Learn how to make Homemade Pickled Okra. From preparing the brine to packing and sealing the jars, this step-by-step guide will have you canning our favorite southern veggie with no added preservatives
Enjoy a little taste of summer all year by canning your own Homemade Pickled Okra! You’ll love these tender young pods of okra preserved in a brine with garlic, dill, and peppercorns.
Summer is always a busy time for canning and preserving. I almost always make some Strawberry Jam and our favorite Kosher Dills along with a good Basic Salsa recipe and a few Quick Pickled Jalapenos. We’re already enjoying some of those this year.
I also like to make a few jars of Sugar-Free Bread and Butter Pickles to savor all through the fall and winter.
My Favorite Canning Recipe
No matter how busy I may be with other projects, I always make time during the summer to make a few jars of my favorite Pickled Okra recipe.
Okra pickles have always been my personal favorite. I’ll breeze right by a dill pickle if these are around. I love a spear or two with a sandwich or just as an accompaniment to some good, old-fashioned Southern vegetables. It’s also a great addition to an antipasto platter.
Recipe Snapshot
Cuisine: Southern
Cooking Method: Stovetop Waterbath Canning
Total Time: 55 Minutes
Servings: 18
Primary Ingredient(s): Fresh okra, vinegar (5% acidity), garlic, dill seed
Skill Level: Intermediate
Select the Okra Carefully
When I’m ready to make pickled okra, I individually select every pod for the recipe. Really. I literally stand there in the produce aisle or the farmer’s market and choose every single pod because I want them to be young, tender, and no longer than the depth of a pint jar – about 4 inches. This recipe makes three one-pint jars of okra and usually takes between 2 and 2 1/2 pounds of pods.
You’ll just have to use your own judgment based on the okra that is available to you. If you have leftovers, so much the better! Slice it, dredge it in some cornmeal, and make Fried Okra or my Okra Chips!
Get Your Equipment Ready
Before you begin, make sure your jars, lids, and rings are prepped according to proper canning guidelines. If it’s been a while since your last canning session, or if you’re brand new to it, take a few minutes to review the steps and have everything organized before you start.
Brush Up on Canning Basics
A great resource for both beginners and experienced canners is the Ball Book of Canning and Preserving. Since it’s published by the same folks who make Ball jars, you can trust it to be reliable. You can find it in bookstores, hardware stores, some kitchen shops, and online at retailers like Amazon and WalMart.
For additional guidance, check out these online resources:
- National Center for Home Food Preservation (University of Georgia)
- The Ball Mason Jars Website: https://www.ballmasonjars.com/getting-started.html
- The Bernardin Website: https://www.bernardin.ca/
- USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning. 2015. Free to download at:
http://nchfp.uga.edu//publications/publications_usda.html
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING …
“I have used this recipe several times this summer and I absolutely love it! I’ve never pickled anything before and this recipe helped me every step of the way.“
— Abby Counts
Ingredient and Equipment Notes
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- Fresh Okra — Choose pods that are free of blemishes and about 3-4 inches long. You’ll need between 2 and 2.5 pounds for the recipe.
- Garlic Cloves — Make sure the garlic is fresh and has no blemishes. You want whole, peeled cloves.
- Canning Salt — Canning and Pickling Salt is very pure with no added minerals or preservatives to prevent caking. Other salts will cause the pickling liquid to become cloudy. (I’ve provided a link to the salt on Amazon, but you can purchase it much cheaper at a local grocery store.)
- Dried Dill Seed — Find this with the spices in your grocery store.
- Whole Peppercorns — I use common black peppercorns. White, pink, or green also work.
- White Vinegar (5% acidity) — To make a pickled product safe for pantry storage, vinegar with at least 5% acidity is required. Check the label of the vinegar you purchase to make sure it meets that requirement. I’ve noticed that some lower quality brands are now diluting their vinegar to less than 5%.
- Pint Canning Jars, Lids, and Rings — Remember that jars and rings (also called bands) can be reused, but lids cannot.
- Jar Lifter, Lid Lifter, and Funnel — These canning tools are not mandatory, but make the work much easier!
- Water Bath Canner with Lid or Large Kettle — You’ll need a pot deep enough to cover the submerged jars with at least 2 inches of water.
The complete ingredient list with detailed measurements is included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make This Pickled Okra Recipe for Canning
My recipe makes 3 one-pint jars of okra pickles. Feel free to double it if you want more! This is an approved recipe tested by the National Center for Home Food Preserving at The University of Georgia.
Prepare the Jars and Lids; Start the Waterbath Canner
Before you start the recipe:
- Sterilize 3 one-pint jars, lids, and rings according to standard canning procedures. Simply put, you’ll wash them in hot, soapy water and then submerge them in boiling water (the water that’s heating in the canner works great!) for a few minutes while you prep the okra and garlic. To prepare the lids, wash and rinse them and put them to the side until needed. (Note: In the past, it was advised to hold the lids in barely simmering water until ready to use. However, changes in the sealing compound used these days makes that unnecessary. Just wash, rinse and set them to the side.)
- Fill the canner (or a large stockpot) about 2/3 full with water and set it on the stove over high heat to come to a boil.
Prepare the Okra and Spices
- Wash the okra in cold water. Use a sharp knife to trim the cut stem ends only if necessary. IMPORTANT: Do not cut into the body of the okra pod.
- Get the spices ready. You’ll need canning salt, dill seed, whole peppercorns, and garlic cloves. Peel the garlic, but leave it whole. Umm…can you just pretend that there is some salt in that photo? It was sitting off to the side…oops.
Fill the Jars
- Working with one sterile jar at a time, pack in as many pods of okra as possible with the tips pointing up. Pack the okra tightly, but be careful not to crush the pods.
- To each jar, add 1 teaspoon of canning salt, 1 whole garlic clove, 1 teaspoon of dried dill seed, and 1/4 teaspoon of whole peppercorns.
👉 PRO TIP: If you want hot pickled okra, you can, at this point, add up to 2 dried red pepper pods or up to 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the jars, and the recipe will still be safe for canning.
- Finish packing the jars as fully as possible with additional okra, tips down, fitting the pods in tightly but taking care not to crush the okra.
- In a medium saucepan, bring the vinegar and water to a boil.
- Using a funnel and ladle, fill jars with the vinegar and water mixture to within 1/4 inch of the rim. Remove any air bubbles by using a tool like a plastic bubble remover, a wooden skewer, or even a plastic knife, and gently slide it down the inside the jar, pressing lightly against the pickles. Repeat several times to release all the air bubbles that may be trapped inside.
Close the Jars and Process in a Water Bath
- Wipe the jar rims and place the lids and rings on the jars. Screw the lids on fingertip-tight (i.e., just until you feel resistance).
- Place the filled jars on a rack and lower them into the waterbath canner. Make sure that the water level is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Begin timing when the water returns to the boiling point. Process for 10 minutes for altitudes up to 1,000 ft; 15 minutes for altitudes 1,001 – 6,000 ft; and 20 minutes over 6,000 feet.
Allow Cooling Time
- Remove the jars from the canner. Set them on a towel on the kitchen counter and allow them to cool completely (12 to 24 hours).
- After the jars have cooled, test for a complete seal and then store in a cool, dark place. Any jars that didn’t seal completely may be stored in the refrigerator and used first.
👉 PRO TIP: Notice the difference in color after the pickles come out of the canner. The okra has taken on a beautiful olive green color.
How long does it take for okra to pickle?
Let the pickles sit for about 4 to 6 weeks to achieve the best flavor.
How long does pickled okra last?
Properly stored in a cool, dark place, pickled okra should last approximately one year.
Can I use frozen okra for canning?
Sorry, but frozen okra isn’t good for canning. The freezing process breaks down microscopic cell walls in the okra, making it too soft for pickles.
Can I use cider vinegar?
You can use apple cider vinegar only if it is at least 5% acidity. You should also be aware that it will change the color and taste of your okra pickles.
Can I make it spicy?
Absolutely! To make hot pickled okra, simply add one or two dried red chile peppers or 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes to each jar before filling with the hot vinegar and water mixture.
Questions About Pickling Okra
Pickled okra is not slimy. Not even a little bit. Okra only gets slimy when it’s cut into, and you don’t cut the okra to make pickles. Besides, the vinegar neutralizes the slime anyway, so the pickles would never have a chance of becoming slimy.
A different type of vinegar will change the color and taste of the finished pickles, but you can use it if it has at least 5% acidity.
Your okra is tough because it was too mature when you purchased or harvested it. When choosing okra for pickling or for cooking, bigger is not better. You want young, tender pods of about 3 to 4 inches in length.
Pickled okra is shelf stable until opened as long as it’s correctly processed and the lids formed a good seal on the jars. If one or more jars did not seal in the canning process, those can be stored in the refrigerator and used first. Do store the pickles in the refrigerator after you open a jar.
Serve pickled okra anywhere you’d usually serve dill pickles. It’s delicious with sandwiches, alongside summer vegetables, or on a southern themed meat and cheese tray.
Have a question or thought to share?
If you have a question about the recipe or if you’ve made it and want to share how it turned out, I would truly enjoy hearing from you. Just scroll down to leave a comment or add your star rating.
Thank you for stopping by. It means a lot to have you here.
Recipe
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Pickled Okra
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds okra choose small tender pods (may need more or less than two pounds)
- 3 cloves garlic peeled
- 3 teaspoons canning salt
- 3 teaspoons dill seed
- ¾ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 2 cups white vinegar 5% acidity
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- Prepare jars, rings and lids according to standard canning procedure.
- Into the sterile jars, pack as many pods of okra as possible with the tips pointing up.2 ½ pounds okra
- To each jar add 1 whole garlic clove, 1 teaspoon of canning salt, 1 teaspoon of dill seed and 1/4 teaspoon of whole peppercorns.3 cloves garlic, 3 teaspoons canning salt, 3 teaspoons dill seed, ¾ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- Finish packing the jars as much as possible with additional okra, tips down, fitting the pods in tightly but take care not to crush the okra.
- Bring the vinegar and water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Fill jars to within 1/4 inch of the rim.2 cups white vinegar, 2 cups water
- Place lids and rings on jars and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes for altitudes up to 1,000 ft; 15 minutes for altitudes 1,001 – 6,000 ft; and 20 minutes over 6,000 feet.
- Remove jars from the canner and allow them to cool completely.
- Let the pickles sit for 4-6 weeks to achieve the best flavor.
Notes
- When preparing the okra, trim the tops only if needed. Be careful not to cut into the body of the okra pod.
- Sterilize the jars and rings according to standard canning procedures. Briefly–you’ll wash them in hot, soapy water and then submerge them in boiling water (the water in the canner works great!) for a few minutes while you prepare everything. To prepare the lids, wash and rinse them and set aside until needed.
- Any jars that didn’t seal completely may be stored in the refrigerator and used first.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
— This post was originally published on September 10, 2010. It has been updated with additional information.
I’m Lana Stuart, an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, and lifelong cook raised deep in Southwest Georgia. I started Lana’s Cooking in 2009 to share the tried-and-true recipes I grew up with. Around here, the food is full of flavor, the traditions run deep, and there’s always room at the table.
I followed the recipe exactly, but the okra is very mushy.
This is first time I pickled okra. Found this online. It is so good!! Easy to make. Hardest part is letting sit for 4 weeks. Next year I will triple the recipe.
So glad you like it, Ann!
I had not ever tried canning pickled okra but since finding this recipe I am on my third batch. Simple easy instructions will make this my go to recipe for pickled okra. The best part is they are so delicious!!!!
Thanks, Cecilia! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the pickled okra!
I’m confused because you say you use 1 pint jars however the pictures look like jelly jars which I think are half pints. Please clarify.
The jars in the photos are pint jars.
Can you add salt to brine and then put in jars versus putting salt directly into jars and then pour brine over it before canning?
You can if you prefer. The salt is for taste, not preservation in this recipe.
what is the measurements of ingredients for using a quart jar?
For quarts, you would use double the ingredients and process for 15 minutes at altitudes up to 1000 ft.
Can I add jalapeños to these?
You can add one whole hot pepper of your choice to each jar.
Is that much salt a must per jar?
The salt is for flavor only, so reducing it has no effect on preservation. You can lower the amount if you like, but I personally think the pickles need the full amount.
it says add red pepper a here and it will still be safe to can. My question ;
Can adding red pepper to a pickling recipe render the pickle unsafe to can
Adding a dried red pepper pod to each jar is still safe to can.
What size jars do you recommend?
I recommend using wide-mouth pint jars for this recipe.
I have used this recipe several times this summer and I absolutely love it! I’ve never pickled anything before and this recipe helped me every step of the way. I’ll be saving this and using it again next year! Thank you so much!
How long should a quart jar process for?
Process quarts for 15 minutes at 1-1,000 ft altitude.
I’ve used this recipe over and over. Delicious!