Pickled Vegetables Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons coriander seed
• 1 tablespoon allspice berries
• 3 cups distilled white vinegar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 3 bay leaves
• 3 sprigs fresh dill
• 4 cups vegetable of your choice

Directions:

1. For an overview of the canning process and a list of supplies, start here.
2. Sanitize jars.
3. Toast spices: Place coriander, allspice, and peppercorn in a small, dry pan. Toast over medium heat for 30 seconds. Set aside.
4. Make pickling brine: In a large pot over medium-high heat, place vinegar, 2 cups water, sugar, and salt. Bring to a rapid simmer and stir until sugar and salt dissolve completely. Remove from heat. Add bay leaves, toasted spices, and dill. Cover and steep for 15 to 30 minutes.
5. Prepare canner and extra hot water: Place a trivet or folded towel in bottom of a pot large enough to fill canning jars with one inch of water. Fill pot with water and place over high heat. Fill a tea kettle with additional water and set over high heat. Proceed with next step while waiting for water to boil.
6. Blanch vegetables: Bring another large pot of water to boil. Add 2 tablespoons salt. While water is heating, trim vegetables or cut into evenly sized pieces that will fit into the jars. Fill a large bowl with ice water and set near stove. Blanch cut vegetables in boiling salted water for 30 seconds. Drain vegetables and immediately place into ice water. Once cold, drain, and pat dry.
7. Fill sanitized jars with blanched vegetables: Pour brine into jars. If desired, pour through a sieve to remove spices. Cover vegetables fully and leave a half inch of headspace. Run a skewer around the inside edge of the jars to remove any air bubbles. Wipe edges clean of drips using a paper towel and high-proof alcohol. Close jars and secure lids with rings, but do not screw tightly.
8. Carefully ease jars into pot of boiling water from step 1. Make sure jars are fully submerged; use hot water from tea kettle as needed. Place lid on pot and allow jars to sit in water bath for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn off heat, remove pot's lid, and allow jars to sit for an additional 5 minutes. Use a jar lifter to carefully remove jars to a cooling rack. When cool, test to ensure that the jars sealed properly. The center of the lid should be flat. If it pops up, refrigerate and use immediately. Store the rest in a cool, dry place for up to a year.