Garlic dill pickled okra: crunchy, not slimy

Okra earns a bad reputation for texture before most people ever taste it properly cooked. Pickling sidesteps the whole issue. The acid firms the pods rather than softening them, so what comes out of the jar is crisp and tangy, closer to a pickle spear than anything slimy.

Okra itself is a good source of fiber, and this treatment turns a vegetable that intimidates a lot of home cooks into something as easy to reach for as a pickle. Garlic and dill do the flavor work, no fuss beyond a day of patience in the refrigerator.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs okra, whole, ends trimmed
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp dried dill
• 2 cups warm water
• 2 cups apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup sea salt

Method

Sterilize your jars (a run through boiling water or a vinegar rinse works).

Pack the trimmed okra into the jars, leaving about an inch of headspace at the top. Divide the garlic and dill evenly between the jars.

Dissolve the salt into the warm water and vinegar, then pour the brine over the okra, filling to within half an inch of the rim.

Seal the jars and refrigerate at least 24 hours before eating. The flavor keeps developing through the first week.

Yield: About 4 servings from 48 oz of jars, depending on pod size.

Storage

Refrigerator: up to 3 weeks in a sealed jar. This is a refrigerator pickle, not a shelf-stable canned one, so it needs to stay cold.

How to use it

• Straight from the jar as a snack
• Sliced into a salad or grain-free bowl for crunch
• Alongside a Southern-style plate of greens and protein

*Adapted from acleanplate.com by Christina Feindel*