Okra

Growing up my grandfather and dad always grew okra. The only okra they planted was longhorn. This year we decided to plant some and planted 3 varieties. Well we thought we plant 3 but 4 different varieties came up. We planted Cowhirn, Cajun Jewel and Jambalaya. Not sure what one row is but it makes an okra that looks like the longhorn dad would plant. The Cajun jewel makes an okra about 4-6" long and big around. The jambalaya make one about 6-8"long.
From left to right is the unknown variety, middle is the Cajun jewel and right is the jambalaya. If you really don't like cutting lots of okra don't plant the jewels and jambalaya.

In my experience the bigger okra isn't as good
But dang it that Jewel looks fine!

My okra never really makes it to the kitchen. The cherry tomatoes and okra make a great garden supper.

Grilled okra... mmmmmmm

So your sayin bigger aint always better....

You eat the okra raw?

No trying to hijack the post but I have a question about growing okra. My wife and our 3 year old son grew a garden for the first time this year and they both really enjoyed it especially him because he loved picking the okra and squash. The first couple batches that they picked I noticed that some of the skin on the okra was really tough almost to the point that it was hard to chew. I figured that it was due to her picking it too late so the next time she picked it a little sooner before it got so big and it still didn't make a difference. Some of it was really tender while the other was kinda tough and it wasn't really any particular size that was tough it was pretty random. Is this due to the amount of water or fertilizer that it gets or is it something else? Not sure what type of okra we have but it looks the same as the one on the far right in marshmud991 first picture.

Old okra is tuff like that. Doesn't matter what size.

Best way to eat it.

Only eat it fried. And try the pick it no bigger than my thumb. Got one I planted early and looks like a palm tree.

My bro in law grew a bunch of alabama red variety,and it is some count right there off the bush.. I nibble off that thing every time I'm at their house. I always thought it had to be fried or grilled or in a jambalaya,but raw is dang good.

My wife loves it pickled.

SO DO I!!! I pickle some every year...regular and hot!

That above looks mighty fine!

It is simply amazing the amour of okra our patch is giving and the amount of happy people when I show up on their porch to offer them the okra. I wish I would have kept a running account of the weights of okra I have given away. I would guess it would be way up in the hundreds of pounds if not over a thousand. This is this mornings pick. I get this or close to it everyday and no sigh of it slowing down.
Also Mrs. Maggie, if you see this, would you mind sharing your pickling salution?I made some with a store bought kit and they are really good but would like to try someone's home recipe. Thanks.

Happy to share something that is not mine but I will share the way I do it below!!: [this is about as close to my recipe as I could find..*]

Description
Tender young pods of okra pickled with garlic, dill seed and whole peppercorns.

Ingredients
3 pints Small, Tender Okra Pods
3 cloves Garlic, Peeled
3 teaspoons Canning Salt
3 teaspoons Dill Seed
¾ teaspoons Whole Peppercorns
1-½ cup White Vinegar
1-½ cup Water
3 whole Pint Sized Canning Jars, Lids, Rings
Preparation
Prepare jars, rings and lids according to standard canning procedure.

Into the sterile jars, pack as many pods of okra as possible with the tips pointing up. To each jar add 1 whole garlic clove, 1 teaspoon of canning salt, 1 teaspoon of dill seed and 1/4 teaspoon of whole peppercorns. Finish packing the jars as much as possible with additional okra, tips down, fitting the pods in tightly but take care not to crush the okra.

Bring the vinegar and water to a boil. Then pour the boiling mixture into your jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of the rim.

Place lids and rings on jars and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Remove jars from the canner and allow them to cool completely. Let the pickles sit for about a month to achieve the best flavor.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*I have been pickling okra for so long I just do it. I prepare my jars and then add my spices to the individual jars, simply because that is the way I like to do it. Unfortunately, I do not use a measuring spoon but the palm of my hand which would be about a teaspoon or just eyeball it in the bottom of the jar...spices I always use: Canning salt or kosher salt [whatever I have on hand], black peppercorns ten to twelve per jar, dill seed about 1/2 - 1 teaspoon, mustard seed about a teaspoon, clove garlic - peeled to each jar, celery seed about 1/2 teaspoon, I crunch up two or three bay leaves and put a pinch of crushed bay leaf in each jar.

I like mine spicy so I always add at least one pod of cayenne pepper, sometimes two and if you don't have that you can use red pepper flakes but I prefer the whole pepper. I have always found small young okra to be the best for pickling, so that is what I go for to pickle - pods about three inches long but believe me when I tell you, it all eats good as long as the okra is tender. Always trim your okra as you clean it to about a quarter inch stem....just barely there but not cut into the okra pod for sure. I use a ratio of 1:1 white viengar/water. Lots of folks like to put their spices in the water/vinegar solution as they bring it to a boil but I have found that when you do that, most of your spices wind up in the first two or three jars thus my reason for adding individually to each jar.

After preparing your jars and lids, pack your okra into your jars...my method is I pack stem down on the bottom of the jar and come back and pack stem up to finish the jar. It packs tight that way. Bring your brine solution to a rolling boil and pour over your packed jars leaving about a half inch head space. Give it a few minutes before you add your lids, because the okra is going to absorb some of the brine and you will need to add to it, so you don't have naked pod ends at the top of the jar. Use your tools to push and get the air bubbles out to insure you get the most brine solution in the jar.

Once your jars are filled, wipe your rims, add your lids and bands. I have used pint and quart jars when canning pickled okra but generally speaking, the pint jars work the best. Immerse your packed hot jars in your canner for a hot water bath of ten minutes...you want the water boiling when you add your jars and the cook time to be in boiling water. Once that is done, Bob's your uncle! Take um out and let them cool.

You have some beautiful okra!!!!

My wife likes to have a whole jalapeno pepper in the jar also.

They work just as well!!! Dude, my flowering cactus is showing out right now!! It has been popping out a bloom about every two weeks since around June. Popped one open last night and there are four more coming out!! THANKS!!

Mine are blooming also, they use to just start in May for a few weeks and maybe have a few in August. Pour the water to them with a shot of liquid fertilizer.

The veggie has libido-lowering nutrients, so avoid it before bed, or it will be a sad night your penis.

Pecker Checker out

False.

True

I've never ever heard of anybody eating raw okra or it having a negative effect on my pecker. Just the sight of okra floating in an iron skillet does though. A good one.

Care to provide some recent data to back that claim up?

Look it up yourself. Okra and Libido.

I must confess its never hindered me.

I know it's best right off the plant, with a few cherry tomatoes.

I’ve looked it up. There’s no data to support that claim.