Sweet Pickles

Entered by Carrie Menikoff
*Winner of Best Combined – Pickle and Best Appearance – Pickle

The judges loved everything about this pickle—it’s beautiful mix of colors and textures in the jar, the satisfying crunch of the vegetables, and the balance of sweet & sour in this perfectly seasoned take on the classic bread & butter pickle.

(Recipe originally published in The Oregonian in 2008 as “Greg Higgins’ Bread and Butter Sweet Pickles)

Makes 7 pint jars

Ingredients
3 quarts pickling cucumbers, unpeeled and washed, sliced ⅛” thick lengthwise using a mandolin
3 large onions, sliced into ⅛” strips
3 red bell peppers, sliced into ⅛” strips
½ cup kosher salt

Pickling Solution
8 cups cider vinegar (5% acidity)
4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
½ teaspoon whole cloves
1 tablespoon celery seeds
1 tablespoon allspice berries
⅛ cup yellow mustard seeds
½ teaspoon ground turmeric

Steps

1. Place sliced vegetables in a bowl and sprinkle evenly with the kosher salt. Allow to drain in a colander for three hours.
2. In a large nonreactive saucepan, mix the vinegar, brown sugar, cloves, celery seeds, allspice, mustard, and turmeric; bring to a low boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Rinse vegetables thoroughly, drain, and add to the hot brine. Bring just to a boil and remove from the heat. Pack into sterilized jars and store in the refrigerator up to three months.
4. To preserve in a hot water bath: Pack vegetables while still hot into hot, sterilized pint or quart jars, leaving a ¼ head space. Run a chopstick around the inside of the jar to remove air bubbles. Wipe the rim clean with a clean, damp cloth and fit with a sealing lid and ring until hand tight. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Check lids after one hour and refrigerate any that that have not properly sealed.