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pickled asparagus
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Pickled Asparagus

Enjoy asparagus year round by pickling them 2 ways. Sweet and hot or dill and garlic.
Prep Time1 hour 1 minute
Processing10 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Pickle, Snack
Cuisine: American, Canadian
Keyword: dill and garlic, dill and garlic asparagus pickles, hot pickled asparagus, pickled asparagus, sweet and hot
Servings: 7 pint jars

Equipment

  • Canner

Ingredients

  • 6 lb fresh asparagus allows for trimming, may need more if jars are packed tightly and ends aren't used
  • 7 cups water
  • 3 cups pickling vinegar or regular white vinegar
  • 3 Tbsp course sea salt table salt is not the best option but if using, 1.5 Tbsp is enough
  • ¼ tsp alum optional
  • ⅔-¾ cup white sugar
  • fresh dill sprigs
  • garlic cloves
  • 1 Tbsp pickling spice removed cloves if desired
  • hot peppers dried or fresh

Instructions

  • Wash 7 pint jars in hot soapy water or in dishwasher.
  • Rinse asparagus and snap off woody ends. Cut spears to fit in jars and fill tightly. Lay spears upright and fit leftover pieces without tips in the centre for best appearance.
  • Prepare brine by combining water, pickling vinegar, salt and alum in pot with pour spout. Heat to boiling.
  • Bring a very large pot or canner to a boil. Fill with enough water to cover jars when inserted.

For Dill and Garlic Pickled Asparagus

  • Put a frond of dill and a clove of garlic in the bottom of each jar. Fill tightly with asparagus and top with more dill.
  • Pour hot brine into each jar, leaving about ¼ inch space at the top.

For Sweet and Hot Asparagus

  • Add appropriate amount of sugar to remaining brine according to how many jars left. Use ⅔ cup if making 3 jars or ¾ cup if making 4. Return to boil until sugar dissolves. Add pickling spice while boiling. Remove cloves from mixture if too many are in spoonful.
  • Add a clove of garlic and a hot pepper to each jar. Fill with asparagus, arranging as above in upright position for best appearance.
  • Pour hot brine into jars leaving ¼ inch of space. Try to get similar amounts of pickling spice in each jar.

For All Jars

  • While waiting for canner pot to come to a boil, wipe each jar rim to ensure nothing is on it to interfere with tight seal.
  • Dip new lids with seals into hot water for about 30 seconds. Using tongs, carefully tip water out of each lid and place on top of jars.
  • Tighten each lid. Do not over tighten.
  • Using rack or by placing a kitchen towel in the bottom of the pot, carefully lower jars into boiling water, ensuring entire jar is covered. Cover pot and boil for 10 minutes. You may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your pot.
  • Remove and cool on counter. Seals will "pop" as they invert during the cooling process. Any jars that don't seal properly can be stored in the refrigerator.
  • Pickles can be opened in a few weeks but are best left at least a month and last for ages in the pantry.

Notes

You can skip the canning process and store all the jars in the fridge. They will keep for months and months. Or longer.