Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 2 cups vinegar (5% acidity)
- 1/3 cup pickling salt
- 2 teaspoons dill seeds
- 3-1/2 pounds small, freshly picked okra pods
- 7 cloves garlic
- 7 small fresh hot peppers
Directions
- Combine water, vinegar, pickling salt, and dill seeds in a saucepan. Bring to a boil.
- Pack okra into hot, sterilized jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Place 1 garlic clove and 1 hot pepper into each jar.
- Pour boiling vinegar mixture over okra, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles by running a table knife or small spatula among the pods. Wipe the jar rims.
- Cover at once with warmed canning lids and screw bands on securely. Process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes. For best flavor, allow sealed jars to sit a couple of months before serving.
Preserve your summer bounty of okra with this pickled okra recipe. Spicy pickled okra will liven up any meal, and it preserves well with hot-water canning.
I also love pickled okra. It’s so easy to add to any meal. My sister-in-law sautés sliced okra in a pan with yellow summer squash and butter for a fabulously simple side dish. Okra is also a famous addition to rich, comforting gumbos. In fact, the term “gumbo” comes from the West African Central Bantu word for okra, ki ngombo. Okra can be sliced and added to any soup for its characteristic flavor and unique and delicious thickness. If you enjoy the texture, small okra pods are excellent eaten raw with yellow mustard. Pop some onto a charcuterie board for a fun conversation starter.
Note: You can also use fresh dill in this recipe. Omit dill seeds and add a generous sprig or head of fresh dill to each jar.
Growing and Cooking Okra
Maggie Bullington enjoys living on her family’s homestead in rural Alabama. When she’s not writing, you may find her gardening, crafting, cooking with farm-fresh ingredients, or working with her brother, who’s the knife-maker at Lucas Forge.
Originally published as part of “Outstanding Okra: A Succulent Summer Staple” in the July/August 2023 issue of Grit magazine and regularly vetted for accuracy.
