Bread Butter Pickled Squash Food

BREAD AND BUTTER YELLOW SQUASH

Steps:

• Combine squash and onion slices in a large enamel pot. If you want to make it extra pretty use a mandoline to slice them. Sprinkle with the salt. Stir to mix. Let stand 1 hour.
• Add water to a water bath canner and allow it to come to a boil while you complete the next steps. Also, get a small pan of water boiling on the stove and toss your jar lids in to sterilize them.
• Add the bell pepper, vinegar, sugar, celery seeds and mustard seeds to the squash and stir to mix. Bring to a boil and then fill sterilized pint jars with squash mixture. Remove any air bubbles, wipe jar rims. Remove lid from hot water and place on jar. Screw on the ring just until tight. You don't want to use Herculean strength here. Just like you would place the top back on the mayo jar.
• Place hot filled jars in rack and into the boiling water. NEVER add cold jars to hot water. They will explode and shatter.
• When water returns to a boil with jars in it, process for 5 minutes, or 10 minutes for altitudes of 1,001 feet to 6,000 feet. Over 6,000 feet, process for 15 minutes.
• When time is up remove jars with a jar lifter and place on counter to cool and finish sealing. Refrigerate any jars that do not seal.

BREAD-AND-BUTTER PICKLES (CUKES OR SUMMER SQUASH)

Steps:

• Wash cucumbers or squash. Cut 1/16-inch off blossom end and discard. Cut into 3/16-inch slices. Combine cucumbers and onions in a large bowl. Add salt. Cover with 2 inches crushed or cubed ice. Refrigerate 3 to 4 hours, adding more ice as needed.
• Combine remaining ingredients in a large pot. Boil 10 minutes. Drain and add cucumbers and onions and slowly reheat to boiling.
• Fill pint jars with slices and cooking syrup, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process 10 minutes for under 1000 foot elevation, 15 minutes for 1000 to 6000 foot elevation & 20 minutes for over 6000 foot elevation or use low-temperature pasteurization treatment referenced in recipe description.
• Variation for firmer pickles:
• Wash cucumbers. Cut 1/1 6-inch off blossom end and discard. Cut into 3/16-inch slices. Mix 1 cup pickling lime and 1/2 cup salt to 1 gallon water in a 2- to 3-gallon crock or enamelware container. Avoid inhaling lime dust while mixing the lime-water solution.
• Soak cucumber slices in lime water for 12 to 24 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove from lime solution, rinse, and resoak 1 hour in fresh cold water. Repeat the rinsing and soaking steps two more times. Handle carefully, as slices will be brittle. Drain well.
• Procede as with step #2 above.

SUMMER SQUASH BREAD AND BUTTER PICKLES

Steps:

• Toss together yellow squash, zucchini, and onions with 1/4 cup canning salt and crushed ice in a large bowl. Press a plate directly onto vegetables and place a 5-pound weight on top (a bag of sugar in a sealed plastic bag works well). Let stand at room temperature 4 hours.
• Sterilize jars and lids .
• Bring vinegar, syrup, water, mustard seeds, allspice, celery seeds, and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons canning salt to a boil in a 3-quart saucepan, then simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.
• Cut a lengthwise slit in each chile (don't cut all the way through), then add chiles to pickling liquid and continue to simmer 1 minute.
• Drain jars upside down on a clean kitchen towel 1 minute, then invert.
• Drain vegetables in a colander set over a bowl to catch liquid, then pack into jars, tucking a chile pepper into side of each jar. Fill jars with pickling liquid, leaving 1/4 inch of space at top, then run a thin knife between vegetables and jar to eliminate air bubbles.
• Seal, process, and store filled jars , boiling pickles in jars 20 minutes.
• Let pickles stand in jars at least 1 week for flavors to develop.

SQUASH PICKLES

Steps:

• Slice all ingredients.
• Sprinkle with salt, mix well, and allow to set for 1 hour then drain.
• Mix vinegar and sugar and bring to a boil.
• Add squash mix to boiling vinegar and bring to a boil again.
• Add 1 tsp pickling spice to each heated jar then add squash mix tightly packed to 1/2" headspace.
• Water bath for 30 minutes at 180-185°F Carefully monitor temperature with a candy thermometer (low temperature pasteurization).

PICKLED SQUASH

Steps:

• In a large non-aluminum pot, combine the squash, bell pepper, and onions. Cover with salt, and let stand for 2 hours to release the liquids. Stir occasionally.
• Just before the 2 hours are up, combine the sugar, vinegar, mustard seed, turmeric and celery seed in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Drain the salty liquid from the vegetables. Pour the spice brine over the vegetables, and let stand for 2 more hours.
• Bring to a boil once again, and simmer for about 5 minutes. Ladle into 1 pint sterile jars, filling with the liquid to within 1/4 inch of the top. Wipe rims with a clean towel, and run a thin spatula around the inside of the jar to remove air bubbles. Seal with lids and rings. Process for 10 minutes in a simmering water bath to seal completely.

PICKLED SQUASH

Steps:

• In a large pot or bowl, layer sliced squash and onions, and sprinkle eash layer generously with kosher salt.
• Let sit 1 hour.
• Drain.
• In large pot combine vinegar, sugar, pickling spice, and crushed red pepper and bring to a boil.
• Add squash and onions and return to boil.
• Ladle vegetables and enough of the liquid to cover them within 1/2 inch into sterilized jars.
• Wipe rims and jars clean, and put lids and rings on jars.
• Process jars in hot water bath for 10 minutes.
• Remove jars from water bath and allow to cool.
• Any jars that do not seal should be refrigerated and used withing 2 weeks.

SUMMER SQUASH PICKLE

Steps:

• Cut onion slices in half and peppers into 1/4 inch by 1 inch strips.
• Combine squash, onions and peppers and sprinkle with salt, cover with water and let stand 2 hours.
• Drain, rinse, drain well.
• Combine vinegar, sugar, and remaining ingredients in a large pot.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 min.
• Add veg and return to a boil-remove from heat immediately.
• Quickly ladle veg and liquid into clean hot jars.
• Leave 1/2 inch head space.
• Seal.
• Process 10 minutes in a boiling water bath.

PICKLED YELLOW SQUASH

Steps:

• Put the squash in a large pot and salt heavily. Let stand for one hour.
• Drain the liquid from the squash. Take paper towels and wipe thoroughly until most of the salt is removed. Do not wash the squash!
• Prepare the brine and place in a large pot.
• Add the green pepper and bring to a boil.
• Add squash and onion.
• Return to a boil.
• Remove from heat.
• Put in jars leaving 1/2" headspace.
• Place lids, screw on bands finger-tight and process in a boiling water bath (5 minutes up to 1000 feet in elevation; 10 minutes from 1001 to 6000 feet; 15 minutes >6000 feet).
• Let jars cool; store in a cool, dark place.