Each summer I start off eating the new pea pods thinking there will never be enough, soon it’s time for succulent stir fries with mushrooms and chicken then before I know it there are snow peas everywhere and I don’t know what to do with them. Last year I tried pickling them and they are absolutely delicious! They are great as is on a relish tray or add a nice zest to salads.
If you have never canned and are gearing up to start this year or if it’s been a while it’s a good idea to get up to speed on safety issues. This site from the University of Georgia is very comprehensive.
If you have just a few pods, a lot of pickle eaters and space in your fridge then making refrigerator pickles is a good way to go. These have a brighter color and flavor but must be kept in the fridge as the water bath canning is not done.
If you have limited space or a ton of produce then most dilly bean recipes work well for pickled peas. Be sure to follow the recipe exactly as peas are a low acid food and must have vinegar added if they are being water bath canned.
- 1 pounds pea pods with strings removed
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons pickling spice, (toasting this before use makes it more potent and aromatic)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 and 1/2 cups white vinegar (5%) use commercial vinegar as homemade vinegars can vary widely and it must be at 5% to prevent bacterial growth
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1/8 cup pickling salt
Instructions
- Sterilize your jars while you prepare the rest of your ingredients.
- Wash and peel the strings off your pea pods
- Combine vinegar, water and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Pack your pea pods into the jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace (distance between the tops of the beans and the rim of the jar). To each jar, add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 clove of garlic and 1 teaspoon pickling spice.
- Pour the boiling brine over the beans, wipe the rims and apply the lids and rings.
- Process for 5 minutes in a boiling water bath (start timing when the pot has come to a roiling boil).

Here are the peas with the brine solution. They need to be well packed or will float up. All the peas must be covered by the solution.
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