Bread and butter pickles

I tried your bread and butter pickles recipe but had far too little pickling juice. I halved the recipe as I had 8 cucumbers which weighed 3½ pounds on my scale so I assumed that would be close to 2 quarts or half of your recipe. What did I do wrong? I know there’s a difference between liquid and dry weights but not sure how to figure out. I also sliced both the cukes and onions about 1/8 inch thick on a mandoline. Should I have sliced them thicker?

Lettie Cain
Inkster, Michigan

Wow! Big cukes and that was probably your trouble. Most folks make bread and butter pickles out of cukes just a little bigger than little whole dill-pickle sized cukes. No, your slices were fine. I’d use smaller cukes next time. When in doubt, you can always make more brine using the same proportions. Then you’ll always have plenty. — Jackie

Canning homemade syrups

Is it possible to can homemade syrups, such as chocolate? I’ve read that you can’t home-can chocolate sauce, but what about syrup?

Lynda
Bolton, Massachusetts

Sorry, but there are no approved recipes for canning chocolate syrup or sauce now available. I’m sure it can be canned as commercial products are, but I can’t advise it. — Jackie

2 COMMENTS

  1. Jackie,
    Thanks so much for your fast reply!!! Have never grown the pickling cucumber but will pick some up from the farmer’s market to try again! Really appreciate you!

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