Pickled Garlic Scapes
Last week I published a recipe for garlic scape pesto, along with a video tutorial on how to harvest garlic scapes. You can check both of those out here if you haven’t had the chance yet, but since then I have learned a couple bonus tricks when it comes to harvesting scapes. I’ve also had the chance to make my very favourite garlic scape recipe: Pickled Garlic Scapes, which of course I am sharing with you today!
First off, allow me to let you in on the “secret” tricks I learned about harvesting and acquiring scapes this past week. Last week I took you into my garden and showed you how to harvest garlic scapes with a pair of clippers. Then I took you into my kitchen and showed you the haul of garlic scapes I bought at the farm market for a few bucks. Since I only have 28 heads of garlic growing this year (and therefore 28 garlic scapes), I decided to buy some at the market as I wanted more for making pesto and pickling. I bought a 2-lb bag for just under $5.00, which I thought was a great deal! Until…
I took my daughter strawberry-picking this week as our strawberry situation is the same as our garlic scape situation: we’re simply not growing enough to preserve them in all of the wonderful ways I want to preserve them this year! So we headed to a local farm for some serious strawberry picking.
I ended up picking 8 lbs and my little Evelyn had the time of her life! But that’s a story for my next post. What I want to share with you here is what took place after strawberry-picking.
This particular farm we were at happened to have tons of garlic growing as well, so I asked if they had any scapes left (because one batch of pickles just wan’t gonna cut it!). The incredibly lovely gentleman at the stand told me I could head out into the field and even offered to watch Evelyn in the shade while I harvested my own. (She was within sight and there was another woman up there as well, just so no one thinks I left my kid with some strange man… No hate mail please!)
The really awesome part came when I asked him how much they were and he told me they were FREE! He said he was letting people take them at no charge as they were really only interested in the garlic, and having other people harvest the scapes was basically free labour for them!
My little Evelyn, “helping” me harvest the last of our garlics capes from our garden.
So, super secret (frugal) bonus trick #1: Check local farms to see if they will let you harvest garlic scapes for free in exchange for the labour you provide by doing the harvesting. Hey, it doesn’t hurt to ask!
He then took me out into the field and showed me a new trick he had only just learned himself, which brings me to…
Super secret bonus trick #2: Instead of cutting or breaking the garlic scape off where the base of the scape meets the leaves, he showed me how you can pull gently on the scape and it will actually pull out a longer piece of the stem from inside the leaves. This way you get extra scape with each one you harvest, and the fresh, soft, new scape that is hidden within the leaves is the most tender part of all. I will have to update my “How to Harvest Garlic Scapes” video next year to include this little trick. Unfortunately I can’t do it this year as I already harvested all my own scapes! Boo. Anyway, on to how (and why) I pickle them…
I first tried pickled garlic scapes a few years ago when Ryan and I were on our honeymoon. We were at a local farmers market (because that’s how we roll), and we found a farmstand with jars of these pickled scapes for sale. Honestly, at that time I had never even heard of garlic scapes, let alone pickled ones. But being the food-loving adventurers we are, we decide to buy a jar to take home. O.M.G. were they delicious!
The pickled scapes were very similar in flavour and texture to pickled beans. From that moment on I was hooked on garlic scapes, so naturally I was so excited to plant and grow my own garlic for the first time this year, especially because I knew I would get some bonus scapes before the garlic bulbs are ready for harvest.
Unfortunately I never again found the pickled garlic scapes we bought that one time (and we now live in the area where we honeymooned and regularly go to the farmers market). So I couldn’t dissect the exact ingredients that were used in that batch. Instead I adapted a recipe for pickled beans from my go-to canning book, the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving.
Instead of white vinegar, I used apple cider vinegar as I do remember the scapes having more of a mellow vinegar flavour. And I didn’t use any dill as it’s not yet ready in our garden. (I also don’t remember the scapes we had before having a strong dill flavour).
In the end I canned 10 pints of pickled garlic scapes in a simple brine of equal parts water and apple cider vinegar, some salt and pickling spices. Super simple and straightforward. The most difficult part was getting the scapes in the jar!
I coiled them and stacked them in spiral rings which seemed to work best when I used regular-mouth jars as the lip of the mouth kept the top layer of scapes from popping up. But I did scrape my hand up a bit trying to get it in and out of the jar when I was trying to push the scapes all the way to the bottom. It was easier to get them into wide-mouth jars, but they did tend to spring up a bit more. Either jars will work fine. It’s more a matter of personal preference.
Also, I left the blossom tip on the scapes for the first batch, but decided to chop it off when I canned the second batch. Again, either way is fine. I figured that the blossom end might be a bit stringier and tougher to eat, but I will have to wait to compare the two in a few weeks when they are ready.
The canning process itself was quite simple. If you’re new to canning, this is a super easy recipe and procedure to start with. Since the scapes are pickled in vinegar, you can water-bath can these, which simply means you follow basic canning procedures (sterilize jars, fill them to the level specified in the recipe, wipe rims, place new lids on top and screw bands down “fingertip tight” to let air bubbles out). Then, to water-bath can, place jars in a pot of boiling water for the amount of time specified in the recipe you are following.
Since these are pickled, the vinegar means they are highly acidic, which means they are safe to water-bath can. Food that is low in acidity (like meat and most vegetables that are not preserved in vinegar – ie. regular canned green beans) must be pressure canned. Pressure canning simply heats up the water high above boiling temperature, which is necessary to kill off harmful bacteria on low-acid foods. But, in the case of pickles, the vinegar ensures high levels of acidity, so water-bath canning is perfectly safe. Just make sure that the boiling water covers the jars completely and you process (boil) the jars for the amount of time specified in the recipe.
Once you’ve canned them, they will be shelf-stable and should last at least a year (or more) if stored in a cool, dark place. Of course, you could keep them in the fridge, and in this case you don’t even need to worry about canning them. But I like to make sure my food is shelf-stable in case of emergency, power outage and generally to keep the shelves in my fridge available for other things. Otherwise I’d have 10 jars of pickled garlic scapes alone taking up at least one whole shelf! Plus, they won’t last in the fridge quite as long if they are not properly canned; Probably about 3 months in the fridge vs. a year or more on the shelves. Canning is so easy and takes less than 20 minutes. Just sayin.
As for when they will actually be ready to devour, pickles typically take between 4 and 6 weeks to fully absorb the flavour of the pickling brine. Six weeks is optimal, if you can wait that long to crack a jar! Waiting is, by far, the hardest part;)
- As many garlic scapes as you can get your hands on! (About 10-12 per pint-sized Mason Jar).
- 3 cups apple cider vinegar
- 3 cups water
- 3 Tbsp pickling salt
- 1 Tbsp pickling spice per jar
- Prepare your jars: Collect the number of jars you think you will need based on how many scapes you have to pickle. Inspect jars to ensure there are no nicks or cracks in the glass, especially around the jar rim as this can prevent a proper seal. Wash jars and bands in hot, soapy water, rinse and then sterilize by simmering in water over medium-high heat, either in a canner or large pot with a rack in the bottom on. Leave jars in simmering hot water until ready to fill.
- Sterilize new lids by placing in a bowl of hot water (I usually just scoop some hot water from the simmering water in our canner. I usually leave them in the bowl until ready to use).
- Prepare your scapes: Rinse off any dirt, chop any hard, knobby ends off and trim the bulb end off (this is optional. You can leave the bulb end on but it might be tougher to eat and takes up extra space if the jar).
- Combine water, vinegar and salt in a saucepan and boil over medium-high heat until salt is fully dissolved.
- Using a pair of jar lifters, lift each jar out of the canner/pot and dump any water back into the canner. Fill each jar with garlic scapes.
- To fill, coil each garlic scape as tight as possible around two fingers and stack them tightly in the jar. Pack to within just over a ½ inch from the top of the jar.
- Add 1 Tbsp of pickling spice to each jar.
- Fill each jar with boiling pickling brine (water-vinegar-salt mixture) to cover garlic scapes, leaving ½ inch of headspace between the liquid and the top of the jar.
- Place lids on top of jars and then screw bands on to "fingertip tight," which means tight to the point of resistance, but not so tight that air can't escape.
- Process in a boiling hot water bath for 10 minutes. Then turn heat off, take lid off and wait 5 minutes before removing jars.
- Allow jars to cool on counter. Then store in a cool, dark place.
- Wait 6 weeks before opening a jar to ensure best quality.
- * For the brine, just make sure to combine equal parts water and vinegar and adjust your salt to match (ie. 4 cups vinegar to 4 cups water to 4 Tbsp salt). This recipe calls for 3 cups of each and 3 Tbsp of salt, which I found should fill about 3 or 4 pint-sized jars. But you can adjust the amount of brine depending on the number of jars you are able to pack full of scapes!
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It’s easy to romanticize homesteading, but the truth is that those homegrown vegetables, those freshly laid eggs, that loaf of bread rising on the counter, and that pantry full of home-canned food takes time, effort and dedication. It doesn’t “just happen” overnight!
But if you work on learning one new skill at a time and gain confidence in it before moving onto the next, one day you’ll be looking back and marvelling at how far you’ve come.
That’s where I’m at now. Life today looks a lot different than it did 10 years ago, when our homesteading and self-reliance journey was just beginning.
Back then we still lived in our city condo and were just beginning to dabble in all of this stuff. But my husband Ryan and I felt a sense urgency to start pursuing a more self-reliant lifestyle, and we committed to taking small steps, one day at a time to make that vision a reality.
Over the years we’ve continued to put one foot in front of the other, adding new skills and tackling new projects along the way that have helped us get to where we are today.
While there’s always more we want to learn and do, as I look around me right now, I’m so grateful that we took those first steps, especially considering what’s happened in the world over the past few years!
If you’re also feeling the urgency to take the first (or next) steps toward a more self-reliant life, this is your final reminder that today is the last day to join The Society of Self-Reliance and start levelling up your homesteading and self-sufficiency skills so that you’ve got what it takes to:
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Link in profile to enroll before midnight tonight, or go to thehouseandhomestead.com/society
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There are so many reasons to grow your own food at home:
💰 Saves you money at the grocery store
🍴 Healthier than conventionally grown food
🔑 increases your overall food security
🫙 Gives you an abundance to preserve and share
But perhaps the number one reason is because it just tastes better!
Not only does food taste better when it’s freshly picked or allowed to ripen on the vine, there’s something about putting in the work to grow something from a tiny seed and then getting to see it on your dinner plate that just makes it so much more satisfying than anything you’ll ever buy from the store.
Plus, having to wait all year for fresh tomatoes or strawberries or zucchinis to be in season makes that short period when they’re available just that much more exciting!
With the world spinning out of control and food prices continuing to rise, it’s no wonder more people are taking an interest in learning to grow their own food at home. But that also means changing our relationship with food and learning to appreciate the work that goes into producing it and the natural seasonality of organically grown fruits and vegetables.
(It also means learning to preserve it so you can make the most of it and enjoy homegrown food all year long).
In my online membership program, The Society of Self-Reliance, you’ll learn how to grow your own food, from seed to harvest, as well as how to preserve it so you can enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of your labor all year long!
You’ll also learn how to grow and craft your own herbal medicine, detox your home, become your own handyman, and so much more (because self-reliance is about more than just the food that we eat… But that’s a pretty good place to start!)
The doors to the Society are now open for a limited time only. Click the link in my profile or go to thehouseandhomestead.com/society to learn more.
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If you’ve been watching events unfold over the past few years and you’re feeling called to start “cutting ties” with the system and begin reclaiming your independence, The Society of Self-Reliance was made for you!
When I first launched this online membership program last year, my goal was to create a one-stop resource where members could go to learn and practice every aspect of self-reliance, as well as a space to connect with other like-minded people pursuing the same goal. And that’s exactly what you’ll get when you join!
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn inside the Society:
🌱 Food Security and Self-Sufficiency: Learn the art of growing and preserving your own food, ensuring you and your loved ones have access to nutritious meals year-round.
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I only open the doors to The Society once or twice each year, but right now, for one week only, you can become a member for just $20/month (or $200/year).
In today’s world, self-reliance is no longer a luxury, a “cute hobby,” it’s a necessity. Join us inside The Society of Self-Reliance and empower yourself with the skills you need to thrive in the new world!
Link in profile or visit thehouseandhomestead.com/society to learn more.
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Got out for an early morning harvest today. Been up since 3am, contemplating life, the future and the past, the order of things…
There is a rumbling right now, not just in North America, but around the world. Many of us can feel it, and know we are on the precipice of something big.
I’d been hearing about this new song that’s become an overnight viral sensation, written by an (until now) unknown singer named Oliver Anthony. His new song Rich Men North of Richmond has had 14 million views on YouTube in the past week alone, so I decided to check it out.
I also saw a clip of him playing a Farmers Market last week, and anything that has to do with Farmers Markets always has my attention;)
I can’t tell you how many tears I’ve already cried listening to that song. If you’ve heard it already, you probably know what I’m talking about, and if you haven’t, I highly recommend giving it a listen. All I can say is it’s been a while since a song resonated so deeply with me, and in this strange new world, I know I’m not the only one.
One of the lines in Anthony’s song is “Livin’ in the new world, with an old soul,” and that’s something I think so many of us in the homesteading community can relate to.
Trying to cling to better days; To a simpler time; To the old ways, all while doing our best to get by in the new world.
The world has changed drastically in the last few years especially, and it’s set to change in immense ways over the next few years. Today I’m feeling thankful for people like @oliver_anthony_music_ who give a voice to what so many are feeling right now.
Know that if you’re feeling it too, you’re far from alone. And while the future may feel uncertain and even a little scary, remember that if we stand united, we the people are a force to be reckoned with.
(Continued in comments…)
Another garlic harvest in the books!
Garlic is easily one of my favourite crops to grow. It’s pretty much a “set if and forget it” crop. We plant in the fall and leave it to overwinter, fertilize a couple times in the spring, start watering only once the ground starts to dry out, and then harvest in the summer. We can even plant a fall succession crop after our garlic if we want so it really makes great use of garden space all year round.
Over the years we’ve managed to become completely self-sufficient with garlic. We now grow enough to eat all year (and then some!), plus we save our own seed garlic and usually have extra to sell or give away. And around here fresh, organic garlic ain’t cheap, so it’s a good cash crop for anyone who’s serious about selling it.
It took me a few years to really get the hang of garlic, but it’s one crop I’m now very confident with (knock on wood, because it’s always when we make statements like this that next year’s crop fails! Lol.)
A while back I compiled a comprehensive guide to growing, harvesting and using garlic both as an edible and medicinal crop. This is usually only available as part of a paid bundle (or in the fall 2022 issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine if you’re a subscriber;), but for a limited time I’m offering it for free, no strings attached!
Plus you’ll also get access to my step-by-step video lesson on planting garlic so you can set yourself up for success with your garlic crop this year.
Comment “Garlic” below or head to thehouseandhomestead.com/garlic-guide to get your free copy!
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Going through photos and videos from our trip to the @modernhomesteadingconference and the vast majority are of our daughter having the time of her life!
Even if I personally got nothing else out of this gathering (which I most certainly did), watching her discover her own love of this lifestyle outside of what we do at home made my heart grow three sizes!
Homesteading is about so much more than homegrown food and self-reliance. It’s about passing on invaluable skills and an understanding of and respect for our connection to the land that provides for us to the next generation.
Being around so many other kids and families who are also pursuing a homesteading lifestyle helped show our little one that this is a movement that is so much bigger and greater than what our own family does on our little plot of land. This is a lifestyle worth pursuing, with a community unlike any other.
Glad to be back home and more excited than ever to involve my kids in everything we’re doing. But also, I think I speak for my whole family when I say we can’t wait to go back someday!
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#homesteading #modernhomesteading #raisinglittles
If you’re simply looking for ways to save a little extra cash this summer and live well for less, here are 12 tried and tested frugal living tips for summer that you can use to save money this season without sacrificing a thing.
Head over using the link in my bio!
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/12-frugal-living-tips-summer/
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A brand new issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine just dropped!
In this issue:
🌱 How to forage and use five common edible and medicinal weeds
🏠 A sustainable, affordable alternative to traditional homes, greenhouses and more
👨👩👧👦 Tips for managing a homestead while raising a family (big or small!)
🫙 What to focus on when preserving food for true food security
🌹 How to grow and arrange your own cut flowers at home
🍓 The many ways to preserve summer berries (including 5 delicious recipes!)
💇How to make your own all-natural herbal hair care products at home
🧑🌾 Why “community sufficiency” is the new self-sufficiency
And more!
Visit modernhomesteadingmagazine.com (or click the link in my bio) to subscribe or login to the library and read the latest issue.
Plus, be sure to check out all of our past issues as well! There’s a wealth of information in our library on everything from farming and gardening to cooking and canning to herbal medicine, natural living and so much more!
*** This will be the last quarterly issue! ***
This little magazine has grown so much over the past 4 years and 32 issues, and now it’s time for another exciting evolution.
I’m excited to announce that we will be moving to an even more robust annual publication with the intention of offering the first ever print edition this fall if there is enough demand.
I’m also excited to announce the brand new Modern Homesteading Magazine blog, which is currently under construction and will be launching soon. While we will still be maintaining digital subscriptions, the blog will be accessible to all, free of charge, so that more people might benefit from the empowering and increasingly important information that we cover in each issue.
Thanks to everyone who helped make this issue happen! @homesteadingfamily @oatsandhoneyhomestead @omnivore.culture @thetaylor.leigh @doeraydesign (and more who don’t have IG pages;)
And a HUGE thank you to everyone who has subscribed over the years. Modern Homesteading Magazine would never have become what it is today without each and every one of you.
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If you’ve ever grown your own garlic, you might have noticed the spiral-shaped shoots that suddenly pop up in the centre of the stem, usually about a month or so before the garlic bulbs themselves are ready to be harvested.
These are garlic scapes, and believe it or not- they make delicious pesto! Get the recipe through the link in my bio- https://thehouseandhomestead.com/garlic-scape-pesto/
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This honey and chive blossom vinaigrette is a frugal, easy and healthy homemade salad dressing that pairs beautifully with fresh garden salads all season long.
Get the recipe through the link in my bio.
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/chive-blossom-vinaigrette/
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Whether you live in the city and grow a few herbs on your balcony, have a few backyard chickens in the suburbs or live in the country and have a larder full of enough home-canned food to survive the apocalypse, if living a more homemade, homegrown, self-sufficient lifestyle is important to you, Modern Homesteading Magazine was made for you!
Read it today through the link in my bio!
https://modernhomesteadingmagazine.com/
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This radish top pesto recipe makes good use of the edible radish greens that often get discarded once they’re separated from the root. The end result is a peppery, slightly spicy twist on a classic pesto recipe.
A perfect condiment for all your summer snacking!
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/radish-top-pesto-recipe/
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Hi Anna! Thank you for the detailed post. We have turned most of our front lawn into a field of garlic, which has been wonderful, but many of the scapes we pickled last year turned out tough. Do you think we harvested them too late? Some of scapes are delicious but we were pretty disappointed that many were stringy and impossible to chew. Any thoughts would be super appreciated. Generally though I would recommend garlic growing to anyone with a yard, so easy and so delicious 🙂
Hi Alexis,
Yes, I’d say they were left a bit too long. I usually harvest them within about a week from when they appear. Otherwise they can get tough and stringy like beans can get. I’ve had this issue before too. So great that you’ve turned your lawn into a garlic field! Keep in mind that garlic is a heavy feeder, so make sure to amend your soil before planting again and try to rotate where you plant your garlic if possible or plant another crop in between. This helps to keep the soil healthy and can prevent disease.
Thanks so much Anna, I’m giving it another go this year and I definitely got them earlier. Hoping for the best 🙂
Ever cut the scapes to fit height or width wise in the jars?
I haven’t done that but you could, just like green beans. I just like the way they look all coiled up. Also, because they naturally coil, they are a bit tough to straighten out to stuff in the jar vertically. But you absolutely could!
Loved this post…can’t wait to hear about the strawberries. I never knew what a scape was until I read your last post. I’m going to check farmers in my area to see if I can get some, wish me luck. Loved your tips and hope to put them to work. Thanks Mich
Great to hear Michelle! So glad I could share a little wisdom! Strawberries were also a great success:) Lots eaten fresh, frozen, dehydrated, canned (jam) and turned into strawberry-rhubarb crisp. The recipe for no-pectin jam is up under the “Kitchen” menu.