to fingertip tight.
Process pints or quarts in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude (see notes).
When the timer goes off, turn off the heat and let the jars stand in the canner for 5 minutes before removing them to a towel-lined surface.
Give the jars 12 to 24 hours to cool undisturbed to room temperature.
Check the seals on each jar (a sealed lid is flat or slightly concave and doesn't flex when pressed), remove the bands, and store in a cool, dark place. Refrigerate any jar that didn't seal and enjoy it within a couple of weeks.

Notes

Use 5% Vinegar: The acidity is what makes these pickles safe to can. This brine is undiluted vinegar with no water in it, so use the full amount and don't stretch it with water or substitute a vinegar labeled below 5% acidity. White and apple cider vinegar can be swapped for each other freely as long as both are 5%.

Choosing and Slicing the Zucchini: Choose small, young zucchini, ideally 1 to 1 1/2 inches across. Large, mature squash is spongy, won't crisp up, and can run bitter. Slice the rounds 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Thicker slices stay softer, so keep them on the thinner side, and measure the 16 cups rather than counting squash since zucchini varies so much in size.

Keeping Them Crisp: Don't skip the 2 hour salt soak. It draws moisture out of the zucchini so the slices stay crisp through canning instead of going soft, and it tames the raw bite of the onion. Drain thoroughly before adding the vegetables to the brine, and don't rinse them. Some extension versions use ice water for the soak, which keeps the slices firmer while they sit. For extra firm slices, add 1/8 teaspoon calcium chloride (Pickle Crisp) to each pint jar, though the salt soak alone does a good job.

Sugar and Spices: The sugar is for flavor rather than safety, so you can adjust it up or down to taste, though a sweeter brine is part of what makes these bread and butter style. The mustard seed, celery seed, and turmeric can be adjusted or swapped for other dry pickling spices. Don't add extra zucchini or onion beyond the measured amounts.

Jar Sizes: Pints and quarts are both tested for this recipe and use the same processing time. Half pint jars work too, processed for the pint time.

Refrigerator Pickles: To skip canning, pack the hot vegetables and brine into clean jars, let them cool, and store them in the refrigerator. They'll keep for a few weeks and soften a little over time, so this is a good option for a small amount of zucchini.

Wait to Open: Let canned jars rest a few days before opening so the brine and spices settle into the slices.

Storage: Sealed jars keep 12 to 18 months in a cool, dark, dry place. Refrigerate after opening and use within a couple of months.

Altitude Adjustments:

Canning times are the same for half pints, pints, and quarts.

Under 1,000 feet: 10 minutes
1,001 to 6,000 feet: 15 minutes
Above 6,000 feet: 20 minutes

Nutrition