Excerpts from the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Florida Cooperative Extension Service
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida




Preserving Okra

Freezing Okra 1
The smooth type varieties freeze as well as or better than the ridged varieties because they do not split as easily.

Preparation
Select young tender pods and separate into smallpods (4 inches or under) and large pods. Wash.
Remove the stems at the end of the seed cells, being careful not to expose the seed cell.
Water blanch small pods 3 minutes and large pods 4 minutes.
Cool promptly and drain. Leave whole or slice crosswise.
Package, leaving ½-inch head space. Seal and freeze.

For Frying

Wash and remove stems.
Blanch small pods 3 minutes and large pods 4 minutes.
Cool promptly and drain. Slice crosswise and dredge with meal or flour.
Spread in a single layer on shallow trays. Place in freezer just long enough to freeze firm.
Package quickly leaving ½-inch head space. Seal and freeze.


Pickled or Non-Fermented Foods: Pickled Dilled Okra 2


Image credit: RobertMPeacock/iStock/Thinkstock.com

7 lbs small okra pods
6 small hot peppers
4 tsp dill seed
8 to 9 garlic cloves
2/3 cup canning or pickling salt
6 cups water
6 cups vinegar (5 %)

Yield
8 to 9 pints

Procedure
Wash and trim okra.
Fill jars firmly with whole okra, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.
Place 1 garlic clove in each jar.
Combine salt, hot peppers, dill seed, water, and vinegar in large saucepan and bring to a boil.
Pour hot pickling solution over okra, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.
Adjust lids and process according to the recommendations in the table below.

Recommended process time for pickled dilled okra in a boiling-water canner.

Process Time at Altitudes of
Style of PackJar Size0–1,000 ft1,001–6,000 ftAbove 6,000 ft
HotPints10 min1520
After the process is complete, turn off the heat and remove the canner lid. Wait five minutes before removing jars.


Preparing Okra for Canning 3



Quantity
An average of 11 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 7 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. A bushel weighs 26 pounds and yields 16 to 18 quarts -- an average of 1-1/2 pounds per quart.

Quality
Select young, tender pods. Remove and discard diseased and rust-spotted pods.

Procedure
Wash pods and trim ends.
Leave whole or cut into 1-inch pieces.
Cover with hot water in a saucepan, boil 2 minutes and drain.
Fill jars with hot okra and cooking liquid, leaving 1-inch headspace.
Add 1 teaspoon of salt per quart to the jar, if desired.
Adjust lids and process following the recommendations in Table 1 and Table 2 according to the method of canning used.

Table 1. Recommended process time for okra in a dial-gauge pressure canner.

Canner Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of
Style of PackJar SizeProcess Time0 - 2,000 ft2,001 - 4,000 ft4,001 - 6,000 ft6,001 - 8,000 ft
HotPints25 min11 lb12 lb13 lb14 lb
Quarts4011121314
*After the canner is completely depressurized, remove the weight from the vent port or open the petcock. Wait 10 minutes; then unfasten the lid and remove it carefully. Lift the lid with the underside away from you so that the steam coming out of the canner does not burn your face.

Table 2. Recommended Process Time for okra in a weighted-gauge pressure canner

Canner Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of
Style of PackJar SizeProcess Time0–1,000 ftAbove 1,000 ft
HotPints25 min10 lb15 lb
Quarts401015
*After the canner is completely depressurized, remove the weight from the vent port or open the petcock. Wait 10 minutes; then unfasten the lid and remove it carefully. Lift the lid with the underside away from you so that the steam coming out of the canner does not burn your face.


Selecting, Preparing, and Canning: Tomatoes with Okra or Zucchini 4



Quantity
An average of 12 pounds of tomatoes and 4 pounds of okra or zucchini is needed per canner load of 7 quarts. An average of 7 pounds of tomatoes and 2-1/2 pounds of okra or zucchini is needed per canner load of 9 pints.

Procedure
Wash tomatoes and okra or zucchini.
Dip tomatoes in boiling water 30 to 60 seconds or until skins split.
Then dip in cold water, slip off skins, remove cores, and quarter.
Trim stems from okra and slice into 1-inch pieces or leave whole.
Slice or cube zucchini if used.
Bring tomatoes to a boil and simmer 10 minutes.
Add okra or zucchini and boil gently 5 minutes.
Add 1 teaspoon of salt for each quart to the jars, if desired.
Fill jars with mixture, leaving 1-inch headspace.
Adjust lids and process according to the recommendations in Table 1 or Table 2, depending on the method of canning used.

Variation
You may add four or five pearl onions or two onion slices to each jar.

Table 1.Recommended process time for Tomatoes with Okra or Zucchini in a dial-gauge pressure canner.

Canner Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of
Style of PackJar SizeProcess Time0 - 2,000 ft2,001 - 4,000 ft4,001 - 6,000 ft6,001 - 8,000 ft
HotPints30 min11 lb12 lb13 lb14 lb
Quarts3511121314
*After the canner is completely depressurized, remove the weight from the vent port or open the petcock. Wait 10 minutes; then unfasten the lid and remove it carefully. Lift the lid with the underside away from you so that the steam coming out of the canner does not burn your face.

Table 2. Recommended process time for Tomatoes with Okra or Zucchini in a weighted-gauge

Canner Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of
Style of PackJar SizeProcess Time0–1,000 ftAbove 1,000 ft
HotPints30 min10 lb15 lb
Quarts351015
*After the canner is completely depressurized, remove the weight from the vent port or open the petcock. Wait 10 minutes; then unfasten the lid and remove it carefully. Lift the lid with the underside away from you so that the steam coming out of the canner does not burn your face.



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Okra Page


Bibliography

1
Reynolds, Susan. "Freezing Okra." Family, Youth and Community Sciences Dept., UF/IFAS Extension, No. FCS 8391, Original pub. Dec. 1994, Rev. June 1998, Archived, UFDC, ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu/IR/00/00/63/30/00001/HE44000.PDF. Accessed 27 July 2020.
2 Simonne, Amy. "Pickled or Non-Fermented Foods: Pickled Dilled Okra." Family, Youth and Community Sciences Dept., UF/IFAS Extension, No. FCS 8233, Original pub. Feb. 1993. Rev. July 2005. Rev. Jan. 2014, Archived, UFDC, ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu/IR/00/00/99/67/00001/HE29500.pdf. Accessed 27 July 2020.
Simonne, Amy. "Preparing Okra for Canning." Family, Youth and Community Sciences Dept., UF/IFAS Extension, No. FCS 8313, Original pub. May 2003, Rev. July 2005, Rev. Jan. 2014, Archived, UFDC, ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu/IR/00/00/97/64/00001/HE26100.pdf. Accessed 27 July 2020.
4 Simonne, Amy. "Selecting, Preparing, and Canning: Tomatoes with Okra or Zucchini." Family, Youth and Community Sciences Dept., UF/IFAS Extension, No. FCS 8190, Original pub. May 2003, Rev. Feb. 2014, Archived, UFDC, ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu/IR/00/00/99/35/00001/HE17900.pdf. Accessed 27 July 2020.

Published 27 July 2020 KJ
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