Pickled Asparagus Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do you have to blanch asparagus before pickling? ›

Pickling asparagus is a fairly straightforward process, but unlike cucumber pickles, includes the extra step of blanching the stalks before canning. While blanching the asparagus is not strictly necessary, it's worth the time investment to allow that tasty brine to fully permeate the stalks.

Is Pickled Asparagus Good for You? Pickled asparagus is full of fiber and probiotics, which makes it great for digestion. Asparagus, in general, is a great, healthy, and delicious vegetable source of Vitamin B6, calcium, zinc, and magnesium.

The gray flecks are RUTIN, a plant based antioxidant, which is harmless. According to the University of Califorina Cooperative Extension, when asparagus is heated with vinegar, the bioflavonoid rutin is drawn out of the asparagus. It becomes insoluble and crystallizes, leaving the spots on the surface of the asparagus.

Place spears in a strainer, wash well and drain. Trim onions. Combine all ingredients in air-tight containers. Refrigerate up to 4 weeks.

Like most vegetables, if frozen raw, the texture, taste, colour and nutritional value of asparagus deteriorates. Make sure you blanch or cook the veg first to preserve these elements.

Water blanch small spears for 2 minutes, medium spears 3 minutes, and large spears 4 minutes. Reduce blanching time for shorter pieces. Cool promptly in cold water or ice water, drain thoroughly and pat dry.

Anyone with diabetes might be surprised to learn certain foods minimally impact sugar levels, including: Carrots. These are considered non-starchy (as are string beans, tomatoes, mushrooms, peppers, broccoli, asparagus and cauliflower) and good in a diabetes diet.

For asparagus, a standard serving size is six medium spears, a 1/2 cup of pieces, or just over three ounces cooked. For only 20 calories, you get a lot of nutrients!

We've heard great testimonials from some of our regular customers who tried our pickled asparagus and were amazed at how much it helped their digestion. They were able to say goodbye to bloating and constipation, and some even experienced a bowel cleanse that left them feeling lighter, cleaner, and more energized.

But after preserving your prized asparagus, have you noticed some little yellow/white spots form on the surface? Is it safe to eat? The answer is yes, it is safe to eat. These little specks are called rutin.

Can you reuse pickle brine for asparagus? ›

Save that pickle juice. It's great to reuse in making pickled asparagus. No complicated canning involved here. Simply immerse blanched asparagus in a jar of leftover pickle juice.

The flecks are actually a protein buildup called rutin, a natural flavonoid in asparagus that sometimes reacts harmlessly with the vinegar.

These flakes are called rutin and occur naturally in canned asparagus. The spears also may be wrinkled. The acidic brine sometimes pulls liquid out of the asparagus spears. It will probably plump up after setting for about two weeks.

How to tell if pickles have gone bad? Here are a few signs your pickles are a little too far gone: Visible mold: This is an obvious sign that your pickles have gone bad. Unusually sour taste and smell: If things smell and taste a bit more sour than usual, in an unpleasant way, this may not be a good sign.

Expert Response. It's not unusual for asparagus to shrivel immediately after processing. They usually plump back up as they sit in the jars for a few weeks and absorb the brine. It seems they are more likely to shrivel if the asparagus wasn't fresh, or was a bit wilted from dry weather.

Some of your vegetables may change color from being pickled. Blanching them in boiled water for 2-3 minutes, and then placing them in an ice bath will help to preserve their color. The type of vinegar you choose will also impact color.

If you're using green vegetables — to make, for example, green bean pickles or zucchini pickles — you can blanch vegetables first in boiling water for two to three minutes and then shock them in an ice bath to preserve their color, but this step is purely optional.

Blanching seasons the spears and also gives them a kick-start in the cooking process. "Whenever you grill, sear, or roast, you're using a really high temperature. Without blanching, you'd char the outside but the inside would still be raw." To blanch, bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and salt the hell out of it.

But you can't just freeze fresh asparagus spears. You'll need to blanch them first. Blanching asparagus preserves the color and nutrition, and it keeps the texture and taste as close to fresh as possible. If you freeze raw asparagus, you can expect a mushy, mealy mess when it's used.