How to Make Mustard Pickles

Pickles are commonly served alongside sandwiches.

Mustard pickles are cucumbers that have been soaked in a solution of vinegar and dried mustard. The resulting taste is flavorful, and the pickles are commonly served alongside sandwiches. Pickling cucumbers are used because their size is much smaller than that of normal varieties and will easily fit inside the pickling jar. This recipe will produce roughly 88 mustard pickle spears, which can be served as snacks, appetizers or meal accompaniments.

Things You'll Need

• 22 pickling cucumbers
• 1 gallon glass jar
• ½ cup dried mustard
• 6 cups apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup kosher salt
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• Whisk

Instructions

1. Rinse the cucumbers under cold water, then quarter them lengthwise creating four spears each. Place the cucumber spears into a 1-gallon glass jar.

2. Combine the dried mustard with two cups of the apple cider vinegar in a large bowl. Stir until the mustard dissolves, and then add the salt, sugar, two cups of water and the remaining four cups of vinegar. Whisk the ingredients until the salt and sugar dissolve completely.

3. Pour the liquid over the cucumbers in the glass jar, ensuring they are completely covered. Add extra vinegar if the cucumber spears aren't fully submerged in liquid.

4. Seal the lid on the glass jar tightly, and label with the contents and date. Place the jar in a cool, dark place, free of drafts, to pickle.

5. Allow the cucumbers to stand for at least two weeks before serving. Store the mustard pickles in the refrigerator for up to 10 weeks after the jar has been opened.

Tips & Warnings

• The pickles can be enjoyed immediately, but the longer they are left in the pickling liquid, the more flavorful they become. Pickling cucumbers are also known as Kirby cucumbers, and can be found in most grocery stores.

References

• The New Great American Writers Cookbook; Dean Faulkner Wells and Julia Reed; 2003
• Cook & Tell: No-Fuss Recipes and Gourmet Surprises; Karyl Bannister; 2001