Refrigerator Picked Okra Recipe

As seen in the 2025 Culinary Calendar

Makes 3 pints 

• 1 1/2 pounds of small, fresh okra
• 3 large garlic cloves, peeled
• 3 bay leaves
• 15 peppercorns
• 1 cup distilled cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 3 pint jars

MAKE sure that your jars are clean.

PICK through the okra and make sure that the stems are cut short and there are no blemished okra.

IN EACH JAR place a garlic clove, a bay leaf and 5 peppercorns.

PLACE the okra standing upright with the pointy end down in the jars.

IN A POT WITH A SPOUT, bring the vinegar, water and salt to a boil. When it reaches a hard boil, remove from heat and pour into the jars. Place the caps on the jars and place in the refrigerator. They will be eaten before you know it.

DID YOU KNOW?

If you’re lucky to have okra growing in your backyard, you know how delicious just-picked tender okra can be. If you grow different varieties, you can pack a beautiful jar of pickled okra with alternating red and green okra. Old recipes used different varieties, naming them by their type. The red ones were known as pink lady’s fingers.