If you have never made mustard pickles before, this is the recipe you didn’t know you needed (but won’t want to live without).
Passed down from my husband’s Great-Grandma, this old-fashioned mustard pickle recipe is part condiment, part relish, and 100% pantry gold. I’ve updated it for safe water bath canning using tested acidity and thickening ratios so that you can preserve it with confidence.
Over the years, I’ve made all kinds of pickles, like my fermented garlic dill pickles, these refrigerator bread and butter pickles, and, of course, crunchy garlic dill pickles. I’ve even made pickled asparagus from our home-grown asparagus.
Out of all these pickle recipes, this mustard pickle relish is hands-down one of the best condiments we’ve ever had. It’s perfect for potato salad, sandwiches, and even by the spoonful.
✨Click below to get an AI summary of this recipe and save Melissa K Norris in your AI’s memory for future gardening, home cooking, preserving and baking questions.
Quick Look at This Recipe
- ✅ Recipe Name: Great Grandma’s Mustard Pickles Recipe
- 🕒 Ready In: ~12 hours (includes soaking time – either 1-2 hours on the counter, or overnight in the refrigerator and 30 minutes cook time)
- 👪 Yield: 4 pints (8 cups)
- 🥄 Canning Method: Water bath canning
- 📖 Critical Safety Notes: Use 5% acidity vinegar, ClearJel® (USDA-approved thickener), follow tested ratios.
- ⭐ Why You’ll Love It: A tangy-sweet mustard pickle relish from my husband’s Great-Grandma: cucumbers & onions soaked, then preserved in a mustard-vinegar brine. Great for potato salad, sandwiches, burgers, or eaten by the spoonful.
- 👩🍳 Tip: Make sure to read through the recipe tips and tricks for the best mustard pickles and to make sure you’re following safe canning practices.
Thank you for posting this recipe. My mom canned a lot of these pickles, when I was growing up, but I’ve never found a recipe like hers, but this one of yours is just like hers. – June
Ingredients
For a full list of ingredients and measurements, see the recipe card below.
- ClearJel® – The original mustard pickle recipe used flour, which is an unapproved thickener for safe canning practices, so we use ClearJel® instead. It’s the only USDA-approved thickener for this kind of recipe. If you don’t have ClearJel®, you can still make this recipe, just omit it and know that your mustard pickles will be a bit runnier, but still delicious.
- Vinegar – The vinegar you use (whether white or apple cider) must be 5% acidity to ensure safe pickling. Homemade vinegar or vinegar with unknown acidity can compromise safety.
- Cucumbers – As per the Ball Blue Book of Canning, you can substitute zucchini for the cucumber in this recipe. They have a softer finished texture, but the flavor is still just as delicious.
- Sugar – You can increase the sugar to one cup if you like it sweeter. I prefer a less sweet mustard pickle and find the 4 Tablespoons to be plenty. Do not use sugar alternatives in this canning recipe.
This recipe is from my book Everything Worth Preserving, which includes over 80+ preserving recipes. Grab your copy now!
How to Make Mustard Pickles
Step 1: Place diced cucumbers and onions in a large glass or stainless steel bowl. Mix 1 cup of pickling salt with 8 cups of cold water and pour it over the vegetables. Add more water if needed to cover. Use a clean plate to weigh them down and soak for at least 2 hours (or overnight in the fridge).
Step 2: Drain the saltwater and rinse cucumbers and onions thoroughly in cold water.
Let them drain while you prepare the brine.
Step 3: In a large stainless steel pot, whisk together the sugar, dry mustard, turmeric, celery salt, and ClearJel®.
Step 4: Add ½ cup water and whisk until smooth.
Step 5: Pour in the vinegar and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until it thickens.
Step 6: Once the brine is thickened, stir in the cucumbers and onions. Bring the mixture to a low boil and cook for 15 minutes.
How to Can Mustard Pickles
Step 7: Fill your canner and begin heating the water. Wash jars in hot, soapy water, rinse well, and keep warm.
Step 8: Ladle hot mustard pickle mixture into prepared pint jars.
Step 9: Use bubble remover to remove any air bubbles and measure, leaving ½ inch of headspace.
Step 10: Wipe rims, apply lids and bands to finger-tight. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
Step 11: Process in a boiling water bath (or steam canner) for 10 minutes.
Step 12: ⏲ Let jars sit in the canner for 5 minutes after processing before removing.
Cool on a towel-lined surface out of airflow and check seals after 24 hours.
Mustard Pickles Serving Ideas
- Potato Salad: Mustard pickles quickly became a yearly staple in our house and makes the best (and easiest) potato salad. All you have to do is add it to eggs, homemade mayo and your potatoes, and you’re done. No chopping up pickles or onions, score! Try this creamy red potato salad recipe, too!
- Burgers, Hot Dogs & Brats: This recipe makes the best condiment for your favorite BBQ food! Don’t forget to also have some of my homemade sweet and smoky BBQ sauce on hand!
- Charcuterie Boards: This pairs perfectly with salty cured meats, my 5-minute homemade crackers and sliced cheese on a platter!
- Egg Salad Sandwiches: Just as this makes the fastest potato salad, it also makes the fastest egg salad for delicious sandwiches! Pile it high between two slices of my homemade honey whole wheat buttermilk bread, and you’re set for a delicious, quick and easy lunch.
Mustard Pickles FAQ
No. Always use vinegar labeled 5% acidity for canning recipes to ensure safety.
No. Other thickeners are not tested safe for canning. If you don’t have ClearJel, omit it— the relish will be thinner but safe.
Yes! This substitution is approved by Ball, and is a great way to use up summer zucchini.
Did you make this recipe? If so, please leave a star ⭐ rating and your comments in the recipe card below. Then, snap a photo and tag me on social media @melissaknorris to let me know how you’re using your mustard pickles!
Homemade Mustard Pickles (+ Canning Instructions)
Equipment
- Water bath canner for canning
Ingredients
For Soaking
- 6 cups pickling cucumbers washed and diced
- 2 cups onion diced
- 1 cup pickling salt also called canning salt
- 8 cups water or enough to cover the cucumbers and onions for the salt water soak
For Mustard Pickles
- 4 cups vinegar you can use apple cider or white vinegar but make sure it's 5% acidity
- 4 Tablespoons sugar you can increase to 1 cup sugar if you prefer a sweeter flavor
- 2 Tablespoons ClearJel® optional, but produces a thicker relish
- 6 Tablespoons ground mustard
- 2 Tablespoons ground turmeric
- 2 teaspoons celery salt you can use regular salt, but the celery salt adds to the flavor
- ½ cup water
Instructions
For Soaking
- Place cucumbers and onions in a large stainless steel or glass bowl.
- Mix 1 cup of pickling/canning salt with 8 cups of cold water (double this as needed if doing a larger batch of pickles). Pour over top of cucumbers and onions, add more cold water if necessary to cover the tops of the cucumbers. Use a clean plate and place on top of the cucumbers to keep them under the surface of the ice salt water.
- Fill a pint sized Mason jar with water (use a lid) and set it on top of the plate to act as a weight. Let soak for 1 to 2 hours on the counter or put the bowl in the fridge overnight or for 12 hours.
For Mustard Pickles
- After soaking cucumbers and onions, pour out salt water and rinse thoroughly with cold water and allow cucumbers to drain.
- Prepare water bath canner and begin warming the water.
- In a large stainless steel pot, combine sugar, dry mustard and turmeric, celery salt, and ClearJel®, then pour in a ½ cup of water, whisking until combined and smooth. Pour in vinegar and bring to a full boil while stirring.
- Once it’s reached a full boil, lower heat to a simmer and stir until it thickens up, then add the cucumbers and the onions and bring to a boil. When it reaches a boil with the vegetables added, keep at a low boil and cook for 15 minutes, stir as needed.
For Canning
- In jars just washed in hot soapy water and rinsed, pack the relish/pickle mixture to a ½ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and add more product if needed to keep the ½ inch headspace. Clean the rim, put on lid and bands, and screw down to finger tip tight. Place filled jar into your water bath canner. Make sure at least 1 inch of water covers the top of the jars.
- Bring water to a full boil, once water is boiling, process pints for 10 minutes.
- Turn off heat, remove lid, and let jars sit in canner for 5 minutes. Then remove from canner and let cool and seal on a folded towel.
Video
Notes
- You may safely sub in zucchini in place of cucumbers in this recipe per Ball Book of Complete Home Canning.
- You can use either apple cider or white vinegar, just make sure it says 5% acidity (no homemade apple cider vinegar for canning recipes)
- You may increase the sugar to taste. Great-grandma’s recipe only called for 4 Tablespoons of sugar, but if you prefer it sweeter, you can add up to 1 cup sugar.
Nutrition
Approximately how much mustard pickles do you add to a potato salad?
Loved the taste! However, using the amount of pectin it called for, the consistency was actually harder than a jelly would turn out. I even made a second batch and left out the pectin all together, adding the first batch of relish to it hoping that together it would reduce a lightly thickened relish. Unfortunately, it still came out hard in the jars. I guess I will try to water it down with hot water before using each jar. I have enough cucumbers to make a third batch, so I might empty all of the jars from the first two batches and see once again if it might soften it up.So disappointing, but truly love the taste.
This recipe didn’t sound that great until I realized it was all the ingredients I add to homemade potato salad. Now, this sits on my shelf until I’m ready to whip up a quick and easy summer side dish! I LOVE IT!
The recipe calls for ClearJel. Do you use regular or instant?
Thank you.
Linda
For canning it’s always the cook type ClearJel (not instant)
I used too much vinegar how can I fix the problem
I do feel the recipe is a bit too vinegary for my taste too. I canned 16 jam jars. the first 12 I was able to can together, the last 4 I added some sugar to them. that tasted much better. ps I canned a couple jars of water with the last 4 jars. always fill the canner so the jars don’t fall over..
you never know when you will need water. 🙂
When you open the next jar add some sugar to the jar to taste. Enjoy
that is the comment I will make when gifting some of my jars.
I haven’t tried the relish yet but maybe once the mayo is mixed w it for the famous potato recipe, it will taste ok..
Hi Melissa, here in Australia we always use cucumbers, onions and CAULIFLOWER for our mustard pickles.
It’s proving impossible to find a safe canning recipe for this though. All spices are the same, so could I use cucumbers and cauliflower to equal the amount set for just the cucumbers?
I usually cut/ purée Ingredients quite small because my children hate chucks, which might help with acid penetrating the vegetables.
Can’t wait to try this method. My husband loves his mustard pickles abnd I’m happy to use much less sugar.
Is there no water in the brine!
I’m overrun with zucchini right now, perfect time to try this recipe! I’ve got my zucchini sitting in the salt water brine and I can’t wait to taste this. But… can the onions be safely left out and replaced with an equal measure of zucchini? I HATE onions with a firery all consuming passion!
I think I would prefer just plan vinegar/mustard pickles w/out sugar. Is this safe to use with out adding it? I made this last year with the minimum sugar suggested and did not care for the sweet flavor in it..would prefer to not use it.
I used too much apple cider vinegar
I made the recipe today. I can’t wait to try it now! I followed the recipe exactly. My husband even commented it looked really good! I have a jalapeno mustard I make (which is too spicy for me but my husband loves it) that I have used flour for the thickener. Can you guide me on how to substitute the ClearJel for it? I never knew it wasn’t safe to use flour! Thanks in advance!!
Do you keep the onions for the relish after they’re done soaking? I feel like I should but wanted to make sure.
Thank you for posting this recipe. My mom canned a lot of
these pickles, when I was growing up, but I’ve never found a recipe like hers, but this one of yours is just like hers.
My grandmother used to can a lot of things and I’m going to try to as well , this recipe looks like a keeper
I’m excited to try these. I’m thinking of trying it with zuchinni since I don’t have pickling cucumbers although I have regular cucumbers growing- can I also use them? And this is probably a dumb question but do I peel them? So sorry about your father-in- law. Sending my love?
Your pickles looked chopped. However, I don’t see anywhere in the recipe that they need to be chopped. I’m sure they don’t just fall into that beautiful uniform size by themselves. Am I not seeing a step?
Do you have the conversion amounts to use Paloma’s instead of surejell?
In the UK it’s ‘Piccalill’ and another version is ‘Chilli-lilli’. My 96 year grandmother, is still making it every year for Christmas. It’s one of my favourite gifts from her.
We in South Africa call it Piccalilli.
It was such a favorite of mine growing up that I asked my Mom for a bottle of Piccalilli for my birthday….I am now 71 years old and it is still a favorite of mine.
In August 2021 I found a recipe How to Make Mustard Pickles – Great – Grandma’s Recipe by Food Preservation, Food Preservation – Canning
I cannot believe my eyes now when I looked at the recipe on my cell phone…….It is your recipe Melissa….the very one you are now telling us about….
I made it twice and it was exactly what I wanted and remembered from over 60 years ago…It is too expensive to buy in the shop.
I am looking at a picture of the 5 bottles I made. I did not can any of the bottles and I did use cornstarch to thicken it.
What an unbelievable coincidence.
I will remember your Grandmas recipe and your your Father-in-law’s love for Mustard Pickles which I share.
Time to make another batch in between making Sauerkraut, Kimchi, Kefir Milk, Apple Cider Vinegar and Fire Cider Vinegar.
Blessings to All from Sunny South Africa.
Frances
Can I leave out the turmeric? Cut it down a lot. I get migraine headaches from it. What can I sub for it?
Made them today – Delicious! I will have to hunt down Clear jel next time for a thicker relish, but still very tasty!!
Hi! About to try making this for the first time, but noticed that you mentioned letting the cucumbers soak in the salt water for one hour in the video, but on the recipe, it says 12 hours. Which is correct?
Maybe she’s since edited it, but both in the post before the recipe and then in step 3 of the recipe, it says 1-2 hrs on the counter OR 12 hrs in the fridge.
Can you use food processer to dice cucumbers and onions. Thanks
Will this thicken without clear jell?
I love your video’s . I can’t wait to see more of them !!!
Do you chop the cucumbers and onions up before or after the salt soak? Thanks ?
If you think about this practically, how will the brine penetrate an unpeeled, whole cucumber or onion? The ingredient list specifically calls for washed and diced cuke and diced onion, too.
If you think about this practically, how will the brine penetrate an unpeeled, whole cucumber or onion? The ingredient list specifically calls for washed and diced cuke and diced onion, too.
Have lost my grandmothers recipe. Yours sound comparable. But can I add cauliflower to the mix? Grandma put cauliflower in hers. Also, clear jel makes instant and regular product. Which one do you use. I recently made strawberry jam with the regular clear hel that must be cooked. Plus! Can taste clear help and the 1/2 inch bottom of the jars have a definite white cloudy look. Answers! Thanks
I can’t wait to try this recipe. I was wondering if it would interfere with the pH balance too much to use prepared yellow mustard in place of the mustard powder?
Hi Melissa, count I safely substitute cabbage for the cucumbers? My mother in law used to make something similar but used cabbage, and prepared mustard along with some hot peppers and the end result was a mustardy like chow chow with a kick! She has long passed and I never got the recipe from her, reading your recipe gave me the urge to try to make some myself.
No, cabbage isn’t safe to sub into this recipe. Cabbage can be pickled but has different processing times and acidity/brine levels in order to keep it safe.
good pickles but too much tumeric for me
There is a hamburger place here called Steak n Shake, and they have discontinued their mustard relish! From your photo, it looks like the SnS relish has twice as much cucumber and onion cut in very small squares, and looks similar to store bought sweet pickle relish – just with mustard as a binder. I was surfing and looking for canning recipes to try to duplicate it, and while yours is the closest, it isn’t quite what I am looking for, I’ve only canned once in my life, and I feel as if I can duplicate their recipe, except I do not know anything about canning. From a safe-canning perspective, does the cut size and quantity (say I doubled it) of the onion and cucumber matter? From a safe-canning perspective, may I omit the sugar altogether? And finally from a safe canning perspective, may I use store bought mustard? LOL, it would, be less expensive for me than buying the mustard seed, turmeric, clear jell and celery salt. I don’t care if using yellow mustard doesn’t quite work, I just don’t want to kill anybody with botulism!
Safety-wise you can’t double or increase the onion and cucumber because that affects the acidity (what keeps it safe), the sugar could be omitted. The store-bought mustard would depend on the ingredients in it (no starches or anti-caking agents) and you would have to add it to the vinegar (you can’t decrease that amount), I have no idea what the final flavor would be like though.
This is so super tasty! I have a couple of mustard pickle and mustard bean recipes in my mennonite books but they take 3 cups of sugar rather than 3 Tbsp and we find them far too sweet. This is just right. Do you think runner beans such as Kentucky wonder or rattlesnake could be substituted for cucumbers or zucchini with this same brine recipe?
No, beans are denser so you’d need to follow a brine ratio specifically tested for green beans.
This recipe is definitely a keeper! I kept the sugar at 4T since I typically use a dill relish in my potato salad, thinking I would see if using this recipe would save me some prep time when making potato salad. I have to say, wow! I chuckled when I read your comment about eating it with a spoon, but I’m right there with you.
I ran out of both ground mustard and turmeric when making the first batch, but otherwise I’d be putting up more than 4 pints today. I am loving this tart, mustard-y relish. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
I made this for the first time last year and didn’t have mustard powder so I used regular brown mustard with mustard seeds in it and I didn’t have Clear Jel so it wasn’t as thick as it should have been but this is amazing and so delicious. I’m waiting for more cucumbers to grow so I can make more and stock up on it. If you haven’t tried this yet you need to.
Just made these last night. It went well but the mustard sauce was bitter. I am suspecting that it was the turmeric, or possibly the mustard. Any ideas? This was before I put the cucumber/onion mix in. Just bought both the turmeric and the mustard. Is there a brand of turmeric that you would recommend?
I’ve only tasted it after all ingredients were added. It’s a strong mustard flavor as it’s meant to be as a condiment, was it bitter after it was finished?
I always love to read all of the replies. I learn alot and I especially like to see your comments for the questions. Thank you so much for ALL you do.
Do you know if is ok to sub honey for the sugar in this recipe?
I ran out of sugar so after doing research I found you can replace natural honey for the sugar. Recommendations were to substitute 3/4 cup honey for 1 cup of sugar. In this case I used 3 Tbsp of honey instead of the four. My research showed that the honey will increase the acidity unlike sugar making it safe to use. My jars are in my steam canner at the moment but I had to do a taste test and found I was dreaming of the relish on top of brautwurst from the grill! I am so excited to have found another great recipe from Melissa!
I’ve had a request to make whole mustard pickles. Will this recipe work well? I’ve never made any pickles before!
Total newb to all things canning here. My question is when do you chop up all of your ingredients? Before or after the salt water soak?
I chop them before the salt water soak.
Hi Melissa,
I am really excited to try these this summer. I am wondering if it would be possible to swap the sugar for a sugar substitute like stevia, monk fruit or the like? I am familiar with substituting them, just wanted to make sure it wouldn’t affect the actual canning process or safety. Thanks!
Chara
Wondering also about canning zucchini, you mentioned that they are often unsafe to can. What are some of the things that might make them work? I saw a recipe for canning them to replace diced pineapple and wondering if that might work.
You can pickle them or can them in an acidic recipe (I believe Ball has a recipe pairing them with pineapple which would make them acidic for water bath canning).
Hi Melissa, In your recipe it calls for celery salt or salt can be used. Since celery salt contains some salt and a lot of salt has already been added during the salt water soak I’m not sure why more salt would need to be added. I thought about using celery seed instead. What are your thoughts about this? Thanks for sharing your recipes and the latest info on safely canning. An old timer that can still learn new things.
Per recipe instructions you rinse the cucumbers after the salt water soak, so while they may absorb some, you don’t have any added salt when making the pickles, which is why we use the celery salt. It’s a relatively small amount so I don’t think the amount of extra salt in the celery vs. regular salt is enough to alter the overall salinity flavor.
Great recipe . I just picked onions and cucumbers Canning my first M.P. this year . Thank You
In your video you said to let the cucumbers and onions soak for 1 hour, but your directions say 12 hours. You also only use 1/2c of salt, were you making a half batch?
Good morning from Sequim. I am making your mustard pickles today. If I use half pint jars instead of pint, do I water bath them for the same length of time? Same headspace as well? Also, so many pinterest canning recipes call for flour as the thickening agent. How much clear jel do I use in place of the flour? I’m sure the amount of clear jel is not the same as the flour. Thank you! I hope your air is clearer today!
Process 1/2 pints at same length of time and headspace. I don’t ever advise using Pinterest recipes for canning, ESPECIALLY if they call for flour, that right there tells me it isn’t an updated or safe recipe. You can’t just swap it out, it has to be done based off of a tested recipe that already has the measurements for ClearJel (I did mine off the Ball recipe).
I am at 6000 feet elevation. Do I need to increase the water bath time? Thanks for all the great ideas.
Yes, add an additional 15 minutes to the processing time if 6,000 feet or higher
Can I use this recipe for yellow cucumbers and peel.
Love mustard pickles. Happy to know for ways to use them. Can’t wait to try your recipe. Will get started today. Mary
Two of my husbands favorite things are yellow mustard and pickles so when I saw this recipe I knew I had to make it! I made a double batch last week and used the first jar yesterday for potato salad, amazing! To the potatoes I added mayo, diced up hard boiled eggs and some smoked paprika, amazing! The only change I’ll be making is to be sure to use clear gel next time to thicken it up a bit. Will be making this annually, thank you for sharing!!
Yay so glad you enjoyed it!
I made the mustard relish and LOVE it! Next time though I’ll cut my chunks a little smaller so it will stay on my burgers and I intent to use it as the relish in deviled eggs.
I have a general canning question though, is it possible to use frozen zucchini, prepare it using this recipe and then can the final product?
Thanks so much!
I’m afraid it would be too mushy, I’ve only seen using fresh for pickles and relishes.
I made the relish today, and I followed the recipe precisely. My yield was only 3 1/2 pints, and the juice never thickened. I did include ClearJel. What did I do wrong?
Canning yields are approximate due to differing water content depending on harvest time in fresh produce, so the yield isn’t an issue. Did you bring the contents to a full boil once ClearJel was added and simmer per time indicated? The heat is needed to activate the thickening properties. It’s not going to be as thick as a jam or jelly, but should be thicker than water.
I made the mustard pickles. I could not find Clear Jel, so I used Sure Jell. The relish did not thicken. I have found Clear Jel online and ordered some. Is there any way I can thicken the jars I have processed?
Thank you
Thank you for this. I have made sweet mustard pickles For many years but I can’t find my recipe. Yours is the closest I have found except yours doesn’t have the red peppers in it that my grandma’s did. My friend put a post on Facebook saying I made the best mustard pickles in the world so I thought I would make some for her as it has been a few years. Now she won’t feel so bad. Thank you again.
Made this last year and it has become my go to burger topping. So good and easy to do.
Oh dear. I used Surejelll I stead of Clearjelll. This is why the consistency is not thick enough. It is delicious. I just drained some of the liquid out but are my other three jars unsafe to eat? Should I dispose of them and start over?
The safety is with the acidity (which it’s plenty acidic) so I don’t think using the small amount of Surejell will hurt anything safety-wise, it just won’t be thick.
What is clearjel? Is it the same as surejel as in making jelly?
No Surejel is pectin and Clearjel is a modified cornstarch safe for canning.
Where do I find clearjel. I don’t think I have ever seen it
Cash and carry has it or I get mine on Amazon. https://amzn.to/2F0xr3A
It says free and then says 27.00 usd
So count me out. I can’t pay that.
Are you talking about the offer for the fruit canning course? The course is paid but the recipe e-book is completely free.
Hi! I’m so excited to try this recipe! I’m curious if I could sub green tomato for onion. Thank you for all of the wonderful information you provide!
Yes, you could safely use green tomatoes for onion, let me know how you like that sub!
Hello, going to make these for the first time this weekend… To trouble shoot ahead of time…can i….
Use a cornstarch slurry if I don’t find the clear gel?
Can I use various vegetables, like what our grandmothers would call a chutney?
And I’ve never canned before so is ok to use a stock pot and process in smaller batches?
Thank you
No cornstarch isn’t an approved canning thickener. You can make it without and then at the time of using add the cornstarch slurry to thicken then
We just finished, these have way too much turmeric and needed more sugar for sure. Hopefully they get better with time..
You can add more sugar if you want it sweeter, they’re meant to be used as a condiment, not independently (so when it’s mixed in with things it won’t taste as strong).
Hi! I notice in one place it says to cook the mixture 15 minutes before putting in the jars. In another place it says 5 minutes. Please let me know which is correct. Thank you!
Hi Melissa,
I just made these pickles and am not thrilled with the taste in the pot. I am Canadian ( Vancouver Island) and our Pickling vinegar is 7%, regular vinegar is 5%. I used 2 cups of pickle and 2 cups of Apple cider vinegar hoping to help lower acidity. It’s still a very strong vinegar and turmeric flavour. Will that mellow over time?If I make it again should I thin pickle vinegar with water?
Also it is very hard to get ClearJel here so I left it out. Lot’s of places don’t ship to Canada and others are really expensive like $28-$78. Any alternatives as I prefer the thicker consistency?
Been following you for a year and have learnt tons in all areas. Love your enthusiasm and willingness to share all.
Thanks so much,
Jan
I’m not sure what you mean by 2 cups of pickle and 2 cups of Apple cider vinegar (I’m guessing a typo). If your vinegar is 7% you can use 1 part water to 4 parts vinegar to make it 5%. This is a stronger vinegar flavored relish as it’s not meant to be eaten by itself but on a sandwich in place of relish and mustard or in a potato/macaroni salad in place of mustard and pickles. I don’t have any other option as a thickener when canning, as none other are approved for safety. You could try opening a jar and mixing some cornstarch with water, bringing the jar to a simmer, then whisking in the cornstarch to thicken it up and then use in your recipe or put in the fridge.
If you shop at any of their stores, you will find clearjel available at all of them. The prices of any that I found on line, were ridiculous and completely out-of-line. I buy mine from our local Amish bulk store. It is $3.50 a pound.
Use Certo,instead of clear jel, certo is a thickener for jams but my mother always used Certo and her mustard pickles were unmatched, she’s been gone for 5 years and I haven’t seen anyone make mustard pickles like she did, the taste was amazing
I made mustard bean pickles today and followed the recipe but the liquid in the jars is too thin. Is there anything I can do to correct this……like reboiling and resealing?
Did you add the Clearjel?
Hi I am trying your recipe. I dont have clear jel, so I just left it out. I mixed all my spices in with the vinegar and they are chunky and not incorporating into the liquid well. I seen you post how its unsafe for flour, is this chunky spices now concidered unsafe because it may cause hot spots like the flour? Thanks.
Do you mean whole spices instead of ground? Which ones are chunky specifically?
Can you use other summer squash for this, like the little yellow patty pan squash. My Zucchini plants are sick this year but I am over run with the other summer squash.
I always wondered wat makes the flour unsafe? My mom and grandmother still make it with cornstarch, we’ve all survived so far but most jars dont even last a year to be fair lol.
Because they can cause thick spots the heat can’t penetrate through to sufficiently kill the bacteria if it’s present.
Oh Man, I love love love the idea of mustard pickles, in South Africa we call it piccalilli (derived from our British heritage). You must try it with cauliflower florets and green beans as well…
Now that I have the ingredient/spice mix, I’ll definitely be trying this at home thank you!
Have you ever tried a steamer canner? Use it once and you’ll be sold. Cuts canning time more than in half. You put water in the canner till the plate is just cover, about 2 1/2 inches. Put your jars in canner, put the lid on, when the temp reaches the green area you start timing. It is amazing. Love the recipes you share.
Hi again, Melissa,
I enjoyed reading your recipe for mustard pickles. They are old friends of mine. These were a staple when I was growing up, and even after I started a family (4 boys). I’m 72 and Gram Little, my maternal gram born in 1898, use to make these as did my mom and later so did I. These were an end of the season pickle which was made with the “hiders” as gram called them. Those were the cucumbers which were missed and grew too large for regular table use or pickles. You know, the ones like fireplace logs and more white than green. Gram would wash them, remove the seeds and cube them into about 1-inch pieces, skins and all but the stem end. Her brine was very similar to what you posted. As for processing, she and mom used pint and quart Ball jars with the glass lids, rubber seals and locking bales. I used the traditional 2 piece lids…cover and ring. They were processed in a water bath for 15 min for pints and 20 minutes for quarts. I’m glad you found the recipe and can enjoy this old-time treat. 🙂
I love this recipe it sounds so good. Thank you for sharing. Jim I’d love to know what the difference is in the brine your grams used 🙂 thanks in advance
My gram made mustard pickles in a crock. She also use cauliflower pieces and pearl onions along with the cucumbers. She used tiny whole cucumbers that she grew in her garden. Oh so tasty!!!