TubeNet

If memory serves, this is the way my Grandmother is East Texas used to make it. My job was to stuff the okra down into the jars while she boiled the rest of the stuff.

http://www.ifood.tv/recipe/texas_pickled_okra" target="_blank" target="_blank

Slightly off-topic:

I loved living in Arkansas when I did, but I don't really miss it (in terms of ever thinking about moving back). Okra is one thing I miss, though.

Growing up, my family was terrible at gardening. Okra was about the only thing we could grow, and it grew plentifully. I love okra in every form I've ever had it, from the healthy versions like in this thread, to sometimes-healthy-sometimes-not gumbo, to the unhealthy fried versions (although I generally don't like it with thick breading - when fried, I prefer it with a light dusting of cornmeal).

When we didn't grow our own, during the summer fresh okra was plentiful and cheap from lots of sources.

Living in Utah now, I have never, ever seen fresh okra for sale anywhere. I've always assumed the hot season in Utah isn't long enough to grow my own, but now I'm thinking of trying.

I miss fresh okra.

The best okra I've had up here is in Indian food. Very good, not snotty.

Its available fresh too, but I've never thought of pickling it. I'm interested now too!

Joe,
I looked at the pickled okra recipe. It is not water bathed. You will have to keep the jars in the fridge if you do not water bath them. The company that makes Ball canning jars has a website that will give you the procedure to do that. It will take a little equipment to do it. It's not hard, but does take some time.

Uncle Buck wrote: Living in Utah now, I have never, ever seen fresh okra for sale anywhere. I've always assumed the hot season in Utah isn't long enough to grow my own, but now I'm thinking of trying.

Should be no problem. We can get okra at the farmers markets in the summer, from growers in eastern Washington. The pods are unusually small, though. Sometimes purple. They might be using a variety that's bred for northern climates.

Donn wrote:

Uncle Buck wrote: Living in Utah now, I have never, ever seen fresh okra for sale anywhere. I've always assumed the hot season in Utah isn't long enough to grow my own, but now I'm thinking of trying.

Should be no problem. We can get okra at the farmers markets in the summer, from growers in eastern Washington. The pods are unusually small, though. Sometimes purple. They might be using a variety that's bred for northern climates.

I will try next summer. One problem is always the large output in a relatively short time, but the recipe in this thread solves that!

opus37 wrote:Joe,
I looked at the pickled okra recipe. It is not water bathed. You will have to keep the jars in the fridge if you do not water bath them. The company that makes Ball canning jars has a website that will give you the procedure to do that. It will take a little equipment to do it. It's not hard, but does take some time.

We do some canning here. The hardest part is waiting for the giant pot of water to boil. Apart from that, its very easy!

bort wrote:

opus37 wrote:Joe,
I looked at the pickled okra recipe. It is not water bathed. You will have to keep the jars in the fridge if you do not water bath them. The company that makes Ball canning jars has a website that will give you the procedure to do that. It will take a little equipment to do it. It's not hard, but does take some time.

We do some canning here. The hardest part is waiting for the giant pot of water to boil. Apart from that, its very easy!

There's some good steam canners on the market now that seem much quicker and easier. Anybody know of a reason not to use them?

bloke wrote:Mrs. bloke already cans (vacuum-seals in jars) fruit from our orchard...Is the procedure basically the same?

Yes.

Better... for non-acidic things, I think you *have* to vacuum seal them.

I think I remember my grandmother putting the jars with the lids on in a pot of boiling water for a few minutes. Then after they cooled she would check to see if the top was dimpled in the middle. Too many years to be accurate though.

Disclaimer: if you die, it's not my problem.

- There is such a thing as "pressure canning", using a pressure cooker. I guess it is more effectively sterile, and if canning meat or low acid vegetables, you must use a pressure cooker. I'm pretty sure okra pickles are OK in an unpressurized canner, I know people do it, thanks to the vinegar. I use a pressure cooker anyway, for applesauce for example, because it happens to be the only option I have that will handle quart jars.

- There's more to it. You should be using a certain kind of lid that seals effectively in the canning process, should be using a fresh new one every time, etc. None of this is unique to pickled okra.

- There is information, that can be found online, from people who apparently know how to do it.