Bread-And-Butter Pickles My Way

I use the slicing blade on my Cuisinart to make the slicing job fast and easy. I have monkeyed around with this recipe since the early 1980s, and about 10 years ago I settled on this combination of ingredients. I don't process them (I did once and I found the texture of the pickles suffered) but you certainly can if you wish. You can also store them in the fridge (if you have room) if you have safety concerns about not processing them; they'll be eaten pretty fast so won't be taking up a lot of room for long!

• Ready In: 5 hrs 25 mins
• Yields: 21 cup jars

Ingredients

• 28  cups  sliced pickling cucumbers
• 8  cups  sliced onions
• 1⁄2 cup pickling salt (do not use table salt)
•  ice cube
• 7 1⁄2 cups white sugar
• 7 1⁄2 cups white vinegar
• 3  tablespoons mustard seeds
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons celery seeds
• 1  tablespoon turmeric

Directions

1. I recommend using a Cuisinart fitted with a slicing blade to make the preparation of the vegetables less tedious.
2. In a very large container, combine sliced cucumbers and onions, and salt.
3. Cover with a generous amount of ice cubes.
4. Cover and let sit for approximately four hours.
5. Drain well and remove any ice; lightly rinse with cold water and drain well again.
6. In a large preserving kettle, combine sugar, vinegar and spices and bring to a boil.
7. Add drained vegetables and bring back to a boil.
8. Fill hot sterilized canning jars with mixture and seal.
9. Please note that I have made this recipe for ages and I do not process them; I know that goes against the grain nowadays, but that's what I do; if you wish to process them, I would recommend a 10-minute boiling water bath.