Pickled Peppered Asparagus Recipes

QUICK-PICKLED SPICY ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Place trimmed asparagus in a quart-sized canning jar. Add garlic, pepper flakes, mustard seed, and peppercorns.
• Combine vinegar, water, salt, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn heat off.
• Pour vinegar mixture over the asparagus. Screw on the lid and let sit until lid has sealed, about 1 hour.
• Place in the refrigerator until pickled, at least 2 days.

PICKLED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• prepare for water bath canning: I use one of those big black-and-white-speckled enamelware canning pots with the removable wire rack that holds the jars. This recipe uses quart jars, which are tall, so you need a tall pot that allows the water to cover the tops. A tall stock pot would work, too. But if you don't have a removable rack to lift the hot jars out of the boiling water, a jar lifter utensil would be extremely helpful. Wash four quart jars, then set them in your pot, using the removable wire rack if you have one. Fill pot with enough water to cover the jars with one inch of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. My large pot took about 25 minutes to boil, so get this started right away. Covering the pot with the lid will speed up the process, too. Put your lids in a small pan with enough water to cover them. Bring to a slow simmer and keep hot until you fill the jars with asparagus. Fill a medium size stock pot or large pot about half full with water. Bring to boiling.
• blanch the asparagus: While water is heating up, trim the asparagus to 6" lengths. (You'll end up with a pile of asparagus "scraps". Don't throw them away! I roast or grill them with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper, and enjoy them with other meals.) Once the water is boiling, add the asparagus. Bring back to a boil and then immediately drain and transfer to a bowl of ice water to cool. Drain well.
• prepare pickling brine: In a medium pan, combine vinegar, water, salt, and sugar. Bring to a boil.
• prepare spices: Using the removable wire rack (I maneuver it up out of the hot water using 2 wooden spoons) or a jar lifter, remove the jars from the canning pot, carefully pouring the water from each one back into the pot, and place them upright on a folded towel. Place two teaspoons each of crushed red pepper flakes and dill seed into each hot jar, followed by two sliced garlic cloves for each jar. All of this can be pre-measured while waiting for the water to boil.
• fill the jars: Divide the blanched asparagus between the jars. I found it helps to switch the position of the jar back and forth, from upright to on its side, to pack in the asparagus. Go ahead and pack them as tight as easily manageable. Ladle the hot vinegar mixture into the jars, leaving 1/2" headspace at the top. Use a damp paper towel to wipe the rims of the jars clean, then put a hot flat lid and a ring on each jar, adjusting the ring so that it's just finger-tight.
• process the filled jars: Return the filled jars to the canning pot, making sure the water covers the jars by at least 1". Bring to a boil. I put the lid on the pot to speed up the boiling. Then remove lid and boil for 10 minutes to process. Remove the jars to a folded towel and do not disturb for 12 hours. After one hour, check that the lids have sealed by pressing down on the center of each one. If the lid is dimpled and can be pushed down, it hasn't sealed, and the jar should be refrigerated immediately. Label the sealed jars and store in a cool, dark place.

PICKLED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Trim the cut end of the asparagus spears, and cut them into 3 inch lengths. Place them in a large bowl with 1/3 cup salt, and cover with water. Let stand for 2 hours. Drain and rinse under cool water, and pat dry.
• Sterilize two pint size wide mouth jars in simmering water for 5 minutes.
• In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the vinegar, sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt, mustard seed, dill seed and onion rings. Bring to a boil, and boil for one minute.
• Pack the asparagus spears, tips up, in the hot jars leaving 1/2 of space from the rim. Tuck one dill sprig into each jar, and sprinkle in 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Pour hot pickling liquid into the jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of the rim. Wipe rims with a clean damp cloth, and seal with lids. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
• Cool to room temperature. Check seals when cool by pressing the center of the lid. It should not move. Label and date; store in a cool dark place. If any jars have not sealed properly, refrigerate and eat within two weeks.

DILLY PICKLED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Wash, drain and trim asparagus; cut into 4-1/2-in. spears. Discard ends or save for another use. Place asparagus in a large container; cover with ice water. In each of six 1-pint jars, place half of a garlic clove, 1 teaspoon dill seed, 1 teaspoon mustard seed and six peppercorns., In a Dutch oven, bring the water, vinegar, sugar and salt to a boil. Drain asparagus; pack in jars to within 1/2 in. of top. , Carefully ladle hot mixture into hot pint jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims and adjust lids. Process for 20 minutes in a boiling-water canner.