Taqueria Style Pickled Carrots For Canning Food

TAQUERIA-STYLE SPICY PICKLED CARROTS

Steps:

• Whisk vinegar, water, and sea salt together in a small saucepan. Bring to a low boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat, and simmer until salt is completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Set aside.
• Peel carrots and cut them into 1/2-inch diagonal slices. Cut onion into quarters. Cut each quarter into 3 strips. Cut stems off jalapenos and cut each jalapeno into 6 strips. Slightly crush each garlic clove.
• Warm oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, add carrots, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 minutes. Add bay leaves, peppercorns, oregano, and cumin seeds. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add onion, jalapenos, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and fragrant but not soft, about 15 minutes.
• Place vegetables in a 24-ounce wide-mouth canning jar. Pour in the cooled vinegar mixture until liquid reaches 1 inch from the top. Pour olive oil on top and secure the lid. Allow to cool to room temperature. The carrots are ready to serve after 1 hour but best after sitting for 24 hours.

TAQUERIA-STYLE PICKLED CARROTS FOR CANNING

Steps:

• In a small skillet set over medium-high heat, toast the cumin seeds, stirring often, until golden and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a small plate to cool.
• Mix the vinegar, water, 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of the salt, the oregano and crushed peppercorns in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the onion and jalapenos and turn off the heat.
• Bring a large saucepan of water and the remaining 1 tablespoon of salt to a boil. Add the carrots and simmer until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain the carrots in a colander and immediately transfer them to the saucepan with the vinegar and onions. Bring the ingredients to a boil, then turn off the heat.
• Divide the toasted cumin seeds, garlic cloves and red chiles (if using) among 4 clean pint canning jars. Using a slotted spoon, divide the carrots and onions among the jars. Top with the hot vinegar solution, leaving ½ inch of head space at the top of the jar. Wipe jar rims with a clean, damp cloth and put on lids and rings. Process jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

MEXICAN-STYLE PICKLED VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Pack onion, fresno and carrots into a 1-qt. heatproof jar or a nonreactive container. Toast peppercorn and allspice berries in a dry large saucepan over medium heat, tossing constantly, until just fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add vinegar, sugar, salt and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt. Remove from heat and stir in bay leaf, oregano, lemon zest, lemon juice, and garlic. Let cool slightly, then pour brine over onion, fresno and carrots to submerge. Seal jar and chill at least 3 hours before serving. The flavor will mellow as it sits.
• Do Ahead: Vegetables can be pickled 3 weeks ahead. Keep chilled.

TAQUERIA-STYLE PICKLED JALAPEñOS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large stainless-steel skillet over high heat. Add the jalapeños, garlic, carrots and onions. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until the jalapeños are blistered and the onions are softened, about 5 minutes. (Watch out! The cooking jalapeños can create fumes that make it hard to breathe. Avert your face from the skillet.)
• Add 1 cup water, the vinegar, salt, bay leaves, oregano and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer. Cook until the carrots are tender and the jalapeños are no longer bright green, about 15 minutes.
• Pack the vegetables into a sterilized quart glass jar with a tight lid. Top with the vinegar cooking liquid and seal. Refrigerate up to 2 weeks.