Sweet mustard pickles are a delightful way to preserve the vibrant flavors of fresh vegetables while adding a tangy-sweet zing that pairs perfectly with sandwiches, burgers, or charcuterie boards. This homemade version replicates the beloved East Coast Canadian favorite and is surprisingly easy to make at home. Below, we’ll dive into all the steps, techniques, and tips for making these mouthwatering pickles.

Why Make Your Own Sweet Mustard Pickles?

Making sweet mustard pickles at home ensures you have control over the ingredients, allowing you to skip unnecessary additives while tailoring the recipe to your taste. These pickles are the perfect balance of sweetness, tanginess, and spice, making them a staple for pickle enthusiasts. Homemade pickles also make excellent gifts and are a great way to use up a bountiful garden harvest.

Essential Ingredients

Here are the key ingredients you’ll need for this recipe, along with their roles:

• Cauliflower: Provides a firm texture and absorbs the flavorful brine beautifully.
• Pickling cucumbers: These are smaller, firmer cucumbers that hold up well in brining without becoming mushy.
• Pearl onions: Add a subtle sweetness and crisp texture.
• White vinegar: Forms the acidic base of the brine, preserving the vegetables and enhancing the tangy flavor.
• Water: Dilutes the vinegar slightly to balance the acidity.
• Granulated sugar: Sweetens the brine, giving these pickles their signature flavor.
• Pickling salt: Ensures consistent flavor and helps preserve the vegetables.
• Mustard powder and turmeric powder: These spices add warmth, earthiness, and the classic golden color.
• Pickling spice: A blend of spices, including mustard seeds, coriander, and cloves, infuses the brine with complexity.
• Clear Jel: A thickening agent that creates a silky, sauce-like consistency for the brine.

Tools You’ll Need

To make sweet mustard pickles, gather the following tools:

1. Large pot or hot water bath canner: Used for sterilizing jars and processing the filled pickles.
2. Medium-sized pot: To prepare the brine.
3. Cheesecloth and twine: For creating a spice packet to steep in the brine.
4. Sterilized canning jars: Pint-sized jars are ideal for this recipe.
5. Canning funnel and ladle: Essential for cleanly filling jars with the hot pickle mixture.
6. Kitchen towel: Protects your hands when handling hot jars.

Preparation Steps

Step 1: Preparing the Vegetables

1. Wash the vegetables: Rinse the cauliflower, cucumbers, and pearl onions thoroughly under cold water. Drain well.
2. Chop the cauliflower: Cut the head of cauliflower into bite-sized florets.
3. Slice the cucumbers: Using a sharp knife or wavy slicer for an authentic look, cut cucumbers into ¾-inch to 1-inch thick slices.
4. Peel the onions: Carefully remove the skins from the pearl onions.

Combine the prepared vegetables in a large bowl and set aside.

Step 2: Preparing the Brine

1. In a medium pot, combine the white vinegar, water, granulated sugar, pickling salt, mustard powder, and turmeric powder. Stir well to dissolve the sugar and salt completely.
2. Cut two large squares of cheesecloth and stack them together. Add the pickling spice to the center of the cloth, draw up the edges, and tie tightly with twine to create a spice packet.
3. Bring the brine to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the spice packet to the boiling brine and reduce to a low boil. Let it steep for 10-15 minutes, tasting occasionally to ensure the flavor is to your liking.

Step 3: Combining the Vegetables and Brine

1. Once the brine has achieved the desired flavor, remove the spice packet.
2. Add the prepared vegetables to the pot of brine, stirring well to coat them evenly.
3. Boil the vegetable mixture for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
4. In a small bowl, mix the Clear Jel with a small amount of brine until smooth. Gradually add this mixture back to the pot, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
5. Bring the brine and vegetables to a full boil for another 5 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly.

Step 4: Canning and Processing

1. Sterilize your jars, lids, and rings by boiling them in a large pot or hot water bath canner for at least 10 minutes. Keep the jars warm until ready to use.
2. Using a sterilized funnel and ladle, carefully fill each jar with the hot pickle mixture, leaving about ½ inch of headspace at the top.
3. Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean, damp cloth to ensure a proper seal. Place sterilized lids on top and screw on the rings until fingertip tight.
4. Process the filled jars in the boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Ensure the jars are fully submerged in water.
5. Remove the jars carefully and let them cool overnight at room temperature. Check the seals the next day by pressing down on the center of each lid. If it pops, the jar did not seal properly and should be refrigerated.

Storage Tips

Properly sealed jars of sweet mustard pickles can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to one year. Once opened, keep the pickles refrigerated and consume within a few weeks.

Homemade sweet mustard pickles

Recipe by Cookingpoint.net

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: Ketogenic Meal Plans

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

484

kcal

Total time

55

minutes

These Sweet Mustard Pickles are an incredibly accurate replica of a retail-available East Coast Canadian Favourite… “Obsession”, even!

Ingredients

• 1 fresh cauliflower head, chopped into florets

• 3 lbs pickling cucumbers, sliced ¾ to 1 inch thick

• 1 lb pearl onions, peeled

• 6 cups white vinegar

• 3 cups water

• 3 ⅓ cups granulated sugar

• 2 tbsp pickling salt

• 6 tbsp mustard powder

• 1 tbsp turmeric powder

• 2 tbsp pickling spice

• ⅓ cup Clear Jel (or cornstarch as a substitute)

Directions

• Wash and prepare the vegetables: chop cauliflower, slice cucumbers, and peel onions.
• In a medium pot, combine vinegar, water, sugar, salt, mustard powder, and turmeric. Stir and bring to a boil.
• Create a spice packet using cheesecloth and twine. Add pickling spice to the brine and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Remove the spice packet.
• Add vegetables to the brine and boil for 10 minutes.
• Mix Clear Jel with a small amount of brine until smooth, then stir it back into the pot. Boil for 5 minutes.
• Sterilize jars and fill them with the hot pickle mixture, leaving ½ inch of headspace.
• Wipe jar rims, seal with lids, and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.
• Cool jars overnight, check seals, and store in a cool, dark place for up to one year.

Nutrition Facts

• Serving Size: 8g
• Total number of serves: 1
• Calories: 484kcal
• Fat: 3g
• Saturated Fat: 1g
• Sodium: 1783mg
• Potassium: 612mg
• Carbohydrates: 107g
• Fiber: 5g
• Sugar: 98g
• Protein: 5g
• Calcium: 94mg
• Iron: 2mg