Old Fashioned Pickled Okra Food

SOUTHERN PICKLED OKRA

Steps:

• Wash jars in warm soapy water. Rinse well.
• Place jars in canning pot and cover with water.
• Bring pot to boil and let jars boil for 15 minutes to sterilize.
• Place jar lids and bands in water on lowest heat setting on your stove top. Do not overheat or boil.
• Wash the okra and the peppers under cool running water.
• Trim the stems from the ends of the okra.
• Peel the garlic.
• Trim the peppers to size to fit into the jars.
• Prepare the brine by placing water in a medium sauce pot.
• Add the vinegar.
• Add the dill seed.
• Add the peppers.
• Add the garlic.
• Bring to a boil on stove top and let boil for one minute. Remove from heat.
• Remove sterilized jars from canning pot.
• Place one pod of pepper in each jar.
• Place one clove of garlic in each jar.
• Place 1/2 teaspoon of sugar in each jar.
• Pack each jar tight with pods of okra. Trim okra if needed.
• Fill the jars with brine leaving 1/2 inch of headspace in each jar.
• Check jars for proper amount of headspace.
• Wipe tops of jars with a damp paper towel or cloth.
• Center one lid on top of jar.
• Add the band. Tighten "finger tight" only.
• Place filled jars in rack in canning pot.
• Lower the rack and jars into the water. Be sure you have one inch of water covering tops of jars.
• Bring filled canning pot to a rolling boil. Start timing the water bath process.
• Cover the pot with a lid and let boil for proper amount of time.
• Raise the rack of jars back up out of the water. Hook handles to top of canning pot.
• Let jars sit for 5 minutes.
• Remove jars from rack and place on folded towels on countertop in a draft free location.
• Do not move or disturb the jars for 24 hours.
• After 24 hours, press the center of each jar to be sure it is properly sealed.
• Store jars, in a single layer, in a cool and dry place for up to one year.
• Enjoy!

PICKLED OKRA

Steps:

• Wash the okra and trim the stem to 1/2-inch. Place 1 chile, 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds, 3 sprigs of dill, 1 clove of garlic and 1/4 teaspoon peppercorns in the bottom of each of 4 sterilized pint canning jars. Divide the okra evenly among the 4 jars, standing them up vertically, alternating stems up and down.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the salt, vinegar and water to a boil. Once boiling, pour this mixture over the okra in the jars, leaving space between the top of the liquid and the lid. Seal the lids. Set in a cool dry place for 2 weeks.
• *Tips on Sterilizing Jars
• Properly-handled sterilized equipment will keep canned foods in good condition for years. Sterilizing jars is the first step of preserving foods.
• Sterilizing Tips:
• Jars should be made from glass and free of any chips or cracks. Preserving or canning jars are topped with a glass, plastic, or metal lid, which has a rubber seal. Two piece lids are best for canning, as they vacuum seal when processed.
• To sterilize jars, before filling with jams, pickles, or preserves, wash jars and lids with hot, soapy water. Rinse well and arrange jars and lids open sides up, without touching, on a tray. Boil the jars and lids in a large saucepan, covered with water, for 15 minutes.
• Use tongs when handling the hot sterilized jars, to move them from boiling water. Be sure the tongs are sterilized too, by dipping the ends in boiling water for a few minutes.
• As a rule, hot preserves go into hot jars and cold preserves go into cold jars. All items used in the process of making jams, jellies, and preserves must be clean. This includes any towels used, and especially your hands.
• After the jars are sterilized, you can preserve the food. It is important to follow any canning and processing instructions included in the recipe and refer to USDA guidelines about the sterilization of canned products.

PICKLED OKRA

Steps:

• Sterilize jars and lids directly before using for 10 minutes in simmering water or in the dishwasher. Remove one at a time when ready to fill.
• Divide the fresh okra evenly between the three pint jars. Place 1 teaspoon of dried dill and 1 teaspoon sugar into each jar.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir together water, vinegar and salt. Bring to a boil. While vinegar mixture is still hot, ladle into the hot sterilized okra jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of the top. Wipe rims with a clean damp cloth and seal jars with lids and rings. Process in a boiling water bath (making sure water level is 1 inch over the top of the jars) for 10 minutes. Remove from water bath and allow to cool on the counter.
• Makes 3 pints
• Serving suggestions: The perfect garnish to a chilled glass of spicy tomato juice.

SPICY PICKLED OKRA

Steps:

• Wash the okra, rubbing lightly to remove any grit and fuzz. Sterilize 2 (1 quart ) canning jars and lids in boiling water for at least 10 minutes, allow to cool before filling with okra.
• Combine the cider vinegar, water, garlic, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, salt, and peppercorns to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Reduce the temperature and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Pack fresh, cleaned okra loosely into the jars. Pour the hot brine over the okra, filling the jars to the top. Seal jars, making sure you have cleaned the jar's rims of any residue. Store the jars in the refrigerator. Allow contents to pickle at least one week minimum before eating, two weeks is best.

GRANDMA OMA'S PICKLED OKRA

Steps:

• Divide the fresh okra evenly between 3 sterile (1 pint) jars. Place one dried chile, and one teaspoon of dill into each jar.
• In a small saucepan, combine the water, vinegar and salt. Bring to a rolling boil. Pour over the ingredients in the jars, and seal in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Refrigerate jars after opening.

PICKLED OKRA

Steps:

• Wash okra well. Drain and set aside. Place 1 clove
• garlic and 1 hot pepper into each of 7 hot
• sterilized pint jars. Pack jars firmly with okra,
• leaving 1/2 inch head space; add 1 teaspoon dill
• seed to each. Combine vinegar, water, and salt in a
• large saucepan; bring to a boil and pour over okra.
• Screw metal bands on tightly. Process 10 minutes in
• a boiling water bath. Let pickles stand at least 5
• weeks before opening. This is really hot. You may
• want to cut the amount of spices used.

OLD FASHIONED PICKLED OKRA

Steps:

• Boil 10 pint canning jars for 15 minutes. Leave in hot water until ready for use.
• Wash okra with a vegetable brush. Leave short stem. If you prick each pod several times with a needle or fine-pointed knife, pickling solution will enter pod more quickly. This may help prevent floating.
• Put pods in hot jars with stems alternating up and down for a better pack. Place one pepper and one clove of garlic in each jar. Add 1 teaspoon dill seed, if desired. Heat vinegar, salt and water to boiling. Pour into each jar, covering okra.
• Remove air bubbles, wipe sealing edge and close with new jar lids following manufacturer's directions.
• Process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes at a simmering temperature (180 degrees). Immediately remove from water, cool. Store for a month before using to develop flavor.

TOP RATED PICKLED OKRA

Steps:

• Wash okra; bring vinegar, water, and salt to a boil.
• Put okra in pint jars.
• To each pint, add 1 teaspoon dill seed, 2 cloves garlic, and 1 pod pepper.
• Pour boiling brine to cover okra.
• Process in boiling water for 5 minutes.
• Wait 1 month before serving.

PICKLED OKRA

Steps:

• Make a brine with vinegar, water and celery seeds.
• Boil in a stainless steel pot or enamel.
• Pack okra firmly in hot, boiled jars.
• In each jar add 4 onions, 1 clove garlic and 1 chili pepper if using.
• Pour boiling brine over veg leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
• Process for 15 min in a boiling water bath at altitudes up to 1000 feet.
• Let stand for 2-3 weeks before serving.

EVELYN'S PICKLED OKRA

Steps:

• In each of 9 pint size hot jars (I prefer wide mouth jars), put 1 pepper, 2 cloves garlic, and 1 tsp dill seed.
• Pack washed okra into jars to within 1/2" from the top of the jar.
• Boil vinegar, water, canning salt, and sugar.
• Pour vinegar mixture over okra, again filling to within 1/2" from the top of the jar.
• Remove any air bubbles.
• Wipe rim of jar clean and put on lids and screw bands.
• Process in hot water bath canner for 10 minutes.
• *Instead of using whole peppers, you can use 2 pieces of pepper cut into about 1 1/2 to 2 inch pieces.
• **Instead of using 2 small cloves of garlic for each jar, you can use 1 large clove.