Quick and easy dill pickled carrots recipe with tender-crisp carrot texture, strong garlic and dill flavours, mouth-watering vinegar and optional spice. This canning recipe can be made in a water bath canner!
It might have been borne of a need to grow your own food after growing up in the Great Depression, or because she had 7 children over 14 years and kids never stop eating, or maybe it was just because she has the gift.
As kids we had it pretty good. My Memere, that’s French for Grandmother, has the gift of a green thumb. And boy, is that green thumb something to behold.
It might not have been a whole acre, but my goodness, when I was a kid her garden sure felt like it!
Memere always shared her bounty both fresh and canned; spicy spaghetti sauce, canned peaches and pears, jams, pickles.
One of my favourite things was always the couple of rogue carrots that snuck into the jar of pickles. The pickled carrots with the tender-crisp carrot texture, strong garlic and dill flavours, mouth-watering vinegar.
I could almost drool just thinking about it.
You could try to argue with me that the garlic is the best part of the actual pickles, but you’d be wrong. The pickled carrots are where it’s at. And will always be where it’s at!
This year, Mom planted a beautiful and bountiful garden of her own. Apparently, green thumbs run in the family. Hopefully, I’ve got it too….
Anyways, Mom’s garden is gorgeous and full and spitting out produce at an alarming rate. Every time I go to visit, she sends me home with bushels of food. This was part of the haul from a quick visit on mine and Kevin’s anniversary.
Needless to say, we literally cannot eat all of her amazing produce fresh! In the spirit of creating and not wasting, I decided to make some pickled carrots, and why stop there… I decided I should make some spicy ones too!
Goodness, I totally lucked out hard when I bought myself that awesome vintage All-American Pressure Canner. I’ve been using the everlovingshit out of that thing! Canning is my new jam. When I get bored, which isn’t very often, I can be found thinking of different things I can can.
Can can, can you do the can can?
This recipe is dedicated to standing out; like a carrot in a jar of pickles.
PICKLED CARROTS TIPS AND TRICKS:
THE WORST part about canning pickled carrots – you have to wait to try them. It’s a major bummer. So here I am crossing days off the calendar before we’re able to crack open one of these jars. Memere said I must wait 4-6 weeks. She knows her stuff. So I’ll hang tight, in misery, until then.
THIS pickled carrots recipe is fun and easy. There isn’t any hard work during the production, just a little time, and a little planning. Time that’s well worth it!
SPICE is really good in this recipe. Like, I highly recommend at least trying it. My husband loves these spicy pickled carrots in Ceasers (the Canadian version of a Bloody Mary).
DON’T like scrubbing or peeling carrots, do like my mom and Memere do – rinse them with the hose and then throw them into the washing machine on a cold rinse cycle. This tip is a use at your own risk situation – I love (and need) my washing machine too much to put carrots into it HAHA
PEELING is a personal choice. If you choose to peel the carrots before canning, simply peel while you’re waiting for the water bath and brine to boil.
USE a water bath canner, no need for fancy equipment here – as long as you have a large pot and a flat trivet, you can do it!
IF you’ve got fresh dill, definitely use a sprig in each jar. I didn’t have fresh dill handy when I made these for photos, but either way works wonderfully.
SERIOUSLY wait to open them. You can’t eat these spicy pickled carrots fresh out of the canner. Trust me – the flavour is flat and way too vinegary.
PRESERVING TIPS:
- Carrots must be pressure canned UNLESS they are pickled carrots. The vinegar brine increases the acidity of the carrots making them safe for water bath canning.
- To sterilize my jars, lids and rings, I always wash in extremely hot soapy water – then rinse, and place on a cookie sheet in the oven at 250f until I’m ready to use them.
- I shared in my Peach Jam recipe my love for prep containers – I often use 8 oz prep containers to pre-portion the spiced for each jar. This streamlines my canning process. I simply add the portions I need for each jar to 8 oz prep containers, then pour the spices into each jar before I stuff with carrots and fill with brine. I usually fill enough for the number of jars that can fit in my canner at one time (7x500ml jars)
Spicy, or not, Dill Pickled Carrots
Quick and easy pickled carrots recipe with the tender-crisp carrot texture, strong garlic and dill flavours, mouth watering vinegar and optional spice! This recipe can be made in a water bath canner.
Ingredients
Brine:
- 6 cups water
- 2 cups pickling vinegar, 7.5%
- 1/4 cup pickling salt
In Each Jar:
- 1 garlic clove, halved
- 1/2 tbsp picking spice
- 1 tsp dried dillweed
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes - optional
- Carrots, as required
Instructions
- Prepare jars and lids by washing in hot soapy water and then place on silicone mat lined baking sheet in oven at 225f until ready to use.
- Fill water bath canner enough to cover jars and begin to heat.
- In a large pot, add brine ingredients - bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.
- Meanwhile, slice carrots to desired size and prep ingredients for jars.
- Remove jars from oven and add spices, stuff with carrots, while hot, and fill with brine leaving 1/2" headspace. Wipe the rim of each jar before sealing with a hot lid. Screw bands on finger tight - I usually spin them until the jar starts to turn with the lid, then back off 1/8 or so of a turn.
- Carefully, using jar lifters, place filled jars into hot water bath canner and bring to a boil. Process at boil for 15 minutes.
- Remove from water bath canner and cool untouched for 24 hours before moving to a cool, dark storage spot.
- Store for 3-4 weeks before sampling!
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
10Serving Size:
jarAmount Per Serving:Calories: 3 Total Fat: 0g Saturated Fat: 0g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 0g Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 67mg Carbohydrates: 1g Fiber: 0g Sugar: 0g Protein: 0g
Dee says
Is it OK to use sea salt and regular vinegar? And what are the pickling spices?
I couldn’t find the requested ingredients in my market
Thank you
Ally says
HI Dee, I’m sure you can use sea salt, pickling salt is just more economical when you’re using large quantities, as in canning. You can definitely use regular vinegar, I prefer pickling vinegar because it’s got a bit more acid content in it and it gives a bit more tang. I found a small bag of pickling spices at my grocery store, they are very similar to this one I found on Amazon!
Billy says
I would love to try this recipe but instead of the red pepper flakes add some jalapenos! I think it would add a nice heat and tangyness that would be a nice contrast. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Ally says
That sounds amazing, Billy! Let me know how it turns out if you try it!
Tamara says
What size jars for this recipe?
Ally says
I used half pint, so 500ml jars!
Tammy Sue Closson says
do you peel the carrots?
Ally says
Tammy, I did not peel them – they were fresh garden carrots from my mom’s garden and her trick to getting them so clean is to throw them in the washing machine. Now, back in the day, Memere’s washing machine was a top load and it always worked fine. My mom has a front load and it still works great – this advice is totally buyer beware, though – I don’t think I could put carrots in my beloved washing machine! haha
Natalie says
did you use your pressure canner? or a regular hot water bath canner?
Ally says
Hi Natalie, I water-bath canned these guys!
Roxann Harris says
Hi Ally. I’m concerned I used a recipe for pint jars (500mls) , that asked for 1 Tbsp. Picking spice along with dill and garlic cloves. Yesterday. ….after the water bath , one jsr didn’t seal. …so for curiosity’s sake I tasted it! I couldn’t believe how strong it tasted. ..awful! LOL This isn’t your recipe. Just concerned that the recipe asked for way too much Pickling spice. What do you think? And if so….anything I can do about it? Thank you!
Ally says
HI Roxanne! The pickles aren’t ready – that’s why they taste awful. Usually, you’d leave canned pickles for a few (4-6) weeks before sampling them. Fresh out of the crock they are NOT good at all! Don’t fret, nothing is wrong – just close up your jar and put it at the back of your fridge for a few weeks. Once they are ready the flavour changes so much! I’d love to hear a follow up <3
Norma says
Hi There,
I am in search of a recipe to can sweet hot carrots. Yours is as close as I can find but the sweet isn’t there. I bought a jar of canned carrots at a local farm market and the ingredients are as listed: Vinegar, water, sugar, garlic, dill, jalapenos, chile peppers and pickling salt. Honestly, these carrots are to die for. I need to can them!! Please help 🙂
Ally says
Hi Norma,
Those sound amazing! I will keep my eye out for something similar – but now I am tempted to recreate that recipe!
Norma says
Oh please do! They taste out of this world!! Nice heat, some sweet and the carrots were crunchy, everything just worked!!
Lindsay says
Do these last for a year once they are processed?
Ally says
Hey Lindsay! Mine definitely do! They may be a little softer near the end of the year but they are still top notch! I served some from last canning season this christmas and they were still excellent!
Heidi says
Hello Ally
I have just made these using your water to vinegar ratio but I am concerned if it is correct. 6 cups water to 2 cups vinegar. I am using 5% acetic acid but your recipe calls for 7.5%. Will my batch be safe? I have been looking at other recipes and vinegar content is higher. I am new to this so please advise whether I should keep in fridge vs pantry.
Ally says
Hey Heidi, sorry for the delay. I can’t guarantee they’ll be safe but I’ve adapted this recipe (and kept that ratio the same) from my 90 year old Memere – I can safely say that none of us have been sick!
I did a quick google, and there’s an interesting answer here: https://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/73345/can-i-get-botulism-by-using-2-cups-vinegar-to-8-cups-water-when-canning-pickles
Koy Saechao says
Hi! I just used this recipe to make some pickled carrots and cucumbers. I was researching other recipes and noticed that the typical ratio is 1 cup water: to 1 cup vinegar vs this recipe which is 3:1. I put all of the pickles in the fridge – but do you have any ideas if this at risk for botulism? My vinegar was 5% also. I did water bath 10 mins for each can. Any help would be awesome! I think I am ok- but worried and think I might throw out all the food and redo again with 1:1 ratio?
Ally says
Hello Koy,
This is adapted from a family recipe from my 90 year old Memere. I played with the spices and ratios of them, but NOT the ratio of acid:water. While none of us have been sick, I’d recommend getting a PH testing stick and to test the PH of one of the jars and confirm that they are 4.6 or lower if you are concerned. If they are, you’re safe and botulism cannot grow in a PH lower than 4.6. Hope that helps to ease your mind and save your batch <3
Ally says
There is also a similar recipe here, from the Blue Flame Kitchen – with the same water:vinegar ratio! http://www.atcoblueflamekitchen.com/How-To/Preserving/Documents/All-Things-Pickled-2014.pdf
Rita Anderson says
Will these carrots have a crispy crunch or will they have a flimsy bite. I’ve never tried dilled carrots. I’m interested in trying out this spring.
Ally says
Hi Rita, they’ve got a nice crunch! Nothing worse than a floppy pickle!