So what exactly is a bread-and-butter pickle? Is it a pickle for bread and butter? Wait wait! Let me help you out with this one. We have a new Chef John’s bread and butter pickle recipe.

The name may be confusing, but the recipe is quite simple to make sandwiches. So, the bread and pickle recipe is a pickle recipe you can enjoy with your sandwiches.
Here cucumbers are pickled, so you can store this for up to four months to make quick sandwiches. Isn’t it great? So, let’s look at the recipe in detail.
In a bowl, cucumbers, onions, and peppers are seasoned with salt and refrigerated for a few hours.
Meanwhile, we make the brine with vinegar, sugar, water, garlic, mustard seeds, celery seed, peppercorns, turmeric, and cloves in the saucepan.
Add cucumber mixture to the brine and bring to a boil. It’s done! So, easy.
Chef John provides this recipe as a quick solution for pairing it with your burgers and sandwiches. This pickle gives an instant hit to your burgers, and they don’t taste bland.
It’s a wonderful recipe that breaks the tradition of making sandwiches with bland cucumbers. So, fill the jars with this pickle to jazz up the recipes later.
Here is a detailed recipe for bread and butter pickles. Also, get the equipment details and nutritional information for the same.
Other Chef John’s Recipe That You Can Try
- Chef John’s Salmon Cakes
- Chef John’s Perfect Prime Rib
- Chef John’s Chicken And Rice
- Chef John’s Mashed Potatoes
- Chef John’s Buttermilk Biscuits
- Chef John’s Make Ahead Turkey Gravy
- Chef John’s Stuffed Pepper
- Chef John’s Au Jus
- Chef John’s Gazpacho
- Chef John’s Meatballs
What Equipment Will You Need To Make Chef John’s Bread And Butter Pickle?
- Bowl – Combine cucumbers, onions, and celery in the large bowl.
- Plastic Wrap – Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator.
- Spatula – Use a spatula to combine all the ingredients.
- Colander- Rinse the cucumber mixture into the colander under cold running water.
- Saucepan – Make the brine in the saucepan.
- Jars – Fill jars with bread and butter pickles and store them in the refrigerator.
How Much Time Will You Need To Make Chef John’s Bread And Butter Pickle?
Preparation Time | Resting Time | Cooking Time | Total Time |
---|---|---|---|
15 Minutes | 2 Hours | 5 Minutes | 2 Hours 20 Minutes |
What Ingredients Will You Need To Make Chef John’s Bread And Butter Pickle?
- Cucumbers – Cut cucumbers into slices. It’s the main ingredient for the pickle.
- Vinegar – For sour and tangy flavors, add white vinegar.
- Onion – Onions are used for both sweet and savory flavors.
- Jalapeno Peppers – Add a spicy kick to the pickle with jalapeno peppers.
- Celery Seeds – Celery seeds have earthy and savory flavors, which go well in the pickle.
- Sugar – To balance the sweetness of the pickle, add white sugar.
- Garlic – Two cloves of garlic for some garlicky flavors.
- Mustard Seeds – One tablespoon of mustard seeds for a strong, pungent flavor.
- Black Peppercorns – Add whole black peppercorns for a musky spiciness.
- Turmeric – Add ground turmeric for the perfect yellow color of brine.
- Cloves – Cloves add a warm spiciness to the pickle.
- Kosher Salt – Use lots of kosher salt to sprinkle over the cucumber mixture. It will draw out a tone of water and give a nice texture.

Steps To Make Chef John’s Bread And Butter Pickle
1. Cover And Cool
Take a large bowl. Combine cucumbers, onion, and jalapeno peppers. Stir in kosher salt to completely coat the top.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for two hours.
After a few hours, place the cucumber mixture in a colander and rinse under cold water for three to four minutes until all salt is removed. Be sure to drain well.
2. Get The Brine Ready
In a saucepan, heat vinegar, sugar, water, garlic, mustard seeds, celery seeds, peppercorns, turmeric, and ground cloves.
Bring everything to a simmer for two minutes. Then add cucumber mixture to the brine and bring to a boil.
Remove the pan from the heat. Cool for some time. Transfer the pickle to the jars. Store in the refrigerator for future use.
Nutritional Information
Calories | 130 kcal |
Fat | 0.3 g |
Sodium | 1144 mg |
Potassium | 160 mg |
Carbohydrates | 30.4 g |
Sugar | 6.5 g |
Protein | 1.5 g |
How Will Chef John’s Bread And Butter Pickle Look And Taste Like?
Bread and pickle is a classic combination that always tastes great. This pickle tastes salty, sour, sweet, and spicy altogether.
It has all the crunch from cucumbers and onions and is savored well with the flavored brine.
All in all, you will see yellow color pickles stored in jars. Pair them with sandwiches, wraps, or burgers to give fantastic flavors.
Recipe Card
Chef John’s Bread And Butter Pickle Recipe
Equipment
- Bowl
- Plastic Wrap
- Spatula
- Colander
- Saucepan
- Jars
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Cucumbers
- 2 cups Vinegar
- ½ Onion (yellow)
- 2 Jalapeno Peppers
- 1 teaspoon Celery Seeds
- 2 cups Sugar
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1 tablespoons Mustard Seeds
- 1 teaspoon Black Peppercorns
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric
- ⅛ teaspoon Cloves
- 3 tablespoons Kosher Salt
Instructions
- Combine cucumbers, onion, and peppers in the bowl.
- Coat the mixture with kosher salt.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for two hours.
- Remove the bowl from the fridge and rinse the cucumber mixture in a colander under cold water for five minutes.
- Wash out all the salt.
- Drain the mixture.
- Heat the saucepan on medium flame. Stir in vinegar, sugar, water, garlic, mustard seed, celery seed, peppercorns, turmeric, and ground cloves.
- Then add cucumber mixture into it. Mix well.
- Bring everything to a boil for two minutes.
- Remove from the saucepan.
- Cool for some time.
- Store the pickle in the jars.
- John’s bread and butter pickles are ready.
Video
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is a bread and butter pickle?
Bread and butter pickle is a pickle relish made with cucumbers, onions, seasonings, and herbs.
Why are bread and butter pickles so good?
They are the perfect mix of sweet and salty flavors. They get a nice crunch from cucumbers and onions.
What makes bread and butter pickle different?
Bread and butter pickle is quick to make with few ingredients. It is made with pickling cucumbers.
Are bread and butter pickles sweet?
Bread and butter pickles are not really sweet. They are made with spices and herbs like black peppercorns, mustard, jalapeno peppers, garlic, cloves, and turmeric. It is a savory, mildly spicy, and sour pickle.
What keeps cucumbers crisp when pickling?
Never peel cucumbers before making a pickle. The skin actually makes it crispy for a long time so never peel the skin of cucumbers.
Conclusion
These bread and butter pickles are great for showing off your culinary skills.
They add a nice crunch to your burgers and give a fresh flavor. So, are you ready to tantalize your taste buds? Then make this pickle recipe.