After a 4-week seasoning period, these will be good for 1 year. Recipe by Eugenia Bone. Makes 3 pints.
Ingredients
5 pounds asparagus
2 1/4 cups distilled white or white wine vinegar (5 percent acetic acid — check the label)
2 1/4 cups water
4 tablespoons salt
2 garlic cloves, slivered
1 teaspoon dill seed
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon whole allspice (optional)
1/4 teaspoon cumin seed (optional)
1/4 teaspoon coriander seed (optional)
Directions
Cut the ends of the asparagus so they fit very snugly standing upright in a pint jar. The tips must not penetrate into the rim area of the jar, so you will have to cut them quite short. I end up cutting at least 3 inches off the bottoms, which I save for another dish—to make cream of asparagus soup, for example. Jersey Giants, the purple-topped asparagus, by the way, are delicious and meaty but they will stain the vinegar solution. It’s OK.
Place about 2 inches of water in a shallow pan large enough to hold the asparagus. Bring to a boil over a medium-high heat. Lay the asparagus that fit into the quart jar in the pan, plus a few extra, and allow the water to return to a boil. Remove the asparagus and run them under very cold water or dunk them in ice water. This sets the green color. Set aside.
Combine the remaining ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil over a medium heat. Stir to dissolve the salt. Do not boil past the point where the salt has dissolved. Acetic acid evaporates faster than water and you could upset the water-to-vinegar ratio.
Have ready 3 hot sterilized pint jars and bands, and new lids. (To sterilize jars, bands and lids, boil them for 10 minutes in water.) When the jars are dry but still hot, pack the asparagus into them. You really have to wedge the asparagus in, or, once you add the vinegar solution, they will bob above the rim.
Add the vinegar solution, enough to cover the tops of the asparagus. Allow another 1/2 inch of headroom above the vinegar solution. Distribute the spices throughout the jars. Wipe the rims, place on the lids, and screw on the bands fingertip-tight.
Place the asparagus in a pot with a rack deep enough to cover the jars with 2 to 3 inches of water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat to medium and gently boil the jars for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, allow the jars to rest in the water for 5 minutes or so, and then remove. Allow the jars to cool, untouched, for 4 to 6 hours. Don’t leave the jars in the water to cool, or the asparagus will overcook and become pale and withered. As is, they will yellow some. It’s OK. They will float in the vinegar, as they shrink some during processing. That’s OK too.
Allow the asparagus to season in a cool, dark place for 4 weeks. Refrigerate after opening.
