My mother-in-law’s pickles and jams make our family gatherings extra special. Spring and summer bring some of her busiest days, as they are filled with canning special treats for everyone she knows. These pickles are our daughter’s favorite and she will eat the whole jar if we let her. This recipe is inspired by Grandma Devery’s pickles; she traditionally uses cucumbers instead of zucchinis, but either one works great!
6 medium zucchinis (about 8 cups)
1 medium onion or 2 large shallots
6 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons kosher salt
4 cups apple cider vinegar
2 cups light brown sugar, loosely packed
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon dill seeds
1 tablespoon celery seeds
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
Makes 6 pints
Assemble the canning stations as described on pages 5–7, steps 2–4. At the food preparation station, wash the zucchinis under cold running water. Cut off the blossom ends, and compost, or put into the freezer for future stock making. Thinly slice the zucchinis into 1/8-inch-thick coins. Slice the onion into 1/8-inch-thick rounds. Peel the garlic and thinly slice.
In a large bowl, combine the zucchini, salt, and 2 tablespoons of cold water. Gently rub the salt into the zucchini coins. Place the bowl with the coins in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
In a medium saucepan, bring the vinegar to a boil. Once it’s boiling, turn the heat down to low and add the brown sugar. Stir to dissolve.
After 15 minutes, drain the liquid out of the zucchini bowl, but do not rinse. Add the onions, garlic, and spices. Wearing gloves, massage the spices into the vegetables.
At the filling station, keep the jars and brine hot while filling each jar. Hand-pack the vegetables into the jar. Press the pickles down gently with a spoon, leaving 1 inch of headspace. Use a heat-resistant pitcher to fill the jar with brine, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Remove the air pockets by tapping the jar gently on a kitchen towel. Add brine, if necessary, press the pickles down with the back of a spoon, wipe the rim, and secure the lid. Place the jars in the water bath, covered by 1 inch of water. Once the water is boiling, process for 10 minutes (pages 11–14, steps 7–12).
TIP
Cutting the blossom end from both zucchini and cucumbers helps to keep the pickled vegetable crisp as the enzymes in the blossom end will soften the pickles more quickly.