Recipe: Pickled Garlic (and other mixed local vegetables)

This year was a good year for garlic, and all other kinds of vegetable that can handle dry (and hot!) conditions. Here is my preferred recipe for conserving these goodies for winter time:

Take about 20 bulbs of garlic
Red hot peppers (home-grown), as may as you have jars, or depending on size, some more.
3-4 mid size zucchini (from your own garden, or a friend’s garden) – remove soft inner part, cut into cube size about 3/4″
Onions, about 8 pieces, cut into irregular shapes

The jars, provide enough mid-size jars which need to be perfectly clean (best clean in dishwasher before use, even if they were cleaned before), and sterilize in boiling water (both the jars and the lids) for several minutes. Hint: add some distilled vinegar to the water to avoid formation of deposits.

For the liquid
Take 1 Liter of water, 200 mL of 25% acid white distilled vinegar, 160 g sugar, 30 g salt – bring to a boil.

Add the vegetables.

Add quantity of black pepper seeds.

Make sure that all vegetables are fully covered with the liquid, otherwise, add more liquid, or less vegetables.

Boil vigorously for at least 8 minutes.

Transfer to the jars, fill the to the top, put on the lid immediately and turn upside down (lid side down). All this must be done with boiling hot liquid and vegetables, so take care. Ensure that all jars have at least one pepper, and somewhat even balance of vegetables.

Let cool down slowly, label and store for several weeks before eating.

It is a pretty strong liquid, and it is very suitable for preserving other strong vegetables like, onion, garlic, chili, etc., and these preserve will keep several years no problem – if want to preserve light vegetables like pure zucchini, pumpkin, gherkins, etc. – lower acid concentration is advisable.

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