Pickled asparagus
Ingredients
- 30 asparagus spears
- ⅓ cup coarse salt
- 2 quarts cold water
- 1⅔ cups distilled white vinegar
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 teaspoon mustard seed
- 2 teaspoons dill seed
- 1 white onion, sliced into rings
- ½ teaspoon chili pepper flakes
Instructions
- Trim the cut end of the asparagus spears, and cut them into 3 inch lengths. Place them in a large bowl with ⅓ cup salt, and cover with water. Let stand for 2 hours. Drain and rinse under cool water, and pat dry.
- Sterilize two pint size wide mouth jars in simmering water for 5 minutes or in oven 250F for 15 min..
- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the vinegar, sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt, mustard seed, dill seed and onion rings. Bring to a boil, and boil for one minute.
- Pack the asparagus spears, tips up, in the hot jars leaving ½ of space from the rim
- sprinkle in ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Pour hot pickling liquid into the jars, filling to within ¼ inch of the rim. Wipe rims with a clean damp cloth, and seal with lids. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
- Cool to room temperature. Check seals when cool by pressing the center of the lid.