Carrot Stick Pickles

Let the pickling continue!

I made and served these at Christmas a few years ago and they were an amazing success.  I don't think the olives or jarred pickles were touched at all, no one could get enough of the carrots.  I was happy that I had made a large recipe of them as I had to refill their spot on the relish tray twice.

Since then I have made a few additions to the recipe to give it a bit of a kick, but the original recipe is fantastic and I still make it often.  In my toiling, I have made them killer hot, which had to be given away, made them too sweet, and too bland, but this is the version I like best!

I stumbled across the recipe on Smitten Kitchen’s blog, which I am addicted to and make her recipes quite often.  That Christmas was full of her recipes, and everything was great!

Carrot Pickles

Original: http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2008/01/pickled-carrot-sticks/

3 large carrots (I use Italian, which are HUGE)

5 cloves garlic

1 ¼ c water

1 ½ c white vinegar

¼ c sugar

2 tsp salt

1 tbsp dill seed

1 tbsp dill weed

½ tsp red pepper flakes

 

Peel and cut the carrots into sticks, not too thick!  Place them in the heat proof container that you are storing them in, and again even though I used 3 pint canning jars, don’t be fooled in to thinking that I truly canned these, they are refrigerator pickles!  

Peel and slightly crush the garlic cloves.

In a small sauce pan, add the garlic and the rest of the ingredients, heat to a boil, stirring to ensure the sugar and salt dissolve.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 3 minutes.  If using multiple containers, spoon out and divide the garlic between them.  Pour the brine over the carrots, leaving headroom, and allow to cool completely before keeping them in the refrigerator.  Hands off for at least 3 days. 

Try not to eat them all in one sitting!