Canned Pickled Spicy Asparagus
My mother-in-law and her husband were here for a quick visit this weekend. Earlier this summer, I talked to her about teaching me how to make her delicious canned pickled spicy asparagus, so she brought her equipment and recipe with her. We grabbed 8 lbs of asparagus at the farmers market and spent the afternoon canning. It was much easier than I anticipated and so much fun! My good friend Currié came over to help and my daughter helped too. The hardest part about this recipe is waiting two weeks before trying this asparagus out! Thankfully, I have had her spicy pickled asparagus several times in the past so I can tell you that this recipe is amazing! Thanks for teaching me Fran – it was so much fun being in the kitchen with you!!! xoxo
How to Make Canned Pickled Spicy Asparagus
Wash and rinse canning jars in a sink of hot soapy water or the dishwasher; keep hot until ready to use.
Sterilize the mouth lids in a saucepan of hot boiling water for a few minutes. Place a few spoons on the bottom of the pan to prevent the mouth lids from touching the bottom of the pan while they boil.
Wash asparagus well, but gently, under running water. Cut stems from the bottom to leave spears with tips that fit into the canning jar with a little less than 1/2 inch headspace. Peel and wash garlic cloves. Place four garlic cloves at the bottom of each jar along with the dill seed. Tightly pack asparagus into jars with the blunt ends down then add one spicy pepper to each jar.
In a large pot, combine water, vinegar, and kosher salt. Bring to a boil.
Ladle boiling brine over the spears, leaving ½-inch headspace.
Remove air bubbles and adjust the headspace if needed. Wipe the rims of jars with a clean paper towel; apply two-piece metal canning lids.
Place the jars into the canner making sure the water just covers the lids then bring to a rapid boil.
Place the lid on the canner and boil for 10 minutes. Remove from the canner and place on a towel-lined counter to cool. You will hear a popping sound from the jars when they seal.
Once they have cooled for a few hours, press your finger in the center of each lid – if it pops then it didn’t seal properly.
Place them into the refrigerator and eat them up first (after two weeks). If they don’t pop back that means they are sealed. Place the sealed jars into the pantry. Let them sit for two weeks before opening and eating. Enjoy.
Equipment
- Large Canning Pot
- 7 Quart Glass Jars
Ingredients
- 7 quart-sized mason jars cleaned
- 7 two-piece metal canning lids sterilized
- 8 lbs of asparagus washed and wooden ends removed
- 28 cloves of garlic - 4 in each jar
- 7 tbsp dill seed - 1 in each jar
- 7 cayenne peppers - 1 in each jar
- 9 cups of water
- 9 cups of white vinegar
- ¾ cup + 1 tbsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Wash and rinse canning jars in a sink of hot soapy water or the dishwasher; keep hot until ready to use.
- Sterilize the mouth lids in a saucepan of hot boiling water for a few minutes. Place a few spoons on the bottom of the pan to prevent the mouth lids from touching the bottom of the pan while they boil.
- Wash asparagus well, but gently, under running water. Cut stems from the bottom to leave spears with tips that fit into the canning jar with a little less than 1/2 inch headspace. Peel and wash garlic cloves. Place four garlic cloves at the bottom of each jar along with the dill seed. Tightly pack asparagus into jars with the blunt ends down then add one spicy pepper to each jar.
- In a large pot, combine water, vinegar, and kosher salt. Bring to a boil. Ladle boiling brine over the spears, leaving ½-inch headspace.
- Remove air bubbles and adjust the headspace if needed. Wipe the rims of jars with a clean paper towel; apply two-piece metal canning lids.
- Place the jars into the canner making sure the water just covers the lids then bring to a rapid boil. Place the lid on the canner and boil for 10 minutes. Remove from the canner and place on a towel-lined counter to cool. You will hear a popping sound from the jars when they seal.
- Once they have cooled for a few hours, press your finger in the center of each lid - if it pops then it didn't seal properly.
- Place them into the refrigerator and eat them up first (after two weeks). If they don't pop back that means they are sealed. Place the sealed jars into the pantry.
- Let them sit for two weeks before opening and eating. Enjoy.
This is an amazing ideaPam ! I love asparagus!
Oh my, would love to taste this! Looks pretty too
Yum, this sounds perfect! I still haven’t tried my hand at canning and really, really want to change that!
I love pickled asparagus but I’ve never made my own!
It’s just wonderful that you and your mother in law can cook together, and that she will impart her wisdom to you. I’m sure these will be just wonderful, in addition to being pretty to look at in your pantry. (It’s also good to see your refrigerator covered in magnets and papers, just like mine is.)
this is such a great idea! i love picked beans and peppers and carrots, but i’ve never tried asparagus. lovely and fun post. 🙂
Wonderful. I bet these are delicious! Blessings, Catherine
I never had pickled asparagus. How very interesting. Definitely one to try.
How fun to learn a family recipe. This sounds so good and I was just at the market today and saw asparagus at a super price. That doesn’t usually happen at this time of the year.
Oh my goodness, I’m going to have to try this in the spring!
Oh my gosh Pam, I am so glad I read back to see this!!! I have recently done my first canning too! I loved it. I so want to make these!! What type of pepper is that? Oh these sound soooo good! Isn’t canning fun!?
xo Kris
The family recipes are usually the best! Those canned asparagus must be really great.
Thank you for posting this. Have been looking for a tried and true recipe for the pickled asparagus for some time.
I registered for lots of canning equipment so I will definitely be bookmarking and making this recipe in the future! Oh to have spicy asparagus YEAR ROUND. Mmm.
Ha, I always thought you look like you could be Alexis’ younger sister and that picture of the three of you only reinforces that since she always has a pair of glasses on her head like that. Too funny.
I need to try more canning but I’m irrationally afraid I’ll kill someone with botulism. I know it’s just a process but something about it makes me wary to do it myself.
When I previously canned pickles, they were mushy. Then I learned to soak the cucumbers overnight in
canning lime water before doing the actual canning. Will this recipe/method make the asparagus
soft and mushy; or will the spears be crisp when opening the jar???
Carole,
Mine didn’t turn out soft and mushy, but they also didn’t last long on my shelf, so I don’t know how they would be in 6 months or so!
If you try soaking them in canning lime water, let me know how they turn out!
~Pam
I just had pickled asparagus from someone else’s recipe. They recommended putting the head of the asparagus to the bottom of the jar, because it’s easier to get out of the jar without tearing up the head.
Hi I’m curious if this is for high altitude? I live about 6500 ft and want to make sure i process it correctly. Thanks
Julia,
Great question! I am NOT at high altitude. My elevation is 189′ here in Oregon. I am not sure what you will need to do differently but it’s worth checking out.
Pam
Is it true that after adding brine mixture and sealing with lids I can turn jars upside down on counter and lids will seal?
Karen,
I am sorry, I have no idea.
Pam
Thank you for sharing your families recipe. I just pulled my hats from their water bath and Ugh! My asparagus rose to the top and now I have about a1″space at the bottom. Are these still going to be edible since they’re touching the lid?
Janet,
My mother in law said they should be just fine and will probably sink soon. Let me know how they turn out!
-Pam
i used your recipe as a base, i added a tbls of cayanne, 4 cloves of garlic, a sprig of dill , a tbls of dill seed in each jar
for my brine, i used a 1to1 ratio for every cup of vinagqar, i used a cup of water,
4 sprigs of dil, a dash of dill seed, a dash of cayanne , a dash of pickling seasoning, 2 jalepenos sliced a cup of salt,
i put 4 cloves of garlic, 1tbls cayanne, 4 jalepenos chunks, 1 sprig of dill , 1 tbls of dill weed
it was crispy
I just processed 8 pint jars of 2in chunks of asparagus using this recipe. I’m going to try your tweaks on my next round. It sounds delicious! Our produce shack had a special today on locally grown asparagus so I brought home 27lbs!
Shaina,
I think his tweaks sound delicious too! Hope you enjoy the asparagus.
-Pam
How did it turn out Ryan? sounds delicious sounds similar to the dill pickles I make.
Doing the recepies today wonder if the asperugus Will be mushy..all the other recepie..blanche the asperugus…if i understand you put them raw..after washing them..thankyou.. RINA from Québec.