This recipe makes a mild, tangy garlic scape pickle. These are perfect just eaten on their own or use them is sandwiches, Caesar cocktails or charcuterie boards. Play around with other herbs and spices if you like and make it your own! Makes 2 1-qt Mason Jars
Prep Time30 minutesmins
Total Time30 minutesmins
Course: Condiment, Preserves, Side Dish, Vegetable
2 1-Quart wide mouth mason jars (sterilize with boiling water before using)
Optional: airlock lids or pickle pipe tops for mason jars, glass fermenting weights
Ingredients
6cupsGarlic scapesTrim any brown or tough bits off the ends and wash well
3tablespoonKosher salt
1tablespoonPeppercorns
2-4Optional-Dill sprigs (fresh dill stems with seed heads or just dill fronds if that's what you have.)
1teaspoonOptional-Chili flakes (use if you want spicy pickles)optional
6cupsFiltered wateror boiled 20 minutes and cooled to remove chlorine if on city water
Instructions
Make a brine of 6 cups water to 3 tablespoon sea salt and stir to dissolve. (It is important to use dechlorinated water for this. You can filter the water or boil 20 minutes and cool before using)
Place ½ tablespoon peppercorns, dill and chilis if using, in the bottom of each sterilized quart jar. Gently and loosely coil garlic scapes and place on top of spices. Pack them in as evenly as possible, leaving slightly more than an inch of headspace at top of jar.
Pour brine over scapes, leaving 1 inch of headspace (you may have some brine leftover). Top with a fermenting weight to keep garlic scapes submerged. If you don’t have a fermenting weight or something similar, fill a small plastic bag with about ½ c water, seal and put on top of your veg. It is important to keep your vegetables submerged.
Close jar with airlock or pickle pipe and fasten gently with jar ring. If you don’t have special airlock lids, put regular canning jar lids on and undo it once or twice a day to release gases (burping the jar) or use a coffee filter secured on top. Leave to ferment at room temperature 7-14 days. These will likely turn a bit cloudy as it starts fermenting and small bubbles will occasionally be rising. This is normal and often resolves or settles to the bottom by the time your ferment is ready. (Using some type of lid helps ensure no foreign bacteria gets in while the fermenting is happening.)
Once the initial fermentation period is over (it is over when you decide you like how it tastes), it is ready to enjoy. Mine typically take 10-14 days until I am happy with the flavor. Top with a regular canning lid and move jar to cold storage if not storing in your refrigerator.
Kept in the fridge, this will keep easily for 3 months or longer. In cold storage, you should plan to use within 3 months. Usually this won't actually go "bad" but will lose the crispness and bright color if left longer. If you end up with mold or a horrible smell that is not like vinegar or wine and garlic, toss it out and start again with fresh sterilized jars.
Notes
This recipe can be multiplied to make as many jars as you like. Simply follow the 2 tablespoon kosher salt per 1 liter of filtered water.