Pickled Asparagus

 Pickled Asparagus (Canning Recipe)

This pickled asparagus recipe can have different versions. You can add dill, a hot pepper, lemon slices, or onion rings (or all of the them).
There isn’t really a right recipe or a wrong recipe, it’s just a matter of taste. Here is the recipe I used.

Basic Pickled Asparagus Recipe

Ingredients:

• 8 lb. fresh asparagus
• 4 1/2 c. water
• 4 1/2 c. white vinegar (you can replace 1 cup of the vinegar for Balsamic if you like balsamic asparagus)
• 1/4 c. pickling salt
• 3 tsp. mustard seeds
• Garlic cloves

Optional:
•    Sliced lemon
•    Hot Pepper
•    Dill

•    Onion rings

 

This recipe makes 6 pints of pickled asparagus. You can double the recipe, but only make as much as your canner can hold at one time. If you have a standard sized canner, prepare one recipe at a time.
You can use regular pint (500 ml) sized canning jars, or you can use tall 12 ounce (750 ml) jars or large 1quart (litre) jar. The difference is that you will be able to have longer spears of asparagus in the taller jars. You will be surprised at how much of the asparagus you have to cut off to fit in the jar.
Boil the jars in the canner to sterilize them.
Place the asparagus in a sink full of cold water with a little ice added to it. Let is soak for a few minutes. You will be surprised how dirty the asparagus is, and the dirt will fall right off.
Next trim the asparagus spears to fit into the jars. There should be about 3/4 inch between the top of the spear and the rim of the jar. Throw away the big tough asparagus ends, but save any small tender portions for freezing, canning or eating.
Before you pack the jars, place the water, vinegar, and salt in a sauce pan and put on the stove. Bring to a boil.

Canning Instructions

When the water and vinegar solution is simmering, the jars are sterilized and still hot, and your canner is ready, you can pack the jars.

1. Into each jar place 1 (or 2) garlic clove and 1/2 tsp. of mustard seed. Add any of the optional ingredients) 
2. Pack the asparagus spears tightly into each jar. Slide a slice of lemon down in next to the asparagus spears.
3. Using a canning funnel and ladle, spoon the hot vinegar solution into each jar, leaving ½ - ¼  inch head space.
4. Wipe the rim of each jar with a clean paper towel and place lids and screw bands on each jar.
5. Place jars in boiling water canner, and make sure there is at least 1 inch water above the tops of the jars. Bring to a boil again, if necessary, and process the jars for 10 minutes for pints (500 ml jars), 15 for 750 ml jars and 20 mins for 1 liter jars.
6. Remove jars from boiling water canner and place on a towel on the counter until they cool. Make sure the jars are sealed before moving to storage. When you press down in the center of the lid, the lid should not spring back.

These will store in your pantry for at least a year, but they will be ready to eat in 24 hours.