Pickled Okra

Ingredients
- 4 small dried chilies, divided
- 4 teaspoons yellow mustard seed, divided
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns, divided
- 8 cloves garlic, peeled, divided
- 2 pounds medium okra pods, washed, stems trimmed to ½ inch
- 4 cups distilled white vinegar
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons pickling salt (a fine-grain, additive-free salt that should be labeled "pickling salt"—using regular iodized/sea salt will make the liquid cloudy and the pickles will turn dark)
Directions
Place 1 chili, ½ teaspoon mustard seed, ¼ teaspoon peppercorns and 2 cloves of garlic in the bottom of each of the 4 sterilized pint-sized canning jars. Divide okra evenly among the jars, placing pods vertically, alternating stems up and down.
In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, bring the vinegar, water and salt to a boil. Once boiling, carefully pour the liquid over the okra in jars, leaving ¼ inch of space between the top of the liquid and the lid. Seal the jars and sterilize in a pot of boiling water for 15 minutes.
The jars can be stored for up to one year, consume contents of opened jars within one month.