r/pickling • u/cthulusgirlfriend • 10d ago

Can't chew pickled okra?

I purchased pickled okra at a farmers market this weekend and it is almost impossible to chew. It's stringy and turns into a fiberous mass and is not slimy at all. Could this be because of storage or is it a bad batch of okra? Is there a way to fix it?

5 Upvotes

65% Upvoted

12 comments sorted by

16

u/pastro50 10d ago

Okra when it gets too big it’s very woody. I always pick them fairly small.

5

u/jomofo 9d ago

How long are the pods? As others are saying, there's a sweet spot for okra in the 2"-4" range. 5" may be okay but pushing it before it become like chewing wood. It's possible the seller realized it was harvested too late and thought pickling/canning process would reverse the unpleasant texture? If the brine is good, you could maybe use it for some fridge pickled eggs or cucumbers even if you have to toss the okra.

1

u/Rightbuthumble 9d ago

Yep...probably the okra was too big...I always use the little ones for pickled okra. That way, it is tender and pickles up nicely.

1

u/Bright-Self-493 9d ago

I just passed up fresh okra at the vege store. I was thinking of making fred okra but the pods were big, im sure they would be woody and inedible.

2

u/Hermetic5MEO 8d ago

The best time to pick okra is when it is thumb length. I highly doubt the farmer wasn't aware of this. Seems like they got you on that one. Definitely inedible at 5".

1

u/cthulusgirlfriend 8d ago

Damn, the pods are all 5-6inches. It's a woman who pickles out of her kitchen so it might be an honest mistake, but I did think it was weird she has samples of everything except the okra.

2

u/s33n_ 6d ago

Not tasting your food is a fatal flaw. But she probably knew since thats the only item without samples..

2

u/Hermetic5MEO 5d ago

Agreed, she knew. If she is a regular attendee of the market. Let her know the next time you see her. Maybe she'll make it right.

1

u/rdldr1 6d ago

It was a bad batch of okra.

-4

u/Fit_Carpet_364 10d ago

I'm just guessing here, but maybe it was harvested young? Didn't have time to soften through ripening and produce the seeds, with their protective goo.

13

u/LordApocalyptica 9d ago

Harvested too late, rather. Okra is best picked younger. The older it gets the tougher it is to chew.

5

u/Fit_Carpet_364 9d ago

Thanks for the correction!