Sweet Pickled Carrots
Submitted by Mercedesqt
Crisp-tender carrot sticks pickled in a sweet cinnamon-spiced vinegar syrup and water-bath canned in small jars. A gorgeous homemade gift and the crunchiest cocktail snack in the pantry.
YIELD
3 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
40 minREADY
60 minThese sweet pickled carrots are the jar everyone reaches for at a party and the gift that gets people asking for the recipe. Bright orange carrot sticks stand upright in a sweet, spiced vinegar syrup that’s laced with cinnamon and pickling spice.
The carrots get a quick cook in boiling water first, just to crisp-tender so they keep their snap. Then they’re packed tight into sterilized jars and covered with hot pickling syrup before hitting the water bath for shelf-stable storage.
Three jars is what the recipe makes, but you’ll wish you’d tripled it. These disappear fast whether you’re serving them with cocktails, tucking them into a charcuterie board, or wrapping them up with a ribbon for the neighbors.
Pro Tips
- Don’t overcook the carrots in the blanching step. You want them crisp-tender with real bite. They’ll soften slightly in the hot pickling liquid, and mushy pickled carrots aren’t what we’re going for.
- Tie your spices in cheesecloth so they’re easy to remove. Loose pickling spices floating in the jars look messy and can overpower the carrots over time.
- Let the jars sit at least two weeks before opening. The flavor develops and the sweetness balances with the vinegar as the carrots soak.
Ingredients
Directions
Serve these sweet-and-sour nibbles as cocktail food or give jars of them to friends.
Cook carrots in boiling water until crisp-tender.
Drain. Cut carrots into 3-inch-long sticks and pack upright in small hot sterilized jars.
Combine sugar, vinegar, water and salt in saucepan.
Tie cinnamon stick and pickling spice in cheesecloth bag and add to vinegar mixture.
Boil 5 to 8 minutes.
Fill jars with boiling syrup, leaving ½-inch head space.
Adjust lids and process in boiling water bath 30 minutes.
Comments
