Check this out!
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
- 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
- As usual, prepare all of your jars ahead of time and have your lids and rings setting in boiled water.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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!
- Ladle hot brine into jars being sure to maintain a 1/2″ headspace. Remove any air bubbles using your headspace measuring tool. Adjust headspace
if necessary by adding additional brine to maintain the 1/2″ headspace. - Using a warm wash cloth dipped in vinegar, wipe each rim. Place lids and rings on each jar and hand tighten.
- 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
