Pickled Asparagus

Pickled Asparagus might be my most favorite pickled vegetable, especially when it's marinated in this slightly spicy pickle brine. Learn how to pickle asparagus to preserve this spring vegetable for weeks.

Course Pantry

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

cool time 1

Total Time 1 25

Servings pints

Calories 101kcal

Author Meggan Hill

Ingredients

1 pound asparagus woody ends trimmed (see note 1)
2 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
2 sprigs fresh dill
1 cup distilled white vinegar
1 cup water
2 teaspoon pickling salt or 1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Wash the jars, lids, rings in warm water and rinse well. Set aside to dry or dry completely by hand.
Rinse the asparagus under cool running water and drain well. Halve them if using short, pint-sized jars. Leave whole if using a quart jar.
Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, mustard seeds to the jar. Tilt the jar on its side. Tuck the dill sprigs in first, then stack the stalks inside the jar, orienting them so that they will stand up vertically when the jar stands upright. Pack the jar as tightly as possible with stalks. A full pound should fit into a one-quart jar, or about 1/2 pound in two pint jars.
In a small saucepan over high heat, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil. Pour the pickling brine over the asparagus, leaving about 1/2 inch headspace at the top.
Gently tap the jars against the counter a few times to remove all the air bubbles. Top off with additional pickling brine if needed. Place over the jars and screw on the ring until tight.
Let the jars cool to room temperature, then store the pickles in the refrigerator. Wait 24 hours before opening. The pickled asparagus will get more flavorful as they age.

Notes

Asparagus: When trimming asparagus, the stalk naturally breaks near the woody, inedible stem. Depending on the age and thickness of each piece, up to 50% of a piece of asparagus can be too woody to chew comfortably. With that in mind, I plan to purchase about 2 pounds of asparagus knowing that after trimming, I can reasonably expect to have 1 pound of edible asparagus, enough for this Pickled Asparagus recipe.
Yield: This Pickled Asparagus recipe makes enough for 2 pint jars or 1 quart jar, either filled with a full pound of pickled produce.
Storage: Transfer the jar to the refrigerator and the pickles will last for up to 1 month. No canning required!
Make ahead: As with other pickled items, Pickled Asparagus is one of those creations that's actually designed to age. The stalks just get better with a few days under their belt. Prepare them 4 to 7 days in advance and refrigerate to let the asparagus max out their flavor.

Nutrition