After reading (and admittingly mocking) a New York Times article about the hipness of pickle making, I decided to make good on my word and give out some canning recipes from my maternal grandmother.  It is good to know my grandmother was ‘HIP’ 100 years before her time.

Elsie Mitchell’s Bread & Butter Pickles

These pickles are my favorite which is why I am sharing. But my grandmother would do pickles more than one way. The shelves in her kitchen would be packed with pickles.

When she was canning, we were told in no uncertain terms not to run in the house or slam the screen door, less the pressure cooker explode. As kids, we were so terrified of the pressure cookers, we would tiptoe through her house. For years, I really thought the house would explode if we slammed the screen door. Imagine my surprise when an older cousin explained that yes the pressure cooker could explode, but more than likely it would mean broken glass and hot pickle juice on the kitchen ceiling.

Ingredients:

– 6 qt clean thinly sliced cucumbers

– 6 medium size onions, sliced

– 3/4 cup salt

– 2 cups water

– 1 qt vinegar

– 4 cups sugar

– 2 tbsp. each celery and mustard seed

Directions:

– Alternate layers of cucumbers and onions in earthenware bowl

– Sprinkle with salt and cover

-Combine sugar, water, vinegar, celery and mustard seed and bring to boil

-Stirring the whole time, boil 3 minutes

-Add cucumber mixture and again bring to boiling point

-Pack immediately into hot sterilized jar. Seal at once.

Elsie’s Dill Pickles

These pickles are a close second in my favorite. My mom always made these but as everyone knows, no one (not even Mom) makes them like your grandmother. These are super easy to make…just like the New York Times promised pickle making should be!

Ingredients:

-20 to 25 4-inch cucumbers

– 1/8 tsp powdered alum

– 1 clove garlic

– 2 heads dill

– 1 red hot pepper

-grape leaves

– 1 qt vinegar

– 1 cup salt

– 3 qt water

Directions:

– Wash cucumbers

-Let cucumbers stand in cold water overnight

-Pack cucumbers into hot sterilized jars

-To each qt jar add the above amount (1/8 tsp) alum, garlic (1 clove), dill (2 heads), and 1 red pepper.

– Combine vinegar, salt and water and heat to boiling.

-Add this mixture to each jar and then seal and process jar immediately.