Pickled Brussels Sprouts

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Pickled brussels sprouts are a delicious way to preserve brussels sprouts in season.

Prep Time15

Cook Time5

Canning Time (Optional)10

Total Time15

Course: pickles

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pickled vegetables

Servings: pints

Author: Ashley Adamant

Equipment

Ingredients

3 lbs Brussels Sprouts
5 cups Vinegar at 5% acidity
2 cups Water
1/4 cup pickling and canning salt
6 to 12 cloves garlic 1 to 2 per jar
6 tsp black peppercorns 1 per jar
6 to 12 tsp red pepper flakes 1 to 2 per jar

Instructions

If Canning, prepare a water bath canner, jars, lids, and bands before beginning. The canner should be preheated for hot pack, which means at a gentle simmer (around 180 degrees F).
Wash and clean the brussels sprouts. Time the stem ends and remove any outer leaves. The sprouts should be small, tight heads. Cut any large sprouts in half.
Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch the sprouts for about 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and pack into jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Discard cooking water.
Add dry spices to each jar (but not vinegar, water, and salt).
Add the brine ingredients to a pot, including vinegar, water, and salt. Bring it to a hard boil, stirring to dissolve the salt.
Pour the boiling brine over the brussels sprouts in jars, maintaining 1/2 inch headspace. De-bubble jars, adjust headspace and cap with 2-part lids
If canning, process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude (see notes).
Remove the jars from the canner to cool on a towel on the counter. After 12-24 hours, check seals and store any unsealed jars in the refrigerator for immediate use. Properly sealed jars should maintain quality on the pantry shelf for 12-18 months.
I'd suggest waiting for at least 1 week before eating the brussels, to allow time for them to properly pickle and for the flavors to infuse.

Notes

Altitude Adjustments

The altitude adjustments for canning pickled brussels sprouts are as follows:

Under 1,000 Feet - Process jars for 10 minutes
1,001 to 6,000 Feet - Process jars for 15 minutes
Above 6,00 Feet - Process jars for 20 minutes

Be sure that you blanch the sprouts before packing them into jars, as this canning time isn't sufficient if you're working with raw brussels sprouts.

Recipe Variations

Other good spicing options include dill, cumin, coriander, sliced jalapeno peppers, or a bit of lemon. I've also tried making Asian spiced Brussels by adding a bit of soy sauce, sriracha, and Sichuan peppercorns.

For propper pickling, the brine must be at least half vinegar (at 5% acidity) by volume.

The spicing is up to you, but make sure that at least half your brine is vinegar standardized to 5% acidity. It can be white vinegar, cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, or any other type that says 5% acidity. Read labels carefully; some are standardized to lower acidity. Rice vinegar, for example, is usually a lower acidity.

Nutrition