Million Dollar Pickles - 52 Small Batch Canning Recipes

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Oh Boy do I love making my own pickles!

And for good reason.  I get to adjust not only the seasonings, but also I get to make them about twice as thick as the store bought ones.  I like to bite into a sandwich and have that extra crunch of a good pickle slice!

This is my favorite pickle recipe.  Not as sweet as a Bread and Butter Pickle, but sweeter and less herbal than a Dill Pickle.  It does take a while to make, with an over night soak in the pickling mixture.  But no extra hands on time consuming work.

I also like that the pickles are put up with some Red Onions.  Making adding a little pickle and a little pickled onion to your hamburgers easy peasy!

I used the same recipe for slices and a couple of jars of small gherkin size pickles.  Perfect for the Pickle Eyeballs Appetizers shown in the photos!

Keep scrolling down for this easy to follow recipe...

OK... Here's what I did...

Million Dollar Pickles

Ingredients

• 16 medium Cucumbers, thick slices
• 2 Large Red Onions, sliced (thinner than the cucumbers), rings separated
• 1/2 Cup Pickling Spices
• 4 Cups Water
• 1 TBS Ground Turmeric
• 1 tsp Celery Seed
• 1 tsp Peppercorns
• 6 Cups Sugar
• 8 Cups Distilled White Vinegar
• Sprinkle of "Ball Brand PICKLE CRISP" in each jar

Cooking Directions

1. Place the cucumber, onions, pickling spice and water in a large bowl. Allow the mixture to stand 6 to 8 hours, or overnight.
2. Drain liquid from mixture.
3. In a large saucepan, mix the cucumber mixture, turmeric, celery seed and white sugar. Pour in the vinegar, adjusting the amount so that it covers the mixture.
4. Bring to a boil.
5. Transfer to sterile jars with a 1/4 tsp of pickle crisp in each jar. Seal. .
6. Store in the refrigerator and use within 30 days or do a water bath for 20 minutes and store in cool dark area for up to 1 year.
7. Serve on your sandwiches (and be sure to add the pickled onions to your sammies!) and ENJOY!

Water Bath Instructions:

1. Fill a stockpot with enough water to cover your jars by 1 inch. Bring to a boil.
2. Inspect canning jars for cracks and discard defective ones. Thoroughly wash the jars in hot soapy water or run through the dishwasher. Wash lids and screw bands. To ensure a good seal, work only with unused lids each time.
3. Fill jars to within 1/4 inch of the top with hot pickles. Wipe the rim of the jar with a clean, wet paper towel before adding the lid. Screw on the bands.
4. Set a rack or a thick folded dishtowel on the bottom of the pot of boiling water. With a sturdy pair of tongs, place the jars in the pot.
5. Cover and simmer gently for 10 minutes. If necessary, add more boiling water to cover the jars by 1 inch. With tongs, remove the jars from the water and set on a dishtowel to cool.
6. After 12 hours, check the jars to ensure that they are sealed. To do that, press on the center of each lid; it should remain concave.
7. Label and date the jars by writing on the lids with permanent marker. Remove the screw bands to prevent them from rusting. Store the jars for up to 1 year in a cool, dark place.

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So,  I am pleased to list this as one of my very favorite Growing list of  "52 Small Batch Canning Ideas"!!!

I love Canning! Love the idea of it, Love having my own Jellies, Pickled produce, Sauces, Chutneys... All those pint, half pint, 4 Ounce jars,,, Even big quart jars of Spaghetti Sauce Lined up in my basement storage shelves.  Small batch means I can usually finish a project in no more than an hour of hands on work and usually less.  Easy DIY Projects that last a month or more... Great ideas for first time canners!

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