Mexican Carrots Pickle & Canning Recipe

Wash the jars, lids, and bands in warm, soapy water and rinse well. Place the jars right side up in a boiling‑water canner fitted with a canning rack. Do not boil lids. Add warm water until it covers the jars by about 1 inch. Bring the water to a boil and boil the jars for 10 minutes if you are below 1,000 feet elevation; add 1 minute of boiling time for every additional 1,000 feet. Reduce the heat and keep the jars hot until you’re ready to fill them.

Prepare brine. In a non-reactive stainless-steel pot, combine 6 cups of white 5% vinegar, 1 cup of water, 1 tablespoon of pickling salt, 2 tablespoons of Mexican oregano, 3 bay leaves, 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, and 2 tablespoons of minced garlic or 6 minced garlic cloves. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Cut the stem ends off all the vegetables and discard or mulch them. Slice carrots on an angle. Slice jalapeno into 1/4-inch coin slices. Slice the white onion into slivers. Carefully remove jars from the canner a couple at a time. Add 3-5 peppercorns to each jar, then start filling with the vegetables. Layer the vegetables in, to your liking. If you want more heat, add more jalapenos. The vegetables will cook and soften during the 20 minutes of canning and will continue to cook in their jars for some time after they are removed from the canner.

Remove the bay leaves from the brine solution. Pour the hot brine into the jars, leaving 1/2-inch head space.

Using a non-reactive air-bubble tool, make sure there are no large air bubbles trapped around the vegetables in the jars. Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean paper towel or cloth to remove any debris that could prevent them from sealing.

Place the lids on and finger-tighten the bands onto the jars. The tightening of the bands can be tricky; they need to be tight enough not to wiggle loose during canning but also loose enough to allow air to escape. Typically, the band coming loose isn't an issue in water bath canning, but it can be in pressure canning.

Carefully lower the jars into the boiling water bath canner. Put the lid on the canner. Once the jars are in the canner, wait for the water to boil, then begin counting 20 minutes. Once 20 minutes is up, remove the canner from the heat source and remove the lid. Allow the jars to sit undisturbed in the water for 5 minutes. Next, remove the jars from the canner to a clean dishtowel-lined countertop. Allow the jars to cool undisturbed for 12-24 hours. Lids can take hours to seal; however, they usually seal within 30 minutes and may even seal during canning. If any of the jars don't seal, refrigerate them and use them within 1 month.

Once jars have sealed, store them in a dry, cool place for up to a year. This will be difficult, but allow a few days, or even a week, for the carrots to become fully seasoned in their jars before opening. Enjoy!

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