Fresh Pack Bread & Butter Pickles with a Hint of Orange

These look superb to me!  I love the orange peel peeking through.

This is finally the last batch of pickles or anything else for this week!  I saw this on Martha Stewart's web site and after a little adaptation thought I would try it out.  There is no processing or water bath.  Rather you cook the cucumbers and pack into sterile jars and keep them in the refrigerator.  Sounds good to me!  I really like a hint of orange in crisp sweet pickles and thought it might go very well with this combination of spices.  I really like the black peppercorns too.

Ingredients for Fresh Pack Bread & Butter Pickles:

4 pounds cucumbers washed and sliced 1/4" thick
1 large sweet onion sliced
2 T. kosher salt (coarse)
4  C. ice cubes
4 C. apple cider vinegar
3 C. sugar
1 1/2 t. mustard seed
1  t. celery seed
1  t. black peppercorns whole
1/2 t. ground turmeric
Peel only of 1 orange (slice off thin strips of the orange rind only with a vegetable peeler)

Combine the cucumbers, onions, salt, and ice in a large bowl.  Leave for 3 hours.  Drain and rinse well and repeat again.  In a large pan heat the vinegar, sugar, strips of orange peel, and spices to a boil.  Stir to dissolve the sugar.  Add the drained vegetables and return to a full rolling boil.  Ladle into sterile jars and screw on sterile 2 piece lids.  Set aside to cool.  Store in the refrigerator for up to a month.  Yield 4 quarts.