By Vallery Lomas
- Total Time
- 20 minutes, plus cooling
- Rating
- 4(233)
- Notes
- Read community notes
Quartering the okra significantly cuts down pickling time in this recipe: The vegetable pickles more quickly because its insides are exposed. Most picklers have their own special way of seasoning the love-it or leave-it vegetable. “Pickled okra had to grow on me,” Kenneth Garrett, a lifelong New Orleans resident and avid pickler, said. Now, he eagerly awaits okra’s growing season, and he makes pickled okra with basil and oregano, all from his garden. He serves it alongside fried chicken or as a snack. Mr. Garrett adds Creole seasoning, but this recipe uses whole peppercorns instead. Feel free to be creative with spices here. This recipe is ready in hours, but you can minimize okra’s characteristic gooeyness by refrigerating the pickles for two weeks before enjoying. Lastly, whenever preserving or canning, even for a “quick” job like this, it’s important to maintain a sterile environment. Wash the jars, lids and rims with hot, soapy water and dry them with clean towels.
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Ingredients
Yield:2 (16-ounce) wide-mouth jars
- 1pound fresh okra
- 4garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
- 2oregano sprigs
- 2basil sprigs
- 2dried bay leaves
- 1teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
- 1teaspoon red-pepper flakes
- ½teaspoon fennel seeds
- ¼teaspoon ground cayenne, or to taste
- 2cups white distilled vinegar
- ¼cup granulated sugar
- 2tablespoons kosher salt
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)
243 calories; 1 gram fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 48 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams dietary fiber; 29 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 1172 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Wash and dry the okra. Trim the tops and cut lengthwise into quarters.
Step
2
Wash 2 (16-ounce) wide-mouth jars, lids and rims with hot, soapy water. Dry them with clean towels. In each jar, place 2 garlic cloves, 1 oregano sprig, 1 basil sprig, 1 bay leaf, ½ teaspoon black peppercorns, ½ teaspoon mustard seeds, ½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes, ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds and ⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne. Divide the okra spears evenly among the jars.
Step
3
Add the vinegar, sugar and salt plus 1 cup water to a medium pot and heat over high. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the salt and sugar dissolve completely.
Step
4
Remove from the heat and add the liquid to the jars. Screw the lids and rims on tightly. Let the jars cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes, then refrigerate until ready to enjoy. Allow at least 4 hours for the seasoning to penetrate the okra. Quick-pickled okra can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. (A longer resting time means more flavor and less goo.)
Ratings
4
out of 5
233
user ratings
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Cooking Notes
Leslye Borden
Could I use this brine to pickle green beans? cabbage? Chinese vegetables?
Libbi Morgan
This brine is excellent for a great mix of cauliflower, green beans, carrots, red onions etc. I use emptied jars for pickling stuff like this, and pour the boiled brine over the vegs. Cool & the refrigerate. This giardiniera is great as a side for canned or grilled tuna drizzled with EVOO.
ExDC
I'm a small-batch pickler. Only two in the house and only one likes pickles! So I find I use my pickling brines like sour dough starter: I eat the veggies out of the brine, then boil the leftover brine briefly, drop in a new batch of veggies, maybe add a few more herbs, garlic,sweetness or spices, a bit more vinegar, and go from there. If I pickle peppers at one step, the brine takes on a whole new character!
Emily
I think you'd only need to worry about sterilizing the herbs if you were canning it to make it shelf stable (though even then I don't do anything to my dill ahead of time since I pour boiling liquid on top). As these are refrigerator pickles, the two month guideline is more about how long the flavor will be the brightest. They still be edible after just without as much punch.
Don
I think the two month time is because the jars are not actually 'canned'. The contents are added hot and allowed to cool and then refrigerated. If they were canned, you would add the contents, then seal them in a hot water bath for at least ten minutes, and then let them cool to room temperature. During that process the jars are vacuum sealed and are shelf stable for much longer. Very easy process. Instructions can be found via Google. The heating time is dependent on altitude and such.
Mary Q
Refrigerated not shelf stable
Jennifer
These are utterly delicious! I am about to make a huge batch of these that I will actually can so that I can give them as gifts this fall. The pickling liquid is among the nicest that I have tasted.
Jennifer
These were so good! I made them 5 days ago, didn't slice them but pickled them whole, and just tried one...crisp and delicious!
MLS
If you don’t like the goo, pickle them whole. No need to cut up.
Tom
Can I use other vinegars besides distilled white? Rice? Cane? Apple cider? I mean, obviously I *can*, but what are the odds I'll like it! Thanks
Caroliina
Could you substitute frozen okra???
Betsy
Carolina-- I doubt that frozen okra would work because it's general parboiled, or in someway slightly cooked before freezing, which changes the texture.
Peter
WOW this is good! Pickled cauliflower because. Eating this made me so happy!
Deb
I pickle Okra often. A great garnish for a Bloody Mary. Save the leftover pickle brine to add to a Bloody Mary too.
Joe
Much too gooey for me. I did pickle the okra about a week after receiving from my CSA; could that be the reason?Also, a bit too sweet for my taste although I’d agree that’s a matter of taste.
Ellen K.
I tried making this and it came out fantastically and is so delicious! This is my first foray into pickling. I'll definitely be keeping this in rotation and am looking forward to trying out the brine with other vegetables, as well.
Nancy
Excellent flavored brine. Key to okra pickle is having pods small - no more than 3 inches max, otherwise stringines gets in way of enjoying. My Brazilian bff says test the pointy end if it snaps off its tender. Even if I quarter larger ones they are what I imagine chewing tobacco (texture ) might be...enjoyable but eventually you spit it out.
Anita
Can this be made without sugar?
ExDC
I'm a small-batch pickler. Only two in the house and only one likes pickles! So I find I use my pickling brines like sour dough starter: I eat the veggies out of the brine, then boil the leftover brine briefly, drop in a new batch of veggies, maybe add a few more herbs, garlic,sweetness or spices, a bit more vinegar, and go from there. If I pickle peppers at one step, the brine takes on a whole new character!
jim b
can you keep the okra whole
Emily
I think you'd only need to worry about sterilizing the herbs if you were canning it to make it shelf stable (though even then I don't do anything to my dill ahead of time since I pour boiling liquid on top). As these are refrigerator pickles, the two month guideline is more about how long the flavor will be the brightest. They still be edible after just without as much punch.
Leslye Borden
Could I use this brine to pickle green beans? cabbage? Chinese vegetables?
Libbi Morgan
This brine is excellent for a great mix of cauliflower, green beans, carrots, red onions etc. I use emptied jars for pickling stuff like this, and pour the boiled brine over the vegs. Cool & the refrigerate. This giardiniera is great as a side for canned or grilled tuna drizzled with EVOO.
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