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Spicy pickled okra

Okra: people either love it or hate it. But okra and I have a more complicated relationship. My head tells me that I don’t like okra—I find it slimy and strange. But if you present me with a plate of fried okra or a jar of pickled okra, I’ll eat it—happily and greedily.

I come late to okra, which belies my Southern heritage, I know. I only started eating fried okra a few years ago (though have since made up for much lost time) and pickled okra is an even more recent addition to my table.

A Texan friend had called me, thrilled that she had found “Talk O’ Texas” brand of pickled okra at a New York grocery store. I must have not expressed the appropriate amount of enthusiasm for her discovery because she said, “What’s wrong, don’t you like okra pickles?”

I admitted that I had never even tried them before, I was so adamantly against the vegetable. She chided me and told me that my attitude needed to change as I was missing out on a very good thing.

Spicy pickled okra | Homesick Texan

It wasn’t until last October that I finally took the okra-pickle plunge. I was at the annual Southern Foodways Symposium in Oxford, Mississippi and during a gumbo luncheon, jars of Tabasco spicy pickled okra were offered as gifts. None of my table mates wanted their jars and since I hate to see good food go to waste, I ended up with several jars of the pickles.

That night, after enjoying myself a bit too much, I ended up in my motel room hungry. Having only the pickles on hand, I decided that they would have to suffice. But surprisingly, I found them more than adequate—I actually enjoyed eating them and was thankful that I had more than one jar as I learned that I my friend was correct—pickled okra is indeed a very good thing.

Okra pickles are especially refreshing right now. Cold and crisp, I like to toss them into salads, dip them in hummus or use as a garnish in a glass of vegetable juice. You can fry them, too. There are still slight texture issues—yes, that’s a slight hint of softness in the center of each pod—but I find that the tang of the vinegar and fire of the chiles used in the brine make up for what I normally find unappealing.

And if you see red okra, definitely grab some. It’s a bit drier than the green okra and makes for an especially fine pickle—plus it turns the brine a rosy shade.

Spicy pickled okra | Homesick Texan

I’m not going to chide you if you don’t like okra—I realize opinions on it are heated. But no matter how you feel, do yourself a favor and at least try these spicy okra pickles. Who knows, you might even change your mind.

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4.83 from 28 votes

Spicy pickled okra

Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 pints
Author Lisa Fain

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds okra, stems trimmed
  • 8 garlic cloves
  • 1 cup fresh dill
  • 4 serrano chiles, cut in half, lengthwise
  • 2 teaspoons chile flakes
  • 2 teaspoons cumin seed
  • 4 teaspoons salt
  • 3 cups apple cider vinegar

Instructions

  • Evenly divide between 4 sterilized pint-sized jars the okra, dill, Serrano chiles and garlic cloves.
  • Bring the vinegar and spices to a boil and pour into the jars. Fill up the rest of the jar with water.
  • Let cool (about half an hour) and then cover and refrigerate.
  • Will be ready in a day and will keep in the refrigerator for a few months, though they probably won’t last that long.

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63 Comments

  1. Love okra in chili. After having and loving Rick's Picks Smokra here in NYC, I've tried pickling it myself a few times but it's never as good – I can't seem to keep it crunchy and a little too slimy. Still tastes nice, but would love any any tips on counteracting those two problems.

    Lisa – great blog. Found it randomly looking up "breakfast tacos in NYC." I've been here for 12 years (via Houston) and haven't stumbled upon any breakfast tacos yet. Thinking of chucking my job and opening my own stand!

  2. FoodTravelDiva says:

    I've always been a fan of okras in any form (except raw). Never had pickled ones though, but I bet they're great! I totally enjoyed your post. Thanks for the recipe!

  3. heidigoseek says:

    made these the other day and they are delish! it was a great way to use up some more of the okra from the garden. they weren't all small okra, so i improvised and used the larger ones, too and put them in quart jars. still yummy. what i'm wondering is, is there any way to add more okra to the brine once the jar is empty? i'm thinking not, but have you ever tried this? let me know. thanks.

  4. ah, I forgot all about these. I love pickled okra. I'm making some this weekend after the farmers' market. Thanks for the reminder.

  5. KATE! binns says:

    Thank you for this blog! I just moved to Texas (Rio Grande Valley) from Vermont and I'm having food culture shock. Your blog gives me hope that I will find good local foods here.. somewhere!