Classic Pickled Okra
Okra is an amazingly versatile vegetable, meaning there’s so many ways you can eat it. Because of its unique texture, it can be soft or crunchy, depending on how you cook it. This pickled okra recipe allows you to take full advantage of that texture and enjoy it throughout the year!
Of all the plants in my garden, the okra plant stands out the most. An extremely versatile vegetable, okra boasts numerous qualities, including its flavor and texture profile and copious nutrients, that make it a staple food in the south. Famously known as the principle thickener in gumbo and, when fried, as the ultimate finger-food side dish, raw okra often overruns the kitchen in the summer while being sadly absent in the winter. Pickling the okra remedies this, making a tangy Southern delicacy to be enjoyed throughout the year.
Sometimes okra gives off slime, which can get quite gross. If you have ever visited a cafe serving boiled okra, you will know what I mean. The acid from the vinegar in this recipe helps cut down on the slime, keeping okra in the food category and out of the dare one.
This pickled okra recipe results in tangy okra with a hint of spice. This mouthwatering combination goes good with anything. I eat a pod every day during lunch, alongside a BLT or hamburger.
Classic Pickled Okra
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 pounds prepared okra (whole if small)
- 6 cayenne peppers sliced jalapeño peppers
- 1 tablespoon dill seed
- 6 small garlic cloves
- 1/3 cup pickling salt
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 3 cups white vinegar 5 percent
Instructions
- Tightly pack okra in sterilized jars.
- Add a pepper and a garlic clove to each jar.
- Combine rest of ingredients in a saucepan and heat to a boil.
- Pour hot brine over okra to cover, leaving half an inch of head space.
- Lid and process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes (at less than 1000 feet).