How to Make the BEST Pickled Okra
Get ready for the best pickled okra you’ve ever had! This step-by-step article will guide you through making the best pickled okra homemade. It’s easy and gets eaten in a flash.
Why Okra?
Okra has been as familiar a vegetable to me as green beans. I started helping grow it when I was 14, and for nearly the past 20 years, we have grown and preserved it ourselves. When I was pregnant with my oldest, I craved pickled okra something fierce. My poor husband joked that we were going to have to buy stock in pickled okra because my craving was breaking us while making the commercial pickled okra company wealthy. Then when I got pregnant with the next kid, my husband said I needed to can my own pickled okra. Well I did, and let me tell you we haven’t been able to eat the bland commercial stuff anymore.
What is Okra?
I have found it surprising the number people who do not know what okra is, and then when you say “pickled okra”, they are even more curious. I won’t spend time identifying okra for you but suffice it to say that the okra plant is a relative to the Hibiscus plant. Okra grows in hot and dry climates and can reach 6 feet or so in height, but this year we had some 11 footers. The plant has a beautiful yellow flower that, once pollinated, produces a green pod that in my opinion is delicious steamed, breaded and fried, and especially pickled! If you would like to see my okra patch, I have a playlist right here.
Items Needed:
- water bath canner (for years I used a deep 8 qt. stock pot)
- 8-9 pint jars (regular or wide mouth, your choice)
- jar lifter (for years I used tongs…be careful)
- something the measure water depth (I use a tape measure)
- a larger scooper (to remove excess water from the canner, if necessary. I use a 4 cup Tupperware measuring cup)
- kettle of hot water (to pour over lids and to add water to canner if needed)
- large pot (or two smaller ones)
- 8-9 bands or rings to fit your jars
- 8-9 lids to fit your jars in a bowl of hot water (keeping the lids hot is no longer USDA required, but I still do)
- magnetic lid lifter (for years I used tongs)
- funnel (especially if using regular mouth jars)
- 2 clean towels
- 2 pot holders
- recipe and procedure guide (print out below is available)
- 2/3 c. pickling/canning salt (you can also use any salt, but iodized is not recommended.)
- 6 c. white vinegar
- 6 c. water
- 8-9 heaping tsp. minced garlic
- 4- 4 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
- ~7-8 lbs. fresh okra
Step 1: Prepare Your Work Station
When I go to can anything, whether pressure or water bath canning, I go through the motions prior to canning as if I’m canning in order to make sure that I don’t miss anything when gathering and laying out all of my supplies. It’s not fun when you’re dealing with hot things and trying to rush only to find out that something you need when you need it is dirty. I have had to lay out my supplies differently depending on how the kitchen is designed, but at this house, here is how I lay things out. On the counter to the right of the stove, I have a tape measure, a quart scooper, a jar lifter, and sometimes an elevated baking rack. On the stove, my front right burner is where my canner goes, and I place my clean jars inside of it with water and place the lid on. I then allow it to come to a boil which doubles as not only keeping my water hot for canning but also to sterilize my jars. USDA no longer says you must sterilize your jars IF they will be processed for longer than 10 minutes, but I most often still do. The back right burner keeps a kettle of water hot. The front left and back left burner is where I keep the liquid or food hot whether it’s tomatoes or in this case it’s the brine for the okra. To the left of the stove is where it all comes together. On this counter I keep my clean dry bands or rings towards the back, and I keep any additions I need to place into the jars. For canning the best pickled okra I have minced garlic and crushed red pepper. I also keep a funnel, a magnetic lid lifter, and a bowl with hot water to keep the lids hot. I also keep either a whisk, a slotted spoon, or a ladle for the liquid or food I’ll be putting into the jars as well as a towel folded up on the counter next to the pot. The other things not shown is a clean towel tossed over my right shoulder and a potholder on top of the lid of the canner. The video below shows my setup for canning. Notice this video was taken during a different canning session from what is pictured in this article.
Step 2: Gather and Prepare for the Best Pickled Okra
I lay out all my items, mentioned above, onto clean work surfaces. I fill my canner half full with water and set my canning jars inside. I tip the empty jars into the water to fill with water then turn the canner on high, place a lid on, and let it heat and boil until I’m ready to use the jars.
Next, I make up my vinegar brine which is 6 c. water, 6 c. white vinegar and 2/3 c. pickling salt. You may use sea salt, canning/pickling salt, or non-iodized salt. I place the brine mixture into a stainless steel large pot or as the picture shows, a couple smaller pots. I whisk on high until it boils and all the salt it dissolved and incorporated well. Make sure the brine stays at a simmer when you go to use it. I place a 1/2 tsp. in the crushed red pepper flakes and a 1 tsp. in the minced garlic. I place my clean lids in a glass heat safe bowl and cover with just boiled water.
Gather Your Okra
Now that your jars and brine are heating up. Go ahead and rinse the okra. You will need about 7-8 lbs. of fresh okra between 3"- 4" long and without prominent ridges as very pronounced ridges and longer okra pods will be more tough. We think 3" pods are perfect. In addition to being fresh, you want them unblemished as well. This is because, with canning, the goal is to store food for a longer period of time, and any blemish could be harboring bacteria that could cause your canned food to spoil sooner. Eating blemished food while it is still fresh and cutting out the blemish is ok of course. Once you get your okra, use them soon. They can be picked fresh, unwashed, and stored surrounded by two paper towels in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the fridge for up to 4 days before canning; this is if you don't have enough to can right away. When you go to can, discard any that may have black or mold on them or are slimy or soft. Quickly rinse your garden fresh okra in cool/cold water; do not leave in soaking in water as this increases the slime.
Step 3: Pack the Jars
Now that everything is laid out and ready to go, let’s get started. Use a potholder to remove the lid then turn the heat down to medium. Using your two potholders, raise the canner’s rack. Now, take your jar lifter and dump out the hot water from the jar back into the canner. Place the jar onto the clean towel in your hand and add 1 tsp. minced garlic and 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes into the pint jar. Tilt the jar on its side and start packing the jar with okra. Pack tightly while standing the okra up. Pack the okra to 1/2″ headspace.
Place your jar on a clean towel set on the counter. If using regular mouth jars, place your funnel on top of the jar and begin ladling the hot brine over the okra. Fill the jar with the hot brine to 1/2″ headspace. Remove air bubbles, recheck the headspace, wipe the mouth of the jar to remove any residue or food particles, center a lid on the jar, and place a band on only to fingertip tight. Fingertip tight is when you screw the band down ONLY until you meet resistance then you just go about 1/4 turn more using ONLY the strength of your fingertips. Place the finished jar onto the elevated rack of the canner and continue on until all jars are filled.
Step 4: Process Your Jars of Pickled Okra
Once all the jars are filled. Gently lower the canning rack back down into the canner. Measure the water above the jars. Water should cover the jars by 1-2″. If you have more than 2″ of water above the jars, use the scooper and remove the excess water. Place the lid on the canner. Turn the canner on high, and start your 15 minute processing time ONLY when the canner water comes to a boil, a full boil. Let it boil the full 15 minutes. After the 15 minute timer goes off, turn the heat off, leave the canner in place, remove the lid, and set timer for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, use the jar lifter to gently remove each jar from the canner and place either on a towel or elevated baking rack. Do NOT tilt the jars. The water on top of the lid will evaporate off. Leave the jars sitting UNDISTURBED for 12-24 hours. After 12-24 hours, test the seals of your jars. If they are sealed, remove bands, wipe each jar, label the jars, and store in a cool, dark, dry place to enjoy in the future. For best flavor, allow the pickled okra 2-4 weeks to sit for better flavor development before eating. For your convenience, I have added a couple videos below showing how to test seals and things I look for when preparing to use my home canned food.
Shana's BEST Pickled Okra
Learn how to water bath can your own delicious homemade pickled okra.
Ingredients
- 6 c. water
- 6 c. distilled white vinegar
- 2/3 c. canning or pickling salt (may use sea salt or non-iodized salt)
- 8-9 tsp. minced garlic
- 4- 4 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- 7-8 lbs. 3-4" okra pods
Instructions
- 1. Prepare your clean water bath canner, hot pint jars, lids, and bands.
- 2. In a large pot combine, the water, vinegar, and salt. Heat to a boil and whisk until the salt is dissolved and well incorporated. Place lid on and keep hot until ready to use.
- 3. Place a 1 tsp. measurement in with the minced garlic and 1/2 tsp. measurement in with the crushed red pepper.
- 4. Select only fresh, unblemished okra pods that are 3-4" in length. Rinse in cool water and place in strainer basket until ready to use.
- 5. In the bottom of each pint jar, place 1 tsp. minced garlic and 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper then tightly pack okra pods into the jar making sure to pack the okra so that the pods are standing upright.
- 6. Ladle the hot simmering brine over the okra pods leaving 1/2" headspace. Remove air bubbles then recheck to ensure 1/2" headspace remains.
- 7. Wipe mouth of jar, center lid on jar, and tighten band down to fingertip tight. Place in elevated rack on canner. Repeat until all jars are filled.
- 8. Lower the rack back into the canner, leaving 1-2" of water above the tops of the jars. Turn the heat on high, place the lid on the canner, and process for 15 minutes. Do NOT start counting your 15 minute processing time UNTIL the water reaches a boil. Process at a boil for 15 minutes.
- 9. After the 15 minutes, turn the heat off, leave the canner in place, remove lid, and set timer for 5 minutes.
- 10. After 5 minutes, remove the jars from the canner being careful not the tilt the jars. Place the jars on a towel or elevated baking rack and let sit UNDISTURBED for 12-24 hours.
- 11. After 24 hours, test seals, if jars are sealed, remove bands, wipe clean, label, and store in cool, dry, dark place. Let pickled okra sit for 2-4 weeks before eating for improved flavor.
Notes
Be sure to read my article for more details and additional information.
For more information about okra, watch my playlist here.
For more information about home canning, watch my playlist here.
