Uncle Bill's Mustard Pickles

4.50 (3)
⏱ 858 mins 🍽 8 jars 🏷 Cauliflower

This cherished family recipe for mustard pickles has been adapted over the years for improved flavour. It combines chopped cucumbers, sweet peppers, cauliflower, onion, and celery in a sweet and tangy vinegar syrup infused with mustard and turmeric. The vegetables are brined overnight before being cooked briefly, mixed with a mustard paste, and sealed in jars. The finished pickles are ideal for long-term storage in a cool, dark pantry. The recipe yields approximately 8 jars.

Uncle Bill's Mustard Pickles

Ingredients

  • 6 large cucumbers (fewer seeds the better)
  • 3 large sweet red peppers, seeded and diced
  • 3 large green peppers, seeded and diced
  • 3 tablespoons pickling salt or 3 tablespoons coarse salt
  • 2 cups cauliflower florets
  • 1 large onion, minced
  • 3 stalks celery, chopped fine
  • 4 cups white vinegar
  • 4 cups granulated sugar
  • 5 tablespoons dry mustard
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/2 cup cold water

Method

  1. Thoroughly wash the cucumbers, then chop them finely.
  2. Remove the seeds from the sweet red and green peppers and dice them.
  3. Put the chopped cucumbers and diced peppers into a large mixing bowl.
  4. Cover the vegetables with pickling salt, then leave them covered overnight.
  5. In the morning, pour away all the liquid that has been released.
  6. Chop the cauliflower, onion, and celery finely and combine them with the drained cucumber and pepper mixture.
  7. Move all the prepared vegetables to a large pot suitable for cooking.
  8. Pour in the vinegar and sugar, then heat the contents until they reach a boil.
  9. Lower the heat and let the mixture simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until the vegetables are just tender, being careful not to overcook them.
  10. Combine the dry mustard and turmeric with a half cup of cold water in a separate small bowl.
  11. Just before the vegetables finish cooking, stir the mustard mixture into the pot until fully incorporated and heat it until it just begins to boil again.
  12. Sterilise your chosen canning jars and get them ready for filling.
  13. Ladle the hot pickle mixture into the jars, leaving a 1/4" gap at the top.
  14. Secure the lids and screw bands on the jars and process them using your preferred canning technique.
  15. Once the jars have sealed and cooled completely, add labels and keep them in a cool, dark location for storage.

Nutrition (per serving)

Sodium2650500 mg

Recipe details

CategoryCauliflower
AuthorWilliam Uncle Bill