Pickled Okra

From the garden

• 2 lb small okra pods, stems trimmed, caps left intact
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 4 sprigs fresh dill heads or sprigs

From the pantry

• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 tsp mustard seed
• 2 cups distilled white vinegar (5%) · full strength: the tested ratio that makes okra safe to water-bath
• ¼ cup canning or pickling salt

1. Wash 4 pint jars and keep them hot in the water-bath canner while it heats; wash the lids and bands.
2. Rinse the okra and trim the stems, but don't cut into the caps. An uncut pod keeps its juices to itself, which is what keeps these pickles from going slimy.
3. Bring the vinegar, 2 cups water, and the canning salt to a rolling boil.
4. Into each hot jar put 1 garlic clove, a dill sprig, ½ teaspoon mustard seed, and ¼ teaspoon pepper flakes, then pack the pods in snugly, alternating tips up and down. Pour in boiling brine leaving ½ inch headspace, release air bubbles with a thin spatula, wipe the rims, and screw the bands on fingertip-tight.
5. Process in boiling water covering the jars by 1 inch for 10 minutes. Altitude adjustment: at 1,001–6,000 ft process 15 minutes; above 6,000 ft, 20 minutes.
6. Cool undisturbed on a towel 12–24 hours, check the seals, and refrigerate any jar that didn't seal. Wait 3–4 weeks before opening; the texture sets and the flavor blooms.