Sweet and Sour Carrots Is A Side Dish To Crave For [Recipe]

Whether you use it as a side to your pulled pork or roasted chicken, this simple and easy to make sweet and sour carrots will definitely leave you satisfied and full! You’ll never have to wonder again about what to do with those excess carrots your garden produced.

Try These Sweet And Sour Carrots For A Delectable Side Dish!

First things first, safety

As always when I’m preserving, safety comes first, so I make sure to sterilize the jars by keeping them in simmering hot water until I’m ready to use them. Another critical part is to make sure that the vinegar we use has at least 6% acidity, as anything less leaves us at risk of botulism.

This recipe is also quite customizable as you can adjust the quantity of ingredients according to your liking. The exception to this is the vinegar. Of course, we can add more but not reduce the quantity of vinegar, it must be at least the same amount as the water. Remember that the vinegar is what actually prevents botulism.

Besides the vinegar, you can simply increase or reduce the sugar at your whim to reach the degree of sweetness or sourness you desire.

If you don’t have Sage leaves, Mint can be a wonderful substitute for them, or you can include both for an explosion of flavor! Add in lemon zest to the mix and it creates a whole new dimension to the taste!

Let’s Cook!

To start, wash the carrots, peel, and slice them into sticks, then combine the water, vinegar, and sugar to create a syrupy liquid. Bring that to the boil and add the seasoning and spices, keeping the mixture boiling for 3-4 minutes while you blanch the carrots.

After the syrup cools, arrange the carrots in the jars and pour the syrup over them until they’re covered. Include the peppercorn and sage you’ve used in the jar if you wish for a boost of flavor.

Process your jars for 20 minutes, making sure to adjust the time and account for how high your altitude is. Once completely cooled, you can then store the jars in your pantry.

These sweet and sour carrots make for an absolutely amazing side dish for your grilled meat or roasted chicken, and it can also be an incredibly tasty appetizer before meals!

Sweet And Sour Carrots

Recipe by Gillian Lightman

Ingredients

• 2.2 lb (1 kg) carrots

• 2 cups (500 ml) white vinegar with 6% acidity

• 2 cups (500 ml) water

• 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar

• 8 sage leaves

• salt

• black pepper

Directions

• Thoroughly wash carrots then peel and cut into strips 7 cm long and 1 cm thick.
• Combine water, vinegar and sugar in a saucepan then bring to boil.
• Add salt, black peppercorn and sage leaves.
• Let liquid boil for 3 – 4 minutes.
• Blanch carrots, a few of them at a time for 1 minute.
• Drain carrots, cover with cloth and set aside.
• Allow the syrup to cool completely.
• Pack carrots into jars and cover with syrup. Include sage and pepper if desired.
• Cover jars and let them sit for a few minutes. Top-up liquid if volume drops.
• Process jar for 20 minutes (adjust for altitude).
• Store in pantry once completely cooled.