Makes about 6 pints or 3 quarts

A great side to a frothy beer or an excellent alternative to celery in a Bloody Mary!  If you would prefer a non-alcoholic splendor, pickled asparagus taste excellent in a salad, an excellent addition to a relish tray or alongside a hamburger fresh off the grill.

Ingredients

asparagus in stock pot 2

  • 7 pounds fresh asparagus
  • 5 cups white vinegar
  • 5 cups water
  • ½ cup pickling or canning salt
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 3 teaspoons dried dill seeds or 6 fresh dill flower sprig
  • 3 teaspoons mustard seeds
  • 3 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

  1. As usual, prepare all of your jars ahead of time and have your lids and rings setting in boiled water.
  2. In a large stainless steel stock pot, combine vinegar, water and salt to create the picking brine. Stir well and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the salt. Boil for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
  3. Place the following in each pint jar; one garlic clove, ½ teaspoon dill seeds, or 1 fresh dill flower sprig, ½ teaspoon mustard seeds, and ½ teaspoon of hot pepper flakes if using. If using quart jars, add two garlic cloves and double each seasoning.
  4. Next, raw pack the asparagus spears, flower tip down, into each jar leaving a generous ½” head space. Be sure to really pack them in there tight!
  5. Ladle hot brine into jars being sure to maintain a 1/2″ headspace. Remove any air bubbles using your headspace measuring tool. Adjust headspace pickled asparagusif necessary by adding additional brine to maintain the 1/2″ headspace.
  6. Using a warm wash cloth dipped in vinegar, wipe each rim. Place lids and rings on each jar and hand tighten.
  7. Place jars in water bather and cover with water.  Process the jars for 10 minutes. Remember, processing time doesn’t begin until the water is at a full rolling boil.

Tip:  If you run out of brine, cut the ingredient list in half and create more bring to finish filling jars accordingly.  Never fill your remaining jars with water – it will lessen the acidic level and cause food to spoil.

Enjoy~
The Canning Diva
www.canningdiva.com

 

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