Spicy Pickled Garlic

By christoph

Tender cloves of mellow sweet garlic take on a bit of spicy heat when pickled.

Ingredients

• Brine:
• garlic, peeled and ends trimmed
• fresh red pepper, seeded and slivered
• dill seed
• pepper corns
• bay leaf
• dried hot pepper (I like Thai hots) or pepper flake
• 2 cups white vinegar
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons pickling salt **
• 1 teaspoon sugar (up to a tablespoon if you like them sweeter)

Details

Servings 4
Preparation time 30mins
Cooking time 120mins
Adapted from jamesandeverett.com

Preparation

Step 1

Begin by peeling and trimming both ends of the garlic cloves (While trimming the ends is a bit tedious, I have found that it gives a far superior result). Discard any cloves that show signs of damage, or hold them aside to trim and use in other cooking.

Seed and sliver the red pepper (the pepper is used primarily to add some color in the jar, you could use green if you would prefer or simply omit).

Meanwhile combine the ingredients for the brine in a large sauce pan and bring to a boil. Add garlic and cook for five minutes. Remove garlic with a kitchen spider or slotted spoon and hold aside. Add the strips of red pepper and cook for one minute before removing to a small bowl. Reduce heat and hold brine at a simmer.

Prepare your jars, lids, and rings by washing with soapy water, and sterilizing them following safe canning procedures.

Place a half dozen pepper corns, a dried pepper, a third of a bay leaf, and ¼ teaspoon of dill seed in the bottom of each jar. Pack the garlic into the jars, adding the pepper as you fill the jar. Shake the jar gently as you fill to settle the garlic. Fill the jars with the hot brine making sure to leave a ¼” head room. Place lids and rings on jars. Process the jars in a canner for 10 minutes (adjust time for elevation).

Pickled garlic gets better with age. I like to hold the jars at least four weeks before using. You can also skip the canning process if you like, just hold the garlic in a tightly closed container in the fridge for up to one month.

** Do not substitute table salt, it contains iodine and anti-caking additives that will turn the liquid cloudy and the garlic dark. Kosher salt can be used however it is much coarser and does not measure the same. 1 cup + 2 tablespoons of Kosher salt = 1 cup pickling salt. Do not use low sodium salts for any type of pickling project.