Spicy Pickled Okra

Servings: servings

Calories: 30kcal

This Spicy Pickled Okra recipe preserves the bounty of the summer/fall vegetable in a punchy, spicy pickle brine made with apple cider vinegar and jalapeños.

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Equipment

1 2-qt or larger pickling jar

Ingredients

For the Pickling Brine

1 1/2 cups (355 milliliters) white distilled vinegar (diluted to 5% acidity*)
1 1/2 cups (355 milliliters) apple cider vinegar (diluted to 5% acidity*)
3 cups (710 milliliters) water separated
2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons (15 grams) flavorful pickling spice (or store-bought pickling spice blend)
1 1/2 tablespoons (30 grams) kosher salt

For the Spicy Vegetable Mix

1 pound (450 grams) okra
2 large (80 grams) jalapeño peppers trimmed, de-seeded and sliced into matchsticks
1 small (155 grams) white onion peeled, trimmed, and thinly sliced
1 head (10) garlic peeled, woody ends trimmed

Instructions

Make the Pickling Brine

In a small sauce pot, combine 1 cup (250 milliliters) of the water, white and apple cider vinegars, white sugar, pickling spice blend, and the kosher salt.
Bring the liquid to a simmer, stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar and kosher salt.
Once the mixture in the pot comes to a simmer, allow the brine to cook for 1 minute.
Turn off the stove and allow the mixture to cool for five minutes or until you're done trimming the okra.

Trim, Then Cut the Okra

Remove the stem ends of the okra pods by slicing off 1/4 inch from their tops.
Use a chef's knife to cut the okra in half down its length.

Begin the Pickling Process

Add the cut okra to a large bowl along with the sliced jalapeños, onions, and garlic.
Next, pour the slightly cooled vinegar pickling brine over the vegetables. Use a large spoon to mix everything together in the bowl.
Place a large, heavy plate or similar dish over the surface of the okra and veggies in the bowl to weigh down the vegetables, ensuring they are fully submerged in the brine.
Allow the vegetables to ferment in the pickling brine for 3-4 hours.

Transfer the Spicy Pickled Okra to a Pickling Jar

After 3-4 hours, transfer the okra mixture to a 2-quart or larger glass pickling jar.
Pour the pickling liquid over the vegetables in the pickling jar after transferring them.
Tightly cover the pickled okra and allow it to chill in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
After 24 hours, you can enjoy the spicy pickled okra. Serve spicy pickled okra as you serve regular pickles.
Pickled okra will keep in the fridge for up to 3 months.
Be sure to remove the spicy pickled okra from the jar with very clean utensils.

Notes

Swaps and Substitutions:

Replace the more pungent white onion with yellow onion.
Decrease the amount of garlic to 5 cloves for a less garlicky flavor.
You can decrease the jalapeño peppers in this recipe to just one or even omit them.
If you prefer very spicy okra pickles, increase the jalapeños up to four.

Tips and Techniques:

Choose okra pods that are deep green and 1 1/2-3 inches (3-7.5 centimeters) in length.
While you can begin the fermentation process in the same jar you plan to pickle the okra in, I prefer starting it in a bowl to allow the pickling brine to touch every part of the vegetables.
I recommend shaking it every hour if you begin and end this step in the same jar.
The longer the spicy pickled okra is stored in the fridge, the less crunch it will have.
The mucilage will cause the brining liquid to appear slimy, but this is normal.
Use a clean fork or toothpick to remove the amount of okra you wish to enjoy.

Untested Canning Suggestion (I assume no responsibility for failure of this untested recipe):

Prepare 3 1-quart canning jars, rings, and lids following your normal canning procedure.
Pack the jars with the whole, unsliced okra, going around the jar to fill it with the pods. Next, evenly divide the onions, garlic, and jalapeño pepper slices between the jars. Fill the remaining space in the jars with the rest of the okra.
Bring the water, apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, pickling spice, granulated sugar, and kosher salt in a separate bowl. Stir the mixture to dissolve the sugar and salt.
Once the sugar and salt dissolve, carefully pour the liquid into the jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of the rim.
Place the sterilized lids and rings on the jars and process in a boiling water bath inside your canner for 10 minutes.
Use canning tongs to remove jars from the canner and allow them to cool completely. Let the pickles sit for 4-6 weeks for the best flavor.
Any jars with lids that didn't seal should be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 months so that harmful bacteria don't ruin the batch.

Storage Instructions:

I don't recommend freezing spicy pickled okra because freezing breaks down the cell structure, resulting in a gummy, limp pickle.

Nutrition