Canning Pickled Carrots – Recipe

After successfully pickling and canning green beans I was super excited to try another local vegetable. I found a few recipes on making carrot pickles and simply combined all the elements I liked from those. You can find the recipe and instructions below.

Just to recap, the canning method I use is called water bath. Easy to do, inexpensive and not as intimidating as a pressure canner (I always have visions of my house blowing up). While this method is easier and more accessible it does have its drawbacks. Namely what you are able to can – fruits, jams, applesauce and pickles (things that are acidic).

As a note, normally I can things in batches of half dozen or dozens, but I didn’t have enough carrots which is why this only makes 4 pint sized (approx. 500ml) jars. You can make the adjustments to the recipe if you would like to do more.

Canning Supplies

  • Water bath canner
  • Canning jars x 4
  • Lids and rings
  • You need to use new lids every time you can a new batch, rings can be reused
  • Jar Lifter
  • Funnel
  • Towels, potholders and/or oven mitts

Ingredients

This will make 4 x 500ml jars

  • 4 lbs (or 1.8 kg) of fresh carrots beans
  • 3 cups of white vinegar (pickling kind)
  • 3 cups of water
  • ¼ cup salt of pickling salt
  • You can use regular salt but your brine will be cloudy
  • ¼ of sugar
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • Bunch of fresh rosemary sprigs
  • Red pepper flakes

Instructions

  • Wash your carrots and trim off the ends
  • Peel your carrots and cut them into matchsticks
  • Sterilize your jars while you are processing your beans
  • This time I sterilized in the oven – much easier!
  • I put my lids in boiling water to prep the rubber seals
  • Keep your jars and lids hot until you are ready to pack your beans
  • In a large sauce pan add water, vinegar, sugar and salt
  • Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes
  • In each jar place a garlic clove and 1/8 tsp of red pepper flakes
  • Pack your carrots so they are standing on their ends
  • This made it easier to blend
  • Once you are done packing the carrots slide a sprig of rosemary into the jar
  • Using a ladle fill your jars with the hot brine leaving about ¼ inch at the top (this is where a funnel comes in handy)
  • Tap the sides of the jar to remove any air bubbles
  • Seal jars with lids and rings
  • Once all of your jars are full and sealed place them in your water bath canner
  • Make sure they are covered by about 1 inch of water
  • Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for about 10 minutes
  • Check the elevation for your area!! (higher altitudes need longer to can)
  • Let the jars cool to room temperature and check the seal
  • When you press the centre of the lid it shouldn’t move
  • If they didn’t seal properly store them in the fridge
  • Allow the carrots to sit in the brine for at least 3 weeks before consuming