Frog Balls

Spicy Frog Balls

 

Yield: 3 pints

 

Ingredients:

1 pound medium (not large) Brussel Sprouts

¾ cup apple cider vinegar

1 cup cold water

¾ teaspoon pickling salt

¾ teaspoons coriander seeds

9-27, 1/4” wide rings of jalapeno pepper (per jar: 3 rings -no seeds or veins for mild, 6 rings with veins for medium, 9 rings with seeds and veins for hot)

¾ teaspoon cumin seeds

3 garlic cloves, peeled

3 black peppercorns

 

 

Directions:

 

At least 4 hours before canning the Brussels sprouts, place 3 quarts of cold water in the ice box.

 

Rinse the Brussels sprouts.

 

Remove any discolored leaves from the Brussels sprouts.

 

Cut off the stem ends of the Brussels sprouts.

 

Incise a shallow X in the bottom of each sprout.

 

Bring a large saucepan of cold water to boil.

 

Add Brussels sprouts and cover. Boil for 4 minutes.

 

While boiling, fill a large bowl or stockpot with the cold water from the icebox. Be certain that there will be enough room remaining in the bowl to add the boiled Brussels sprouts without overflowing the bowl.

 

Drain the boiled Brussels sprouts and immediately plunge the Brussels sprouts into the reserved cold water.

 

Combine vinegar, water, and salt in a 3-quart saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to bring the pickling liquid to a simmer.

 

Prepare the canner for processing by filling halfway with cold water and bringing that water to a simmer.

 

Bring a small saucepan of cold water to a boil.  When boiling, add lids and bands. Boil for 5 minutes to sterilize.

 

Place ¼ teaspoon coriander, ¼ teaspoon cumin, 1 clove of garlic, 1 black peppercorn and the chosen number and style of jalapeno rings in each sterilized pint.

 

Place Brussels sprouts into the pints, leaving a 1/2” headspace.

 

Slowly fill each pint with the simmering pickling liquid, allowing the liquid to filter between the Brussels sprouts and release all of the air within the pint jar. If necessary, jiggle the pint slightly to release any air bubbles.

 

Wipe pint rim and exterior threads to remove any pickling liquid that might have spilled over.

 

Place a sterilized lid on top of each pint.

 

Fingertip tighten each sterilized band on the pint.

 

When all the pints are ready, place each pint in the canner. The water should cover the tops of the pints by 1 to 2 inches.

 

Place the lid on the canner.

 

Bring the water in the canner to a boil and process for ten (10) minutes.

 

At the end of the processing time, turn off the heat, and remove the canner’s lid. 

 

Place thick kitchen towels on the counter near the canner.

 

Remove the pints from the hot water. Use hot mitts on top of and under each pint to move them to the towel area. Gently place each pint on the towel, leaving at least 2 inches between pints.

 

Allow pints to cool for 12 hours.

 

Remove the bands from the pints to test the seal of the canning lids by gently lifting each pint, by the edges of the lid, slightly from the towel. The lid should remain firmly affixed to the pint. If a lid is not secure, place the pint in the icebox and use after 3 weeks.

 

Finger tighten the bands back onto the sealed pints or store the sealed pints without bands in a cool place for 3 weeks before opening.

 

Keeps for one year.