Bread and Butter Pickles

4 pounds unwaxed cucumbers - (3" to 4" long)
1/2 pound onions - (2 large)
1/2 cup coarse kosher salt (or 6 tbspns uniodized table salt or pickling salt)
Water
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons celery seed
1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seed
1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
2 1/2 cups cider vinegar

To salt vegetables: Using mandoline or food processor, slice cucumbers and onions as thin as possible. In 4-quart bowl (not aluminum), layer prepared cucumbers and onions with salt. Cover with cold water. Refrigerate, covered, for 4 to 5 hours, or overnight.

To heat vegetables: Drain vegetables. Rinse and drain again. Refrigerate in colander set in bowl. Meanwhile, place sugar, spices and vinegar in a 6- to 8-quart saucepan. Stir to dissolve sugar. Bring to a boil. Add well-drained vegetables all at once. Stir to encourage even heating. Heat just to a boil.

To fill jars: Adjust heat to keep mixture hot, but not boiling. Using slotted spoon, fill hot, sterilized jars within 3/4- to 1-inch of top. Cover with boiling syrup to within 1/4-inch. Using tea strainer, remove spices remaining in pan, divide them among jars and seal. Discard leftover syrup. (Note: You may have as much as 2 cups leftover syrup, but it's too watered down by cucumbers to be reused.)

To store pickles: Seal. Cool. Label. Store in refrigerator. Wait at least 1 month before using, to develop best flavor. But for best quality, consume pickles within 6 weeks.

This recipe yields 4 pints.

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