CARROTS IN OIL in JAR
The CARROTS IN OIL IN JAR are a simple and easy preserve to make to enjoy this delicious vegetable all year round. Perfect both as a side dish with fish or meat dishes and to flavor bruschetta at aperitif time.
To make the CARROTS preserve in oil you will need few and simple ingredients such as carrots, obviously, extra virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, garlic (if you like it), and salt. Once the carrots are cleaned and sliced, you just need to blanch them in acidulated boiling water, season them with oil and garlic, peppercorns, and a pinch of salt, and transfer them into sterilized glass jars. Then, once covered with extra virgin olive oil, you just need to pasteurize the closed jars in a pot starting with cold water.
After cooling the SWEET AND SOUR CARROTS in oil, you can decide whether to consume them immediately or store them in the pantry in a dry place away from heat sources to have them ready to enjoy at a later time.
The sweetness of the carrots is well balanced by the wine vinegar and the pungent and aromatic taste of garlic. If you prefer, you can add fresh chili peppers for a spicy note or flavor with aromatic herbs of your choice such as oregano, marjoram, or sage.
Let’s see how to preserve the Sweet and Sour Carrots in Oil in Jar. For more carrot recipes, also see:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: 12
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 350.83 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 8.64 (g) of which sugars 3.99 (g)
- Proteins 0.91 (g)
- Fat 35.92 (g) of which saturated 5.13 (g)of which unsaturated 0.10 (g)
- Fibers 2.48 (g)
- Sodium 58.26 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 65 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 2.2 lbs carrots
- 4.2 cups water
- 2.1 cups white wine vinegar
- A few berries peppercorns
- 1 clove garlic
- aromatic herbs (optional)
- extra virgin olive oil (about 2.1 cups to dress and cover the preserve)
Tools
- Bowl
- Pot
- 2 Jars
Steps
BEFORE YOU START
To ensure the perfect outcome of the CARROTS in oil in a jar recipe, do not forget to dry the cooked carrots thoroughly by patting them with a paper towel and to follow the vacuum sealing procedure correctly. If you have any doubts, read the GUIDELINES provided by the Ministry of Health on food safety (link HERE) to be able to enjoy the preserve in complete safety.
First, wash the carrots, remove the ends, and peel them with a peeler or knife. Then slice them into rounds, or if you prefer, into sticks. Put the water and vinegar in a pot, then add the carrots and transfer them to the stove. Bring to a boil and from that moment continue cooking for about 10-15 minutes; the carrots should be cooked but not mushy. Drain them and dry with a paper towel.
Peel the garlic and then slice it. Put the cooked and dried carrots in a bowl, add the sliced garlic, peppercorns, and dill (if to your taste), extra virgin olive oil, and mix to flavor. Transfer everything into two jars with a capacity of about 750 g previously sterilized. At this stage, you must ensure that the vegetables are covered with oil, so add a little more if necessary. Close the jar tightly with the lid.
Now that you have closed the jars, place them inside a pot and pour enough cold water until they are completely covered. Bring to a boil and from that moment count another 15 – 20 minutes. At the end, drain the jar, dry it, and let it cool. This way a vacuum should be formed. If using jars with screw caps, to ensure the vacuum has been done correctly, after pasteurizing them, press with a finger in the center of the lid: if it does not make the typical click-clack and remains slightly concave in the center, it means the air has escaped and the process has been executed correctly.
STORAGE
Once sealed in the jar and pasteurized, the CARROTS IN OIL can be kept in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months. Once opened, you can store the carrots in oil in the fridge for a maximum of 3 days. Always make sure they are completely covered with extra virgin olive oil.
VARIATIONS AND TIPS
CARROTS: To prepare carrots in oil, you must use fresh carrots. If they are not fresh or are soft, it will compromise the final result of the recipe. Instead of carrots and following the same procedure, you can also prepare other vegetables such as green beans or zucchini, which will however have different cooking times.
VINEGAR: For this preparation, I recommend using a delicate vinegar such as white wine or apple cider vinegar; red wine vinegar or even worse balsamic vinegar would ruin the preparation.
OIL: To prepare any preserve in oil, I recommend, even if the cost is higher, to use only Extra Virgin Olive Oil and avoid seed oil, as it would leave a bad aftertaste to your vegetables.
HOW TO STERILIZE JARS BEFORE USE
If you don’t have new jars available, you can safely reuse those you already have, but the lid must be new to ensure perfect pasteurization. To sterilize old jars, simply place them in a pot completely submerged in cold water and bring them to a boil. From this moment, they must boil for at least 20 minutes. Once ready, you can wait for the water to cool before removing them, or, being careful, remove them with a potholder or tongs and let them dry on a clean cloth.
