Pickling okra is not difficult, but not all housewives are familiar with the healthy and tasty vegetable. It is used as a seasoning or addition to meat, fish and other dishes. Okra, well known to southerners, has a specific taste. When canned, it’s something between asparagus and eggplant. Okra picked from the garden quickly becomes unusable; preservation helps preserve the taste characteristics of the product, slightly changing them.
Features of pickling okra for the winter
Canning extends the shelf life of the product.But okra will have to be marinated in a special way, making sure that:
- The pods did not come into contact with metal objects. Contact with metal will spoil the taste of the product and give it an unusual and unpleasant taste.
- The fruits were unripe. Ripe ones are not suitable for preservation; they are too rough and tough. It is better to choose shoots no longer than 5 centimeters.
- Okra (another name for the vegetable) is not suitable for long-term storage; it spoils quickly, so you will have to pickle it quickly (within 24 hours from the moment of collection).
Recipe Ingredients
The list of ingredients is long, but everything can be easily obtained by purchasing vegetables at the market or in a store. What you will need:
- 900 grams of okra shoots of suitable size;
- 4 pods of chili pepper, red;
- sprigs of fresh dill (no more than 10 grams);
- 2 tablespoons mustard seeds;
- 1 head of garlic (small);
- black peppercorns;
- 2 glasses of boiled or bottled water;
- 15 grams of coarse salt;
- 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar.
From the above components you will get 4 jars with blanks, a volume of 0.5 liters.
Product selection and preparation
We choose young shoots so that the preservation does not turn out to be too harsh. Length – up to 10 centimeters.
Before cooking, the pods are thoroughly washed under running water, then wiped off with water. Subject to heat treatment (if the recipe requires it), immerse in boiling water for 3 minutes, do not need to hold for long, the pods will lose their shape.
Rules for preparing containers
We select jars and lids in advance, wash them under running water, thoroughly, using baking soda. Then we inspect for chips, cracks, or other damage.
Sterilization rules:
- We hold the washed containers over steam for literally 3 minutes.
- We boil the lids separately; 1.5 minutes of boiling is enough for them to become sterile.
- Then we place the jars on a cotton towel, bottom up.
- Wrap the lids in a towel and wait until the remaining water is absorbed.
How to cook?
To make it clear how to roll up jars, we will describe the action plan step by step:
- We take okra shoots, wash them, cut off the stalk by 1 centimeter (approximately);
- distribute the other ingredients into the jars, place them on the bottom, no need to mix;
- we place the shoots vertically, alternating the location of the stalks;
- In a saucepan, bring the mixture of bite, water and salt to a boil;
- when the marinade boils, pour the jars, leaving a little space;
- cover with lids and place in a cool place, check after 2 weeks.
Terms and conditions of storage
Preservation extends the shelf life of many products, but if the recipe does not contain vinegar, then the preparations will have to be stored in the refrigerator or cellar for no longer than 2-3 weeks.
If the recipe contains vinegar, then you can store the preparation in the basement.
Shelf life is 12 months.
Help: room temperature shortens the shelf life of the product and leads to its rapid spoilage. Therefore, it is better to keep jars on the balcony or in the refrigerator, but not near heating appliances.
Pickling vegetables is not as difficult as it might seem. But you should approach the matter with all responsibility, follow the rules of the recipe and follow the recommendations. Then you will be able to create a truly tasty product.
