Pickled Peppers And 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.

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.