Canning lets you preserve flavor in a jar, and memories
Those Kirby cucumbers are still at the farmers market, just waiting for you to turn them into a surreal gourmet indulgence.
Now my grandmother Bena, as she was known, would scoff at the idea of bread and butter pickles as being a gourmet indulgence. Pickling and canning for her in rural Johnston County was a way of life.
My memories are vivid of her, a bonnet tied tightly under her chin, working tirelessly in her garden. Then, as she harvested her vegetables, she performed her magic, ending with rows of glass containers that held suspended goodness in jewel-like colors in the pantry off her kitchen. That room was a work of art to me, and even more so many years later.
While I watched this process of canning, I was much too young to understand the implications. It was a dying art, lost to convenience.
Canning is not that tough. Not something you want to do on a weeknight after work, but it is a simple process that’s slightly time involved. There are many gospels on the proper way to can.
The method below is one that works for me. This recipe is a grouping of several recipes from my neighbor Rachel Thomas to chef Linton Hopkins in Atlanta. These pickles are family dinner ready – the kind our grandmother use to do – a homage to our Southern genetic code. These are the finest bread and butter pickles I’ve eaten.
But, besides that entire flavor in a jar, they are an expression of respect to a generation gone. From their hands the routine is now gourmet.
Serve with: These pickles can do anything. They are yummy on a hamburger with blue cheese. Don’t forget to pull them out for Thanksgiving turkey. The pickle juice will liven up a deviled egg mixture. A Cuban sandwich is brighter with these pickles. There’s really nowhere that these pickles won’t work.
To drink: Sweet tea always works, but so would an American-style lager alongside the burger. An inexpensive pinot gris and a bowl of pickles is more than passable.
Fred Thompson is a Raleigh cookbook author and publisher of Edible Piedmont magazine. Reach him at fdtfx1@earthlink.net.
Bread and Butter Pickles
A mandoline is handy to slice the cucumbers. You can skip the processing and refrigerate for about a month.
1 cup kosher salt
1 1/2 gallons water
5 1/2 pounds Kirby cucumbers, sliced very thin crosswise
5 cups cider vinegar
5 cups sugar or Splenda or combination
1 1/2 pounds sweet onions, like Vidalias, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds
1 tablespoon celery seeds
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 tablespoon coarsely cracked black pepper
Add the salt and water to a large pot or bowl, at least the size of a bread bowl. Stir to dissolve the salt into the water. Add the cucumbers, cover and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, bring a large pot of water to at least 180 degrees. Use an instant read thermometer to check. Wash and rinse the canning jars, lids and bands. Add them to the water and simmer for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and let the canning supplies stay in the warm water until you start to pack the jars.
Combine the vinegar and sugar in a large heavy pot. Over medium heat, cook until the sugar dissolves, stirring to help it along. Stir in the remaining ingredients.
Drain the cucumbers and add them to the pot. Stir gently and bring to a boil, then turn off the heat.
Remove your canning jars, 2 or 3 at a time. Ladle the hot cucumbers and their liquid into 6 hot 1-pint glass canning jars, leaving a 1/2 inch of space at the top. Close with the lids and place the rings on just hand tight.
Process the pickles, starting by placing a rack in the bottom of a large pot. Then fill with enough water to cover your jars by one inch. Bring the pot of water to the boil. Add the jars and boil for 10 minutes. Cool the pickles to room temperature. You will hear a lot of popping, which is the lids creating their seal. Any that give when you press on the center of the lid after a couple of hours have not sealed properly. Refrigerate these for up to three weeks. These pickles are ready to eat as soon as they have cooled. The sealed jars can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year. Refrigerate after opening.
Yield: Makes 6 pints.
This story was originally published September 19, 2017 at 2:00 PM with the headline "Canning lets you preserve flavor in a jar, and memories."