Canning Okra Recipes

CANNING OKRA

Steps:

• Wash okra pods.
• Trim the ends.
• You may leave the pods whole, or, slice them horizontally into 3 cm (1 inch) pieces.
• Put in a sauce pan, and pour very hot water over them so that the pot will boil quicker.
• When it comes to a boil, boil 2 minutes.
• Drain (but don't plunge into cold water - keep hot.)
• Pack hot okra into the jars you are using -- either half-litre (US pint) jars or 1 litre (US quart) jars.
• Leave 3 cm (1 inch) headspace.
• OPTIONAL: few pinches of salt or non-bitter, non-clouding salt-sub per jar.
• Fill jars with either the cooking liquid OR fresh boiling water (such as from a kettle, for instance), maintaining headspace.
• Debubble, adjust headspace.
• Wipe jar rims.
• Put lids on.
• Processing pressure: 10 lbs (69 kPa) weighted gauge, 11 lbs (76 kpa) dial gauge (adjust pressure for your altitude when over 300 metres / 1000 feet.)
• Processing time: half-litre (US pint) jars for 25 minutes OR 1 litre (US quart) jars for 40 minutes.

PICKLED OKRA

Steps:

• Wash the okra and trim the stem to 1/2-inch. Place 1 chile, 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds, 3 sprigs of dill, 1 clove of garlic and 1/4 teaspoon peppercorns in the bottom of each of 4 sterilized pint canning jars. Divide the okra evenly among the 4 jars, standing them up vertically, alternating stems up and down.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the salt, vinegar and water to a boil. Once boiling, pour this mixture over the okra in the jars, leaving space between the top of the liquid and the lid. Seal the lids. Set in a cool dry place for 2 weeks.
• *Tips on Sterilizing Jars
• Properly-handled sterilized equipment will keep canned foods in good condition for years. Sterilizing jars is the first step of preserving foods.
• Sterilizing Tips:
• Jars should be made from glass and free of any chips or cracks. Preserving or canning jars are topped with a glass, plastic, or metal lid, which has a rubber seal. Two piece lids are best for canning, as they vacuum seal when processed.
• To sterilize jars, before filling with jams, pickles, or preserves, wash jars and lids with hot, soapy water. Rinse well and arrange jars and lids open sides up, without touching, on a tray. Boil the jars and lids in a large saucepan, covered with water, for 15 minutes.
• Use tongs when handling the hot sterilized jars, to move them from boiling water. Be sure the tongs are sterilized too, by dipping the ends in boiling water for a few minutes.
• As a rule, hot preserves go into hot jars and cold preserves go into cold jars. All items used in the process of making jams, jellies, and preserves must be clean. This includes any towels used, and especially your hands.
• After the jars are sterilized, you can preserve the food. It is important to follow any canning and processing instructions included in the recipe and refer to USDA guidelines about the sterilization of canned products.

OZARK CANNED OKRA

Steps:

• Place 1 gallon of sliced okra a large pot and just cover with water.
• Add the salt and vinegar.
• Cook the okra until it changes color and turn the fire off. If cooking on electric remove from the burner. This a very important step, this blanching process doesn't take long.You don't want the okra to be very soft. Also remember to just cover the the okra with water.
• Pour liquid off into another container.
• Pack the okra into sterilized jars and add reserved hot liquid.
• Seal with hot lids and rings to pint or quart jars.
• Process in a water bath for ten minutes.
• Before eating, rinse in cold water untill slime is gone.

GRANDMA OMA'S PICKLED OKRA

Steps:

• Divide the fresh okra evenly between 3 sterile (1 pint) jars. Place one dried chile, and one teaspoon of dill into each jar.
• In a small saucepan, combine the water, vinegar and salt. Bring to a rolling boil. Pour over the ingredients in the jars, and seal in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Refrigerate jars after opening.