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Often, a pickle starts with a cucumber, sliced or left whole, and covered with a brine. A pickle, though, does not have to be from a cucumber. Instead, you can make pickles from any number of vegetables, especially when they’re plentiful. I love to use the abundance of the garden to create unique pickles. They make the perfect addition to snack plates, gifts, or any nightly meal.
Cauliflower makes for a perfect pickle. The dense texture holds up well to the water bath process and the light flavor can be enhanced with spices. I think you’ll agree these deserve to be called pickles too!
Food safety tip: This recipe may not be approved by the USDA. To prevent the risk of botulism, always check with the USDA Canning Guide.
How do you make a pickle?
Pickles can be latco-fermented or canned with a brine. This curry cauliflower recipe is made using an easy vinegar brine. Instead of allowing to ferment at room temperature with salt, water, and spices, these can be made and canned within a few hours. The high ratio of vinegar to water in the brine along with the canning salt makes for a no-fail method. It’s a safe and delicious pickle: what could be better?
Why use cauliflower to make a pickle?
In case you didn’t know this, most vegetables can become a pickle, and I love that about them. Cauliflower is usually relegated to the relish tray or maybe even recieves a good roasting treatment for dinner. But this pickle recipe uses this crunchy, almost sweet vegetable and pairs it with curry, turmeric, and Serrano pepper for a briny, slightly spicy spiced treat.
The enemy of many pickles is their propensity to turn soft during the required water bath. The processing time does cook the cauliflower, but it still retains impeccable texture.
You’ll find that these go fast when you have friends over. Everyone will ask for the recipe and you can send them here!
This recipe originally appeared in the August 2020 issue of Better Homes & Gardens.
More Preserving Recipes
- Curtido relish
- Hot pepper jelly
- Pickled vegetables
- Peach chutney
- How to can orange and rhubarb jam
- Strawberry basil preserves
- Peach jalapeño jam
Watch how to make this pickled curry cauliflower
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How to Can Pickled Curry Cauliflower
Equipment
Ingredients
For the brine
- 3 cups water
- 4 cups distilled white vinegar (5%)
- 1 ½ tbsp canning salt
For the jars
- 6 Serrano peppers sliced in half
- 5 lbs cauliflower cut into bite-size florets (approximately 10 cups)
- 3 tsp yellow curry powder separated (½ tsp per jar)
- 3 tsp turmeric separated (½ tsp per jar)
- 3 tsp cumin seed separated (½ tsp per jar)
Instructions
- Prepare the water bath canner, jars, lids, and rings following the manufacturer's instructions.
- In a 4-quart kettle, combine the water, vinegar, and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Whisk to dissolve the salt and keep hot until ready to use.3 cups water, 4 cups distilled white vinegar (5%), 1 ½ tbsp canning salt
- Pack sterilized jars with prepared cauliflower. Don't be afraid to push the cauliflower in, as the cooking softens and shrinks them slightly. Add Serrano pepper, curry powder, turmeric, and cumin seed to each jar.6 Serrano peppers, 5 lbs cauliflower, 3 tsp yellow curry powder, 3 tsp turmeric, 3 tsp cumin seed
- Pour the hot brine over the prepared jars, leaving ½-inch headspace at the top. Wipe the rim of each jar with a clean towel dipped in hot water to remove any drips. Place on prepared lids and rings, tightening to fingertip tightness.
- Place jars in boiling water bath, ensuring the water covers the jars by 1 inch. Boil for 12 minutes.
- Remove from water bath and allow to sit at room temperature for 8-12 hours. After cooled, remove rings to ensure a good seal. Store at room temperature for up to one year.
Pickled Cauliflower! Enjoy
I want to make these but am on a low sodium diet. Is he t okay to omit the salt? Or perhaps only use half the salt. Thanks so much. Just love your videos. 😊
So I tried this last year and these were AMAZING! I did find some were a little spicy so this year I will be cutting back on the peppers. But this will be a yearly pickling item for me now! Thank you!
So I tried this last year and these were AMAZING! I did find some were a little spicy so this year I will be cutting back on the peppers. But this will be a yearly pickling item for me now! Thank you!
I’ve read in other pickling recipes that the peppers should be pricked. Is that the case here too for serranos?
Thanks!