When mid-spring arrives in the garden, it’s time to thin root vegetables — and instead of tossing those young carrots, save them for a simple, flavorful preserve. Canning pickled carrots is easy, uses seasonal ingredients, and stretches your harvest into a tasty pantry staple.
If you enjoy garlic in pickles, you’ll love this version. By mid-spring many gardeners are out of mature garlic cloves, but hardneck garlic often sends up scapes around the same time you’re thinning carrots. Garlic scapes add a milder, fresh garlic flavor that pairs beautifully with dill and tender baby carrots.
CANNING PICKLED CARROTS WITH GARLIC SCAPES
This recipe fills seven quart (1 litre) jars. Prepare the following for each jar:
- 1 large, fresh dill head
- 6–10 garlic scape pieces, cut into 4–5 inch lengths
- Washed, de-stemmed baby carrots
Prepare a brine in a large pot:
- 6 cups water
- 8 cups vinegar (5% acetic acid)
- 1 tablespoon salt
Bring the brine to a boil and let it boil for 5 minutes, then reduce to a simmer.
Start filling clean canning jars by placing a dill head and the garlic scape pieces in the bottom of each jar.
Pack the baby carrots into the jars, leaving about 1 inch of space from the rim.
Warm your lids in hot (not boiling) water. Prepare a water bath canner and bring the water to a full boil. Warming the jars slightly before adding hot brine helps reduce the chance of cracking, so raise the rack and set the jars in the canner briefly to warm.
Once the jars are warmed, slowly ladle the hot brine over the carrots, maintaining a 1-inch headspace. After filling, wipe the jar rims clean of any food particles, place hot lids on the jars, and screw on metal bands until fingertip-tight.
Lower the jars into the boiling water so that the tops of the jars are covered by at least 1 inch of water. Process the jars in the boiling water for the time recommended for pickled carrots at your altitude.
After processing, remove jars from the canner and let them cool undisturbed. Once cooled, test the seals. Jars that fail to seal should be refrigerated and used first. Sealed jars are shelf stable and can be stored on your pantry shelf.
Enjoy these pickled carrots as a crunchy, garlicky side, snack, or addition to salads and charcuterie boards. They capture fresh garden flavors and are a great way to use thinnings and garlic scapes while they’re at their best.
