Discover the magic of homemade carrot pickles

Carrot pickles are an essential element of the pantry landscape. It is impossible to resist this crunchy snack. They work well as a side dish for lunch, a base for appetizers, or an ingredient in salads. However, they taste best eaten straight from the jar.

Carrot pickles are an interesting variation on classic pickles. Their preparation is straightforward, and you'll thank yourself all winter long for the effort. Carrot pickles must appear on your pantry shelf.

What are carrot pickles? They are essentially pickles in a classic brine with the addition of carrots. Preparing carrot pickles is not significantly different from preparing other similar preserves.

It is worth adding a few pieces of white onion to carrot pickles. This ingredient gives them a more distinctive flavor. The rest of the additions are classic: horseradish root, garlic, bay leaves, allspice, mustard seeds, and pepper. The brine for carrot pickles is also classic, consisting of water, salt, sugar, and vinegar. Nothing could be simpler.

Ingredients:

                          
• 3.3 lbs cucumbers
• 2 onions
• 2 carrots
• 1 horseradish root
• a bunch of dill
• 8.5 fl oz wine vinegar
• 4.2 cups water
• 3.5 oz sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 4 garlic cloves
• 4 bay leaves
• a teaspoon of black peppercorns
• 4 allspice berries
• a teaspoon of mustard seeds

Preparation:

1. Cut the carrots into thick slices, the onion into large cubes separated by layers, and the horseradish into small cubes.
2. Place a sprig of dill, a few slices of carrot and onion, some horseradish, and a garlic clove in each jar.
3. Wash and dry the cucumbers, remove the ends, and place them tightly in the jars.
4. Add the spices to the jars: pepper, mustard seeds, allspice, and bay leaves.
5. Prepare the brine: boil the water with vinegar, salt, and sugar.
6. Pour the prepared brine over the cucumbers and screw the jars tightly.
7. Place the jars in a pot lined with newspapers or cloth, add water to the pot (up to 2/3 the height of the jars), and pasteurize the carrot pickles for about 10 minutes from when the water starts boiling.
8. Leave the jars upside down to cool.