I’ll be straight up. You Southerners who know that fried okra is equivalent to hearing St. Peter say “Come on in,” just need to hold your horses! And you Northerners who are asking “What the heck is okra?” need to stifle it for a second!
Okra is the pod of the flower that the Caribbean tour guide hands you during the overpriced van ride around his island. Yep, it’s the same flower (Hibiscus) that makes you feel like the whole $120 ride was worth it. And the tour guide is onto something, because that flower’s pod is the fruit of the gods. Too bad that Northern markets didn’t discover it until the W. administration, because y’all have missed out on something really special.
Hibiscus plants (Okra) love the heat, which means they love the South. Harvest time is just around the corner and thankfully, freezer technology and overnight shipping have enabled all of us to savor the goodness. And it’s just as good in a brine. No, it’s especially good in a brine — in December, when everyone else is noshing on meatballs and cheese balls and those syrupy jarred sweet gherkins.
Ask yourself: Do I want to outdo the Smiths? Or the Joneses? Of course, you answered ‘yes,’ so just follow my lead and put a few okra pods aside for pickling this summer.
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Spicy Pickled Okra
Spicy Pickled Okra — As wonderful from the jar as it is on sandwiches and relish trays.
- 2 lbs. — Fresh young (small to medium) Okra, tough end of stems trimmed
- 4 cloves — Garlic (minced fresh garlic is fine too)
- 2 tsp – Mustard seed
- 1 tsp - Dill seed
- 2½ cups — white vinegar (5%)
- 2½ cups — bottled spring water
- ¼ cup — pickling salt
- Hot peppers (dry or fresh)*
- Sterilize 4 pint-sized canning jars per the manufacturer’s instructions/USDA guidelines. (I run my through the dishwasher.) Place lids and rings in simmering water to soften the seals.
- Wash okra. Pack into jars, leaving about ½ inch head space. Add to each jar: a clove of garlic; teaspoon of dill seeds; ¼ tsp of Mustard seed; and 1-2 hot peppers.
- Combine vinegar, water and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour the boiling liquid over the beans, leaving ½ inch head space. (You might need to run a plastic knife or small Silicone spatula around the interior of the jars to remove air bubbles.) Wipe the rims and apply the seals and lids.
- Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath. Let jars sit for at least 10 days to develop flavor.