God's Growing Garden: Zucckles (Zucchini Pickles) Bread & Butter Style (RECIPE)

Friday, September 11, 2026

Zucckles (Zucchini Pickles) Bread & Butter Style (RECIPE)

Zucckles (Zucchini Pickles) Bread & Butter Style

A few years ago, I grew a climbing zucchini variety that is so superior to any other zucchini variety that it has become the one and only type of zucchini that we now grow. (click HERE to view "Tromboncino Zucchini").

The long neck of this variety is perfect for making bread and butter pickles. I call them "zucckles" because they are zucchini pickles.

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

12 to 14 cups of sliced zucchini rounds (taken from the thin neck of the Tromboncino zucchini)

4 cups vinegar

4 cups sugar

1 cup water

1/2 cup pickling salt

1 teaspoon pickling spice (per jar)

2 onions (peeled and sliced into rings)

Begin by preparing the zucchini and onions (wash zucchini first of course) (see picture above).

Gather your canning jars, lids and rings (you will need 4 quarts). Canning Basics - Jar Sizes. Also, gather all other canning supplies: Other Canning Supplies .

Start the water boiling for Jar sterilization: Sterilizing Jars & Lids

In a large stock pot combine the vinegar, sugar, water and (pickling) salt and bring to a boil over medium heat.

By now your water for jar sterilization should be boiling - sterilize your jars 2 at a time. Take them out and begin "raw packing" (Raw Pack vs. Hot Pack) the vegetables. Start with a few onion rings at the bottom of the jar and then start filling with the zucchini rounds. When the jar is half way full, pick up the jar (with oven mitts) and gently shake the zukes down (I gently shake the jar against the palm of my other hand - also covered with an oven mitt - the jars are very hot!!) This shaking helps the zucchini slices settle in the jar and it makes more room for more zukes- you want to get the jar as packed as possible. Less brine will be used if your jars are packed quite tight. Leave enough room at the top of each jar for a few more onion rings (leave 1 inch of headspace). Then finally add 1 teaspoon of pickling spice (per jar). (Continue sterilizing jars and Raw Packing them until all of the zucchini rounds have been used up) (see picture above)

Place the "Raw Packed" jars in a preheated 350 degree oven for 8 minutes (This is before you pour the boiling brine on top). After the 8 minutes remove the jars from the oven and slowly pour boiling brine in each jar - (you want to do this slowly so that the bubbles can work their way to the top before sealing each jar). Fill the brine up to the bottom ring thread of each jar (about 1 inch headspace) Now you are ready to place a sterilized lid and ring on each jar - make sure the ring is screwed on tightly. Now place the jars on the counter or table for 12 hours and you should hear that wonderful popping sound of the jars sealing. The next day, check and make sure that all jars are sealed - (if you press down on each lid and it moves up and down that means that it did not seal - you can put any unsealed jar in the fridge and eat them as refrigerator pickles)