Today I am sharing with you two pickle recipes. Many people who have never done canning, freezing, or any kind of home food preservation like to make pickles because they are good, make good gifts, and make one feel quite domestic.
Some pickle recipes are complicated, involving several days of soaking, changing the liquid, heating, cooling, etc., and those recipes usually result in a very good product. These two, however, are much simpler and also make good pickles.
The procedure for making pickles is about the same as for any type of food preservation.
Gather all your ingredients and prepare the fruit or vegetables in the way suggested, such as slicing, paring, breaking, etc. Have the lids and bands waiting in hot water. Have the jars clean and hot.
Even if you have to purchase the veggies at a farmer’s market, you will still pay less per jar than at the grocery – plus you will feel quite virtuous, especially when you serve these tasty pickles in a pretty glass dish this fall at a … Sunday Dinner.
Okra Pickles
2 pounds tender, fresh okra pods (no longer than 3 inches)
5 pods hot red pepper
5 garlic cloves, peeled
4 cups white vinegar
½ cup water
6 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon celery seed (Optional: mustard seed may be substituted)
Wash the whole okra pods and pack into hot sterilized jars. To each jar, add one pepper pod and one garlic clove, placing the pod of red pepper so that it shows. It is as much for appearance as for flavor.
Combine the vinegar, water, salt and celery seed, bring to a boil and pour over the okra. Put on lids and seal. Allow to stand for about 2 months before using. Makes 5 pints.
Sliced Zucchini Pickles
4 quarts small zucchini (thinly sliced, unpeeled)
1 quart onion (thinly sliced)
½ cup pickling salt
6 cups cider vinegar (5% acid strength)
3 cups sugar
2 teaspoons celery seed
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground mustard
Combine zucchini, onion and salt in large bowl, cover with ice and let stand 3 hours. If the ice melts, add more. Drain thoroughly.
In a large container, combine vinegar, sugar, celery seed, turmeric and mustard, and bring to a rolling boil. Add drained vegetables and return to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes.
Immediately spoon vegetables into 6 hot, sterilized jars, adding liquid to fill ¼ inch from top of jar. Put on lids and bands, and screw tightly to seal.
Process in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes (start counting when water begins to boil). Remove jars, and cool on wire racks for 1-2 days. Check to be sure jars are sealed. Makes 6 pints.